The Dodgers are loaded for another World Series run, but they’re not the only story in a stacked NL West.
No team has won back-to-back championships since the 1999-2000 Yankees, but Los Angeles enters 2025 with a roster that could break that streak. They’ve added Blake Snell and Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki to a rotation that was already impressive, plus lockdown relievers Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott.
With Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Teoscar Hernández anchoring the lineup, scoring runs won’t be a problem.
If there’s a concern, it’s the aging lineup. The Dodgers had MLB’s oldest hitters last season (averaging 30.3 years), and they’re even older now. There’s also the question of how Betts handles shortstop defensively.
Still, this is a team that should threaten 100 wins and claim yet another division title.
The Diamondbacks pulled off the winter’s biggest coup by signing ace Corbin Burnes to a six-year, $210 million deal. He reportedly had higher offers elsewhere but chose Arizona partly because he makes his offseason home in Phoenix.
Burnes fronts a rotation that includes Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Brandon Pfaadt, with Jordan Montgomery providing depth. It’s a massive upgrade from last year’s staff that ranked 27th in ERA.
The D-backs were a better team in 2024 than their 2023 pennant-winning squad but narrowly missed the playoffs. With their improved pitching, they should be favorites for one of the NL’s wild card spots.
The Padres face serious questions about ownership’s commitment after Peter Seidler’s death. A power struggle between his family and heirs has led to payroll cuts and uncertainty about whether the team will add pieces at the deadline.
They let Jurickson Profar walk, lost Ha-Seong Kim to free agency, and replaced them with budget options. The bottom of their lineup looks weak, especially in left field, at catcher, and DH.
The rotation still features Dylan Cease and Michael King, but persistent rumors suggest one might be traded. San Diego added Nick Pivetta to the mix, but they’ll need Xander Bogaerts to bounce back and Manny Machado to hit like he did down the stretch last season.
The Giants’ new baseball operations leader Buster Posey made his first big moves, adding shortstop Willy Adames and signing 42-year-old Justin Verlander to a one-year deal.
Their rotation remains a question mark after ranking 18th in ERA last season. Logan Webb is a genuine ace, but there are concerning trends in his performance after three years of heavy workloads. Verlander was limited to just 17 ineffective starts last year due to injuries, and Robbie Ray is still finding his form after Tommy John surgery.
The Giants need a pleasant surprise from their pitching staff to compete with the division’s top teams.
The Rockies are almost certainly headed for another last-place finish after back-to-back 100-loss seasons. Their rotation might be credible with Antonio Senzatela and Germán Márquez hoping for healthy returns, plus Kyle Freeland, Ryan Feltner, and Bradley Blalock.
But the offense remains their downfall. Despite playing half their games at Coors Field, Colorado ranked just 20th in runs scored last season. The addition of Thairo Estrada won’t fix their problems.
They should avoid a third straight 100-loss season thanks to decent run prevention, but a sixth consecutive losing season seems inevitable.
