Who will higher in the standings in 2023: The Diamondbacks or the Giants?
The teams finished third and fourth in the National League West in 2022 behind the Padres and Dodgers
ARIZONA, USA — When you look at the National League West division, your eyes automatically focus on the two big guns on the list: The Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. Both spend a lot of money and one has been at the top of the division for the past nine out of the past 10 seasons.
It’s almost certain that those two franchises will be fighting once again at the top of the standings in 2023. But how about the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants?
In 2021, the Giants finished ahead of the Dodgers with an all-time franchise record 107 wins but fell back to earth hard last season finishing third in the division with an 81-81 record. The Diamondbacks haven’t made the playoffs since 2017 and finished with a 74-88 record in 2022.
It’s clear neither team will win the division unless something catastrophic happens to the aforementioned Dodgers and Padres, but it’s baseball, and stranger things have happened. Like the aforementioned 107-win season for the Giants in 2021. But what about 2023? Where will the Giants and Diamondbacks finish and between the two, who will finish with a better record?
Hosts Millard Thomas of the Locked On Diamondbacks podcast and Ben Kaspick of the Locked On Giants podcast discussed their thoughts about both teams. Before they got into the prediction, they discussed the teams and how they look heading into 2023.
Thomas joked about veteran Evan Longoria switching teams and Kaspick discussed Longoria’s time with the Giants. Longoria who turned 37 this past October, played in 89 games in 2022 and hit 14 home runs, and knocked in 42 runs. Thomas said he’d love for Longoria to repeat those numbers and that the team doesn’t need more than that from him. He also talked about the importance of having a veteran like Longoria on a young team like the Diamondbacks.
Both hosts also discussed the Giants finishing at .500 in 2022 and how they lost out on big free agents this offseason but they also made it a point to mention how the Giants still have a pretty good team. They mention the addition of Ross Stripling to the pitching staff after Carlos Rodón’s exit.
Kaspick also stressed that Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto have a chance to be the guys for the Giants offensively and help them compete in the NL West.
As for the predictions, Thomas goes for his own team and thinks the Diamondbacks can finish ahead of the Giants in 2023. He believes the Diamondbacks are being overlooked in the early going and that they could surprise some people and do a lot better than expected.
Kaspick said, “If the D-backs hit their upside and the Giants hit their floor, and are solid, the D-backs have the potential to surpass the Giants.”
The Diamondbacks also have a few prospects who are on the cusp and top prospect Corbin Carroll who can make an immediate impact on the team. But Kapsick ultimately picks the Giants to finish ahead of the Diamondbacks in the standings.
