With the MLB season fast approaching, I thought it was a good idea to give my full predictions for each and every team. Usually, when I do this, I get about halfway done and stop writing because of burnout. Last year, I had a better idea to prewrite the blogs so I wouldn't stop halfway between the teams on the blogs, but that did not work. I got nowhere close and only wrote about eight teams. I'm going to do something different this time. Instead of writing one blog about my predictions, I'm going to write a division-by-division breakdown. I really enjoy the art of baseball, and I think my ideas are ALWAYS right. After I write the six blogs about the divisions, I will write a blog about my World Series team and the bets I like.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE OTHER DIVISION BLOGS
So, with that, let's break down the NL West. This is going to be a spicy division. You obviously have one of the best teams in the MLB in this division, but three teams below it will be competing for the Wild Card spots. If you read my previous blogs, you would know there is one more spot left, so let's see who gets the final spot!
1st Place: Los Angeles Dodgers
Offseason Acquisitions and Losses:
- Signed RHP/DH Shohei Ohtani: 10 years $700M
- Signed RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto: 12 years $325M
- Signed LF Teoscar Hernandez: 1 year $23M
- Lost DH JD Martinez to New York (NL): 1 year $12M
- Lost RHP Lance Lynn to St. Louis: 1 year $11M
- Resigned LHP Clayton Kershaw: 2 years $10M
- Resigned OF Jason Heyward: 1 year $9M
- Resigned RHP Joe Kelly: 1 year $8M
- Signed LHP James Paxton: 1 year $7M
- Signed UTL Enrique Hernandez: 1 year $4M
- Lost RHP Shelby Miller to Detroit: 1 year $3.25M
- Lost RHP Ken Giles to Atlanta: 1 year 1.75M
- Lost SS Amed Rosario to Tampa Bay: 1 year $1.5M
- Resigned RHP Ricky Vanasco: 1 year $900K
- Acquired RHP Tyler Glasnow and OF Manuel Margot from Tampa Bay for RHP Ryan Pepiot and OF Jonny DeLuca
- Acquired a prospect from Minnesota for OF Manuel Margot and a prospect
Projected Lineup:
C: Will Smith
1B: Freddie Freeman
2B: Gavin Lux
3B: Max Muncy
SS: Mookie Betts
LF: Teoscar Hernandez
CF: James Outman
RF: Jason Heyward
DH: Shohei Ohtani
Projected Rotation:
RHP Tyler Glasnow
RHP Bobby Miller
RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto
RHP Gavin Stone
LHP James Paxton
Offseason Grade: A+
Without a doubt, the Dodgers are the best team in the MLB. But what they will do in the playoffs is the thing everyone cares about. Getting Ohtani and Yamamoto is cool, but it don't mean a thing without the ring. Los Angeles has been terrible in the playoffs the last few years, losing in the division round two straight years. It's pathetic, but they did everything possible to get past the first round, including cheating and tampering with Japanese top talent. The Dodgers have everything to lose this season, but their regular season will be a walk in the park.
2nd Place: Arizona Diamondbacks (2nd Wild Card Spot)
Offseason Acquisitions and Losses:
- Signed LHP Eduardo Rodriguez: 4 years $80M
- Resigned LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr: 3 years $42M
- Signed LHP Jordan Montgomery: 1 year $25M
- Signed OF Joc Pederson: 1 year $12.5M
- Signed OF Randal Grichuk: 1 year $2M
- Acquired 3B Eugenio Suรกrez from Seattle for RHP Carlos Vargas and C Seby Zavala
- Acquired a prospect from Chicago (AL) for OF Dominic Fletcher
Still Free Agents:
- OF Tommy Pham
- 3B Evan Longoria
- LHP Madison Bumgarner
- OF Kyle Lewis
- RHP Mark Melancon
Projected Lineup:
C: Gabriel Moreno
1B: Christian Walker
2B: Ketel Marte
3B: Eugenio Suarez
SS: Geraldo Perdomo
LF: Lourdes Gurriel Jr
CF: Alek Thomas
RF: Corbin Carroll
DH: Joc Pederson
Projected Rotation:
RHP Zac Gallen
LHP Jordan Montgomery
RHP Merrill Kelly
RHP Brandon Pfaadt
RHP Ryne Nelson
Offseason Grade: A-
The Diamondbacks are going to be awesome this season. Last year, they had a late push to get into the Postseason, but this should be a wire-to-wire awesome team. They had a great offseason, getting good power hitters in Suarez and Pederson, and got a good starter in Rodriguez, who will have to miss some time to start this season. I love everything about the Diamondbacks, but they will fall below the Dodgers in the West and the Phillies in the Wild Card. The expectations of a Diamondbacks fan shouldn't be to win the division. Los Angeles is too much of a powerhouse, so winning 90+ games and getting the second Wild Card spot will be a joy to watch all season long.
Last edit before I publish the blog, Jordan Montgomery? JORDAN MONTGOMERY!!!!! What a pickup for Arizona that makes them so much better.
3rd Place: San Francisco Giants
Offseason Acquisitions and Losses:
- Signed OF Jung Hoo Lee: 6 years $113M
- Signed LHP Blake Snell: 2 years $62M
- Signed 3B Matt Chapman: 3 years $54M
- Signed RHP Jordan Hicks: 4 years $44M
- Signed DH Jorge Soler: 3 years $42M
- Lost LHP Sean Manaea to New York (NL): 2 years $28M
- Lost OF Joc Pederson to Arizona: 1 year $12.5M
- Lost LHP Alex Wood to Oakland: 1 year $8.5M
- Signed C Tom Murphy: 2 years $8.5M
- Lost RHP Jake Junis to Milwaukee: 1 year $7M
- Lost RHP John Brebbia to Chicago (AL): 1 year $5.5M
- Lost 3B JD Davis to Oakland: 1 year $2.5M
- Lost LHP Scott Alexander to Oakland: 1 year $2.5M
- Lost SS Brandon Crawford to St. Louis: 1 year $2M
- Lost RHP Joe Ross to Milwaukee: 1 year $1.75M
- Lost SS Paul DeJong to Chicago (AL): 1 year $1.75M
- Signed SS Nick Ahmed: MLD
- Acquired LHP Robbie Ray from Seattle for OF Mitch Haniger & RHP Anthony DeSclafani.
- Acquired a prospect from Oakland for RHP Ross Stripling
Still Free Agents:
Projected Lineup:
C: Patrick Bailey
1B: LaMonte Wade Jr
2B: Thario Estrada
3B: Matt Chapman
SS: Nick Ahmed
LF: Michael Conforto
CF: Jung Hoo Lee
RF: Mike Yastrzemski
DH: Jorge Soler
Projected Rotation:
RHP Logan Webb
LHP Blake Snell
LHP Kyle Harrison
RHP Jordan Hicks
RHP Keaton Winn
Offseason Grade: A-
Out of nowhere, the Giants had a great offseason. In March alone, the Giants signed Blake Snell and Matt Chapman, taking advantage of how bad Scott Boras has become as an agent. They signed both players to short-term deals as they try to make a splash this season, but the Giants might not be that good. Don't get me wrong, they will compete for the final Wild Card spot, but according to Fangraphs, only one player is projected to hit over .280, and that's the rookie Korean player who hasn't played a single game in the MLB yet. Another big move this offseason was Jordan Hicks, who might be the most erratic pitcher in the MLB. Also, look back at the acquisition/loses part, there was a lot of roster turnover for San Fran. The Giants will have 80+ wins but will fall just short of New York for the final Wild Card spot.
4th Place: San Diego Padres
Offseason Acquisitions and Losses:
- Lost LHP Josh Hader to Houston: 5 years $95M
- Lost LHP Blake Snell to San Francisco: 2 years $62M
- Lost RHP Seth Lugo to Kansas City: 3 years $45M
- Lost RHP Michael Wacha to Kansas City: 2 years $32M
- Lost RHP Nick Martinez to Cincinnati: 2 years $26M
- Signed LHP Wandy Peralta: 4 years $16.5M
- Lost RHP Luis Garcia to Los Angels (AL): 1 year $4.25M
- Lost C Gary Sanchez to Milwaukee: 1 year $3M
- Lost LHP Tim Hill to Chicago (AL): 1 year $1.8M
- Resigned Jurickson Profar: 1 year $1M
- Lost C Austin Nola to Milwaukee: MLD
- Acquired RHP Michael King, RHP Drew Thorpe, RHP Jhony Brito, RHP Randy Vasquez, and C Kyle Higashioka from New York (AL) for RF Juan Soto and CF Trent Grisham
- Acquired RHP Dylan Cease from Chicago (AL) for RHP Steven Wilson and three prospects
- Acquired RHP Enyel De Los Santos from Cleveland for RHP Scott Barlow
- Acquired a prospect from Atlanta for LHP Ray Kerr, 3B Matt Carpenter, and cash
Still Free Agents:
- LHP Rich Hill
- OF Adam Engel
Projected Lineup:
C: Luis Campusano
1B: Jake Cronenworth
2B: Xander Bogaerts
3B: Tyler Wade
SS: Ha-Seong Kim
LF: Jurickson Profar
CF: Jackson Merrill
RF: Fernando Tatis Jr
DH: Manny Machado
Projected Rotation:
RHP Yu Darvish
RHP Joe Musgrove
RHP Dylan Cease
RHP Michael King
RHP Matt Waldron
Offseason Grade: B
The Padres had a crappy offseason. Last season, their owner tried everything he could to bring a World Series to San Diego, but it failed, and he sadly passed away this offseason. I respect what the Padres owner did because he literally died trying. That is all you can ask from an owner of a sports team. He spent all of his money to get free agents and win the whole damn thing. The Padres now look to go in another direction as they shipped Juan Soto off to New York and let Blake Snell sign elsewhere. San Diego will be in a lull this season, as they won't be able to come close to the 85 wins needed to get the final Wild Card spot in the NL. Getting Cease was an interesting move because it shows they are still trying, but it won't be enough.
5th Place: Colorado Rockies
Offseason Acquisitions and Losses:
- Lost LHP Brent Suter to Cincinnati: 1 year $3M
- Signed C Jacob Stallings: 1 year $2M
- Lost RHP Chris Flexen to Chicago (AL): 1 year $1.75M
- Signed RHP Dakota Hudson: 1 year $1.5M
- Signed RHP Geoff Hartlieb: MLD
- Acquired RHP Cal Quantrill from Cleveland for a prospect
Projected Lineup:
C: Elias Diaz
1B: Kris Bryant
2B: Brendan Rodgers
3B: Ryan McMahon
SS: Ezequiel Tovar
LF: Nolan Jones
CF: Brenton Doyle
RF: Michael Toglia
DH: Charlie Blackmon
Projected Rotation:
LHP Kyle Freeland
RHP Cal Quantrill
LHP Austin Goomber
RHP Ryan Feltner
RHP Dakota Hudson
Offseason Grade: D-
Holy crap, the Rockies suck. The whole organization does not care, so I won't either. The Rockies might have the worst record in the MLB, and it's deserved. Their best move this offseason was getting Dakota Hudson.
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