The National League West Division is shaping up to anything but expected from Spring training. The Arizona Diamondbacks are leading the division with a 25-18 record with the Colorado Rockies not far behind. The San Francisco Giants are in third, while the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres follow in order.
Although the Diamondbacks started the season strong and even lead the league for a while, my prediction is that they will not keep this stamina up for the remainder of the season. The Dodgers, although in fourth place, have been consistent in past years and have the depth in their lineup to propel them in playoffs – as they proved in 2017 versus the Houston Astros, despite their World Series loss.
The Giants also have been highlighting their power in the last months in the form of double digit runs in several consecutive games. However, with the Giants, it’s either feast or famine so their fate for the rest of the season is as unpredictable as the Padres – who are in last place but show strength in their tight defense.
The Rockies are an interesting second place seat, as they have notoriously been consistent with the lower ranks until last season, when they too made it to the postseason alongside the Diamondbacks and Dodgers. Three teams from a division going to the playoffs is a rare occurrence, however, none of the teams pulled off the final championship.
The Giants have huge offseason pickups like Andrew McCutchen and Evan Longoria contested with key players of the D-backs such as Zack Greinke, Paul Goldschmidt and Patrick Corbin. The Dodgers hold onto second-year star Cody Bellinger and veterans such as Clayton Kershaw. I believe that these three teams will be the ones to beat if I were the Rockies or Padres. The NL West is stronger than it has ever been in the past – with the Giants and Dodgers usually residing in the one and two spots for the past decade or so.
The Diamondbacks have proven that they can compete with a team that has won three World Series titles in the last eight years and a team that went to the World Series last year. The question is whether or not they have the endurance to see it through until September. But, who knows… it could be another year where all three top teams from the NL West make it to the postseason – then my money’s on the Giants.
