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What do you get the team that has everything? More pitching, it seems. This offseason the Dodgers signed starting pitchers Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki, as well as reliever Tanner Scott. It’s why the defending World Series champs are overwhelming favorites to win their 12th NL West crown in 13 years and also their third championship in six years. Manager Dave Roberts’s biggest challenge may be keeping his team focused throughout the regular season.
The Diamondbacks put up an MLB-high 886 runs last season, outscoring the Dodgers by 44 runs, but still missed the playoffs because of their pitching. Arizona sought to remedy that issue by signing 2021 Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes to a six-year, $210 million deal.
Having languished around .500 in each of the last three years, the Giants hired franchise favorite Buster Posey to lead their front office. He immediately did what his predecessor Farhan Zaidi could not and signed a premium free agent, shortstop Willy Adames. One big question is how former Cy Young winners Robbie Ray, 33, and new addition Justin Verlander, 42, will perform following injury-plagued campaigns.
San Diego lost several key contributors in free agency, but the Padres should still field a competitive team around its remaining veterans and newcomer Jackson Merrill, who slugged .500 while playing center field as a rookie. While the club isn’t spending like it did under late owner Peter Seidler, the signing of pitcher Nick Pivetta is a positive development.
The Rockies seem content to keep working the same formula that has resulted in them losing 204 games over the past two years. The most notable early offseason additions are infielders Thairo Estrada and Kyle Farmer, who both registered negative WAR in 2024.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (109–53)
Best case: SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto is healthy all year, and with Shohei Ohtani back on the mound, the Dodgers break the MLB season record of 116 wins.
Worst case: Any likely scenario still includes an NL West title. But an NLDS loss to the Giants marks the third postseason exit to a different division rival since 2022.
2. Arizona Diamondbacks (90–72)
Best case: Corbin Burnes is in Cy Young form while CF Corbin Carroll rebounds from his sophomore slump. Arizona picks up in-season bullpen help to fuel a successful playoff run.
Worst case: Burnes struggles to adapt to Arizona’s offense-friendly field. Josh Naylor is no Christian Walker at first base, and the 2023 pennant looks more and more like a fluke.
3. San Diego Padres (83–79)
Best case: GM A.J. Preller addresses roster holes with a massive trade return for pitcher Dylan Cease. Jackson Merrill, 21, cements his star status and keys a run to the NLCS.
Worst case: Xander Bogaerts is exposed defensively in his move back to shortstop. The new ownership is reluctant to spend for the supplemental depth the roster needs.
4. San Francisco Giants (81–81)
Best case: CF Jung Hoo Lee sparks the lineup in his return from shoulder surgery. SPs Robbie Ray and Justin Verlander stay healthy, and the Giants make the playoffs.
Worst case: Logan Webb is the only starting pitcher who is injury-free and productive. SS Willy Adames’s stats suffer in Oracle Park’s cavernous confines.
5. Colorado Rockies (57–105)
Best case: SS Ezequiel Tovar leads an exciting attack, while OF Kris Bryant, who’s played just 159 games in three seasons, shows life. The draft lottery gods smile on Colorado.
Worst case: The Rockies have MLB’s highest ERA for the fourth straight year. GM Bill Schmidt again holds onto Colorado’s tradeable veterans at the deadline.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2025 MLB Division Previews: National League West.