NL West preview: What Diamondbacks rivals added, lost this offseason ...Middle East

The National League West was the best division in baseball by record last year and made headlines for another busy offseason of adding star players.

The Arizona Diamondbacks contributed with two All-Star additions in free agent pitcher Corbin Burnes and first baseman Josh Naylor via trade. The Los Angeles Dodgers (2) and San Francisco Giants (5), meanwhile, were also top-five spenders this winter.

This division has housed multiple playoff teams every year since 2020, emphasizing not only the race to the top but Wild Card implications for these games.

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It would do wonders for the Diamondbacks to fare better against their NL West foes than they had a year ago, when Arizona went 28-24 against division opponents but 19-20 if you take out last-place Colorado.

Arizona’s schedule is a big quirky in the sense its does not face an NL West opponent until the Dodgers come to town on May 8. In September, the D-backs have 12 divisional games, ending the season with three in San Diego.

The regular season for most clubs is 10 days out, but for the Dodgers, Game 1 is Tuesday at 3 a.m. in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs.

With NL West games beginning so soon, let’s dive deeper into Arizona’s division foes, including the moves they’ve made this offseason and expectations.

National League West preview (2024 record)

Los Angeles Dodgers (98-64)

FanDuel Sportsbook win total: 104.5

2024 record vs. Diamondbacks: 7-6

Additions:

LHP Blake Snell RHP Roki Sasaki OF Teoscar Hernández (re-signed) LHP Tanner Scott LHP Clayton Kershaw (re-signed) UTIL Hyeseong Kim RHP Kirby Yates OF Michael Conforto RHP Blake Treinen (re-signed) UTIL Kiké Hernández (re-signed)

Losses:

RHP Walker Buehler (Red Sox) RHP Jack Flaherty (Tigers) 2B Gavin Lux (Reds)

Potential lineup (2024 fWAR):

DH Shohei Ohtani (9.1) SS Mookie Betts (4.4) 1B Freddie Freeman (4.0) RF Teoscar Hernandez (3.5) C Will Smith (2.7) 3B Max Muncy (2.4) CF Tommy Edman (0.9) LF Michael Conforto (1.3) 2B Miguel Rojas (2.8)

Potential rotation (2024 ERA):

Tyler Glasnow (3.49) Blake Snell (3.12) Yoshinobu Yamamoto (3.00) Roki Sasaki (n/a) Dustin May (n/a) Clayton Kershaw (upon return from injury) Shohei Ohtani (upon return from pitching injury) Tony Gonsolin (upon return from injury)

Closer options (2024 ERA):

Tanner Scott (1.75) Kirby Yates (1.17) Blake Treinen (1.93) Brusdar Graterol (upon return from injury) Evan Phillips (upon return from injury)

The Dodgers are the defending World Series champions who have continued to push the envelope in terms of signing talent, growing the payroll to nearly $400 million.

Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman rival any star offensive trio in MLB with five MVPs. At a team, L.A. led the league in total bases last year, finishing second to Arizona in runs scored.

Their pitching stats were closer to league average as they dealt with a litany of injuries, but they have since leveled up. Two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell made his second NL West migration in as many years by coming over from San Francisco, and Los Angeles courted Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki.

The roster is loaded, but at the same time, no club has won back-to-back titles since the 1998-2000 Yankees, proving how hard it is to continuously find success in the postseason. No matter how many stars are on a team, postseason parity has been consistent. The Dodgers have an older roster, too, especially on offense.

Question: Have the Dodgers built the new Death Star to buck the trend of new champions?

Arizona Diamondbacks (89-73)

FanDuel Sportsbook win total: 86.5

2024 record vs. NL West: 28-24

Additions:

RHP Corbin Burnes 1B Josh Naylor OF Randal Grichuk (re-signed) RHP Kendall Graveman

Losses:

1B Christian Walker DH Joc Pederson INF Kevin Newman RHP Paul Sewald RHP Slade Cecconi 1B Josh Bell

Potential lineup (2024 fWAR):

RF Corbin Carroll (4.0) 2B Ketel Marte (6.3) LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (2.2) 1B Josh Naylor (2.3) 3B Eugenio Suarez (3.8) C Gabriel Moreno (2.5) CF Jake McCarthy (3.0) DH Pavin Smith (0.9) SS Geraldo Perdomo (2.0)

Potential rotation (2024 ERA):

Corbin Burnes (2.92) Zac Gallen (3.65) Merrill Kelly (4.03) Eduardo Rodriguez (5.04) Brandon Pfaadt (4.71)/Ryne Nelson (4.09)/Jordan Montgomery (6.23)

Closer options (2024 ERA): 

A.J. Puk (3.15) Justin Martinez (2.48) Kevin Ginkel (3.21)

The Diamondbacks missed the postseason via tiebreaker in 2024 and expect a return to October baseball. Adding four-time All-Star Burnes gives the D-backs one of the deepest rotations in the major leagues on paper, while Naylor and internal improvements can help fill the lost production from Christian Walker and Joc Pederson.

Corbin Carroll overcame first-half struggles at the plate and was electric over the final couple of months (.931 OPS, 15 home runs and 15 steals from July 29-on).

Carroll putting up a more consistent campaign would provide Arizona one of baseball’s most dynamic 1-2 punches with MVP finalist and All-Star Ketel Marte.

The pitching staff will be counted on to provide better balance. Injuries crushed the rotation for much of last season, which contributed to an inflated 4.63 team ERA. Watch out for 2023 Cy Young finalist Zac Gallen in a walk year, as well as healthier campaigns for Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez.

Getting more juice from the rotation should help what is expected to be a deeper bullpen. The D-backs continue to evaluate A.J. Puk, Justin Martinez and Kevin Ginkel for the ninth inning.

This is a big year for the D-backs with Gallen, Kelly, Jordan Montgomery, Eugenio Suarez, Naylor and possibly Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Randal Grichuk (options) able to enter the open market next winter.

Question: Can the Diamondbacks find stability with their closer, which they have yet to name, in order to not let precious wins slip?

San Diego Padres (93-69)

FanDuel win total: 85.5

2024 record vs. Diamondbacks: 7-6

Additions:

RHP Nick Pivetta C Elias Díaz (re-signed) 1B Connor Joe OF Jason Heyward LHP Kyle Hart INF Jose Iglesias 1B Yuli Gurriel

Losses:

LHP Tanner Scott (Dodgers) OF Jurickson Profar (Braves) SS Ha-Seong Kim (Rays) C Kyle Higashioka (Rangers) LHP Martín Pérez (White Sox) INF Donovan Solano (Mariners)

Potential lineup (2024 FWAR):

DH Luis Arraez (1.1) RF Fernando Tatis Jr. (3.2) CF Jackson Merrill (5.3) 3B Manny Machado (3.6) SS Xander Bogaerts (2.0) 1B Jake Cronenworth (2.1) 2B Jose Iglesias (2.5) LF Jason Heyward (0.8) C Elias Diaz (0.5)

Potential rotation (2024 ERA):

Dylan Cease (3.47) Michael King (2.95) Yu Darvish (3.31) Nick Pivetta (4.14) Matt Waldron (4.51)/Kyle Hart (3.99)/Stephen Kolek (5.21)

Closer options:

Robert Suarez (2.77) Jason Adam (1.95)

The Padres’ offseason was more tumultuous than their division counterparts. Late owner Peter Seidler’s widow, Sheel, sued his brothers for control of the team, which ultimately was bestowed upon his brother John Seidler. In the meantime, the club got off to a slow start this winter before adding to a top-heavy roster.

Nick Pivetta joining the rotation was a significant addition to help make up for the absence of Joe Musgrove (Tommy John surgery). Trade rumors aside, Dylan Cease and Michael King remain atop the rotation, both on the final years under contract.

San Diego was a game away from eliminating the Dodgers in the 2024 NLDS. This core has made the postseason three times in the last five years and has yet to get over the hump. Jackson Merrill’s breakthrough rookie year provides a jolt as would a healthy Fernando Tatis Jr., but with the loss of All-Star Jurickson Profar, the depth of the major league roster feels a bit more creaky than previous iterations.

Question: Can the Padres’ stars stay healthy and make up for a lack of proven depth?

San Francisco Giants (80-82)

FanDuel win total: 79.5

2024 record vs. Diamondbacks: 6-7

Additions:

SS Willy Adames RHP Justin Verlander

Losses:

LHP Blake Snell (Dodgers) OF Michael Conforto (Dodgers) LHP Taylor Rogers (Reds) OF Mark Canha (Brewers)

Potential lineup (2024 fWAR):

1B LaMonte Wade Jr. (1.3) SS v (4.8) CF Jung Hoo Lee (0.2) 3B Matt Chapman (5.5) LF Heliot Ramos (2.3) C Patrick Bailey (4.3) DH Wilmer Flores (-0.7) RF Mike Yastrzemski (1.6) 2B Tyler Fitzgerald (3.0)

Potential rotation (2024 ERA):

Logan Webb (3.47) Justin Verlander (5.48) Robbie Ray (4.70) Jordan Hicks (4.10) Kyle Harrison (4.56)

Potential closers (2024 ERA): 

Ryan Walker (1.91)

San Francisco has produced one season above .500 since 2016, its remarkable 106-win 2021 campaign, and tagged franchise icon Buster Posey to run baseball operations to change that.

The Giants added an all-around terrific shortstop in Willy Adames from Milwaukee and hope to reap the rewards of a Justin Verlander bounce-back at 42 years old. Losing Snell to a division rival has to sting, and while there is upside in the rotation, there are plenty of questions behind workhorse Logan Webb.

The lineup looks more well-rounded than last year, especially if Lee can stay healthy after an injury-lost rookie year. The top-end talent level compared to the three teams above them in the division falls flat, however. It has been a struggle drawing the biggest fish to the Bay.

Question: Can this starting rotation raise San Francisco’s ceiling to compete for a playoff spot?

Colorado Rockies (61-101)

FanDuel win total: 59.5

2024 record vs. Diamondbacks: 4-9

Additions:

C Jacob Stallings (re-signed) INF Kyle Farmer INF Thairo Estrada LHP Scott Alexander

Losses:

RHP Cal Quantrill (Marlins) 2B Brendan Rodgers (Astros)

Potential lineup (2024 fWAR):

CF Brenton Doyle (3.7) 3B Ryan McMahon (1.9) SS Ezequiel Tovar (3.7) DH Kris Bryant (-0.8) LF Nolan Jones (-0.8) 1B Michael Toglia (0.4) 2B Thairo Estrada (0.4) RF Jordan Beck (-1.0) C Jacob Stallings (0.9)

Potential rotation (2024 ERA): 

German Marquez (6.75) Kyle Freeland (5.24) Ryan Feltner (4.49) Antonio Senzatela (6.57) Bradley Blalock (5.87) Austin Gomber (upon return from injury)

Potential closers (2024 ERA): 

Tyler Kinley (6.19) Victor Vodnik (4.28)

The Rockies spent the third least amount of money in MLB this offseason, as they will count on continued growth from their young core after a 101-loss season.

Brenton Doyle and Ezequiel Tovar became a formidable duo in the lineup as well as providing Gold Glove-winning defense. Bouncebacks from Kris Bryant and Nolan Jones after injury-marred campaigns would add some length to a young lineup.

The pitching staff gets German Marquez and Antonio Senzatela back from injury, but this is a unit that was the worst in the league at not only preventing runs but missing bats and striking out opponents. Colorado had never lost 100 games before 2023, and it now faces the risk of doing so for three straight seasons.

Question: Will more young players join Doyle and Tovar as cornerstone building blocks?

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