Dodgers favored in NL West, Diamondbacks potential challengers

The National League West is gearing up for an interesting season. The Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to dominate, while the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants face challenges. The Arizona Diamondbacks may provide the biggest competition for the Dodgers. Corbin Burnes, a star pitcher, recently signed a six-year deal worth $210 million with the Diamondbacks. Willy Adames, a prominent shortstop, signed a seven-year contract for $182 million with the Giants. Their performances could be critical in pushing their teams against the Dodgers and Padres, who have big names like Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. The Dodgers, who had a successful 2024 season, added several key players, including Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki, enhancing their pitching staff. The team is looking to maintain its winning culture and hopes for a healthy roster, especially as many players are aging. The Diamondbacks had a strong offensive performance last season but did not make the playoffs. They aim to improve this year with Burnes joining their rotation. Although they lost one standout player, they have solid replacements and a robust lineup. The Padres, however, have had a more challenging offseason. Following the death of their owner, the team's direction is unclear. Although they retain talent like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, they have not made significant offseason moves, which could impact their chances. The Giants started the offseason positively by signing Adames but have seen little follow-up activity. Despite a signing of veteran pitcher Justin Verlander, the team has not addressed some key issues. This raises doubts about their ability to compete effectively. Lastly, the Colorado Rockies continue to struggle. Despite a slight improvement last season, they showed weak performance in scoring and have not made any impactful changes for the new season. Their struggles may persist as they face tough competition in the division.