NL West Spring Training Report:Dodgers Team to Beat
The Los Angeles Dodgers would have been a title contender with no offseason moves, but the signing of former American League Most Valuable Player Shohei Ohtani only solidified the Dodgers as the World Series favorite according to the Las Vegas MLB odds.
The Arizona Diamondbacks made a stunning run to the World Series but are a distant second in the National League West odds with the San Diego Padres flying a bit under the radar after trading away former batting champion Juan Soto.
When looking at the MLB futures odds, the Dodgers and Diamondbacks lead the NL West teams with the best odds of winning the World Series.
With players reporting for spring training, here’s an early look at the National League West.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers aren’t messing around as they added the bat for American League Most Valuable Player Shohei Ohtani to a lineup that includes Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, Will Smith, and Josh Outman. Gavin Lux is back after missing all of last season. Outfielder Teoscar Hernandez comes over from the Seattle Mariners after hitting 26 home runs.
Tyler Glasnow was added to the starting rotation and Japanese league star Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be part of the starting pitching unit.
Keep an eye on Walker Buehler, a 16-game winner in 2021 who missed all of last season. Future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw is back for his 17th season with the Dodgers, although he probably won’t pitch until the second half of the season due to an elbow injury.
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
Despite a surprising run to the World Series, the Diamondbacks as well back in the NL West odds according to our sportsbook.
Reigning NL Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll is among the game’s rising stars The Diamondbacks got Carroll some help by trading for third baseman Eugenio Suarez while the pitching staff added former Detroit Tigers ace Eduardo Rodriguez. Christian Walker (33 home runs, 103 RBIs), Ketel Marte (25 HRs), Lourdes Gurriel (24 HRs), and Gabriel Moreno are among the big hitters returning for Arizona.
Adding Rodriguez to the rotation featuring Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly makes the Diamondbacks a factor in the National League.
The Diamondbacks won’t be sneaking up on teams this season.
3. San Diego Padres
The big news for San Diego was the trade of outfielder Juan Soto to the New York Yankees. Pitchers Michael King, Jhony Brito, and Randy Vasquez as well as catcher Kyle Higashioka are part of the return.
The pitching staff still looks a little thin without Blake Snell, Seth Lugo, and Michael Wacha. Joe Musgrove did go 10-3 in 17 starts. Closer Josh Hader is also gone.
Any offense that includes Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, Ha-Seong Kim, and Jake Cronenworth can’t be overlooked.
If the pitching delivers, maybe the Padres can exceed expectations after falling short the last couple of seasons.
4. San Francisco Giants
The Giants added former Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray to bolster the rotation that also includes Logan Webb and Alex Cobb. Cobb needs to work his way from a hip injury.
Sean Manaea, Anthony DeSclafani, Ross Stripling, and Jakob Junis are all gone so there are some pitching holes to fill.
The Giants scored the second-fewest runs in the National League. They did add outfielder Jorge Soler to a lineup that didn’t have a player with at least 25 home runs.
Lamonte Wade, J.D. Davis, Thairo Estrada, Mike Yastrzemski, and Patrick Bailey are top hitters coming back. This is hardly a feared lineup and the inability to score runs could hold the Giants back.
5. Colorado Rockies
Colorado is coming off a 103-loss season and it could be more of the same in 2024.
Having infielder Brendan Rodgers for more than 46 games will be something to build around. Ryan McMahon joins 2023 surprise Nolan Jones, Ezequiel Tovar, and Elias Diaz as players with double-digit home run totals coming back.
Charlie Blackmon is another hitter who missed time in 2023 for the Rockies.
No Colorado pitcher had more than nine wins last season. Perhaps the addition of Dakota Hudson will help a team that had a 5.67 team ERA in 2023. Kyle Freeland has five straight losing records since a 17-7 season so getting him back to the way he pitched earlier in his career is a priority.
Questions Of The Day
Which team is favored to win the National League West Division?
The Los Angeles Dodgers have the best MLB odds at -400 to win the division title in 2024 with defending National League champion Arizona next at +750.
Who are some National League West players to watch in the individual awards races?
San Francisco’s Logan Webb (+950), Los Angeles’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto (+1000), and Arizona’s Zac Gallen (+1200) are among the top Cy Young candidates. Yamamoto is the leader in the Rookie of the Year odds. San Francisco’s Jung Hoo Lee is another rookie to keep an eye on. Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers are both priced at +650 in the MVP odds.
