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The NL West is shaping up to be another two-team race. The question remains: which team will top the standings? Will there be any surprise contenders?
The AL West is an incredibly tight division. An argument can be made for three of the five contending teams in that division winning it. However, the NL West is also closer than it seems. The Los Angeles Dodgers are coming off an incredible 2016 campaign. Despite an injury-plagued roster which included ace Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers miraculously clinched the NL West, making it all the way to the NLCS. In the offseason, the Dodgers regained some key players, re-signing Justin Turner, Kenley Jansen, Rich Hill and Chase Utley. The team also acquired Logan Forsythe from the Rays and signed former Giants closer Sergio Romo. The Dodgers certainly have the talent to repeat as division champions, but they do have stiff competition.
The Giants and Rockies are also legitimate threats to the Dodgers, and an argument can be made for both teams winning the NL West. The Giants still have a plethora of veterans all across the lineup and pitching staff. The team addressed their closer problem from last year by signing Mark Melancon to a four-year, $62 million contract. The Rockies, meanwhile, have perhaps the best lineup in the NL West, and one of the best in the NL in general. Former All-Stars include outfielders Carlos Gonzalez and Charlie Blackmon, and infielders Nolan Arenado, Ian Desmond and DJ LeMahieu. The team also has former Gold Glove winner Gerardo Parra. The Rockies also added some bullpen help in the form of Greg Holland and Mike Dunn; the latter signed a three-year deal back in December.
While the AL West seems like a tight race, the NL West may also be relatively close. Similar to the AL West, this division has three legitimate teams ready to battle for a division crown.
Here are the projected standings for the NL West in 2017.
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Last Place: San Diego Padres
Projected Record: 69-93
In a three-day time period in the 2014-15 offseason, the San Diego Padres went from a mediocre team to a contender. On paper, the moves made within those three days, along with some other acquisitions made throughout the offseason, made San Diego a contender going into 2015.
Sadly, the season did not play out as expected, and instead of contending, the Padres fell back into bad habits. In the 2015-16 offseason, most of the acquisitions made the previous year were gone, and the Padres entered rebuild mode. The team finished in last place in the NL West.
The Padres had many weaknesses offensively. San Diego had the worst batting average in MLB, along with the second-most strikeouts. The Padres were also among the worst teams in other offensive categories, such as on-base percentage and runs scored. In the offseason, the team remained relatively stagnant. Minor moves were made, such as the signings of Jered Weaver and Trevor Cahill. However, the Padres remain in rebuild mode, and another disappointing season is expected in 2017.
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Fourth Place: Arizona Diamondbacks
Projected Record: 74-88
Last offseason, the Arizona Diamondbacks also went all-out much like the Padres in 2014-15. Arizona, on paper, looked like a potential contender in the NL West. Sadly, their season wasn't up to par either, and for the second straight year, a buying NL West team failed to live up to expectations. Their misfortunes in 2016 led to some trades this past offseason, and it looks like the Diamondbacks may also be rebuilding.
Unlike the Padres, Arizona's main issue in 2016 was their pitching staff. Arizona finished the season last in MLB in ERA, and with the second-highest opposing batting average. New acquisition Shelby Miller was a huge contributing factor to the struggles of the pitching staff, as he posted a 3-12 record and a 6.15 ERA in 20 starts. Zack Greinke, who signed a long-term deal with the team last offseason, also struggled in his first season. Offense isn't the issue for the team, but questions in their starting rotation and bullpen will likely lead to another disappointing season.
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Third Place: Colorado Rockies
Projected Record: 84-78
Last season, the Colorado Rockies showed improvement, moving from last place to third place in the NL West. Once again, the Rockies were one of the better offensive teams in MLB. Once again, the Rockies had one of the worst pitching staffs in MLB. It was a typical year for Colorado, except the Rockies actually found themselves contending for a Wild Card berth. While the Rockies failed to reach the postseason, their improvement from the previous year is promising.
The Rockies are certainly not short on talent: Their lineup consists of former All-Stars, Gold Glove winners and Silver Sluggers. The team also has a nice balance of youth and experience, and offensively they are one of the best teams in baseball.
During the offseason, the Rockies acquired bullpen help and signed free agent Ian Desmond to a multi-year deal. The Desmond deal was considered questionable, as the Rockies already have a full outfield. The decision to move Desmond to first base is also suspect, but from an offensive standpoint, the signing was a no-brainer. Desmond is just another former All-Star in a lineup full of former All-Stars, so he will surely fit right in. The Rockies still have issues with their rotation, but with their lineup and a revamped bullpen, they may be able to make an impact in 2017.
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Second Place: San Francisco Giants
Projected Record: 87-75
The top two NL West teams are neck and neck in terms of talent. The Giants and Dodgers have identical pitching staffs. The Dodgers have their ace in Clayton Kershaw, while the Giants have their ace in Madison Bumgarner. The Dodgers and Giants both have solid bullpens with well-established closers: Kenley Jansen for Los Angeles, and Mark Melancon for San Francisco. In recent years, the NL West race revolved around these two teams, and in 2017, that will likely remain unchanged.
What separates these two teams is offense. Neither team has the greatest offense in the world, but the Giants struggled offensively last season, while the Dodgers were a bit better. Power numbers were down for the Giants, and their offensive struggles led to them falling out of contention for the NL West crown. Going into Spring Training, the Giants still have holes to fill, primarily in left field. There are several question marks for the Giants going into 2017, and their pitching staff may need to carry the load. However, the Giants still have a plethora of talent, which could definitely help them make a big impact in this NL West race.
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First Place: Los Angeles Dodgers
Projected Record: 90-72
Much like the NL East, the NL West race over the past several years has revolved around two teams. In 2010 and 2012, the Giants won the NL West en route to winning two World Series championships. From 2013 to 2016, the Dodgers won the NL West, but the Giants won another World Series in 2014, while the Dodgers failed to reach the World Series once. This year, the Dodgers are once again the favorites to win the NL West.
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In the offseason, Los Angeles re-signed multiple players, and even filled their hole at second base (at least temporarily) with former Tampa Bay Ray Logan Forsythe. Other players, such as Ryan Braun and Brian Dozier, have also been linked to the Dodgers, and one or both of them may wind up in Los Angeles in the near future. The Dodgers, despite many injuries, won the NL West last season. Now, they get all of their players back, and if the team can win the division with a depleted roster, they can certainly do it again with a fully healthy roster.
