NL West Power Rankings and Preview for 2025

Even though the Dodgers have won 11 of the last 12 National League West titles, this division has always been exciting, and heading into 2025, it’s shaping up to be the best, most competitive division in the league. With four competitive teams battling for playoff spots, every game will be important in an exciting season.

The Dodgers remain the clear frontrunners, boasting an elite roster loaded with stars and depth, after some major free agent signings. However, the Diamondbacks are not far behind, continuing to rise as a serious threat in the National League with an interesting mix of young talent and proven veterans.

The Padres and Giants hope to battle for a Wild Card spot in the middle of this division, looking to challenge the top two teams. Meanwhile, the Rockies lag behind, with some exciting young pieces facing an uphill climb to try and stay competitive in an absolutely loaded division.

With four teams that could realistically make the playoffs, the NL West stands out as the most elite division in baseball. Let’s dive into the power rankings and see where each team stands going into 2025.

5. Colorado Rockies

2024 Record: 61-101, Finished Last in NL West

Projected Opening Day Starting Lineup

Lineup vs. RHP/LHP

1. Brenton Doyle

2. Ryan McMahon

3. Ezequiel Tovar

4. Kris Bryant

5. Thairo Estrada/Michael Toglia

6. Michael Toglia/Jacob Stallings

7. Nolan Jones/Kyle Farmer

8. Jordan Beck/Thairo Estrada

9. Jacob Stallings/Jordan Beck

Notable IL:

This is one of the better Rockies lineups we’ve seen over the last few years. The top three in the order are the real mashers and all have All-Star level abilities. Brenton Doyle and Ezequiel Tovar had breakout 2024 seasons while Ryan McMahon has been a consistent 20+ home run hitter for the last half decade.

This lineup also has a few bounce back candidates that, if return to their top form, can bring this offense to a whole other level. Kris Bryant has looked a lot healthier throughout Spring Training and is hoping to finally have a healthy season in Colorado. Nolan Jones and Thairo Estrada are both hoping to bounce back from subpar seasons in which they dealt with nagging injuries.

Lastly, Michael Toglia and Jordan Beck are young hitters looking to find their footing in the big leagues. Both have shown flashes, but need to be more consistent if they want to be in Colorado’s lineup for the long haul.

Notable Depth/Bench

UTL Hunter Goodman, INF Kyle Farmer, OF Sean Bouchard, OF Sam Hilliard

The Rockies bench brings a decent amount of versatility and experience even though only one of the four is expected to have a wRC+ of at least 100. Hunter Goodman is an underwhelming bat but brings some good depth as he can be plugged in to a lot of positions defensively.

Kyle Farmer comes over from Minnesota to take over the role as the fourth infielder in Colorado. Lastly, Sam Hilliard and Sean Bouchard act as the fourth and fifth outfielders.

Hilliard was above average offensively last season and the Rockies are hoping he can repeat a similar level of production. Bouchard, on the other hand, has the opportunity to be a decent right-handed bat off the bench.

Projected Starting Rotation

Rotation Depth Chart on Opening Day

1. Germán Márquez

2. Ryan Feltner

3. Kyle Freeland

4. Antonio Senzatela

5. Bradley Blalock

6.Anthony Molina/Chase Hollander (Minors)

Notable IL: Austin Gomber

Pitching is always an interesting topic for the Rockies, as they have to deal with the toughest environment for pitchers in all of baseball. Germán Márquez returns at the top of the rotation, making his return from injury. Ryan Feltner follows coming off of his best season in the bigs to date.

Kyle Freeland slots in hoping to be a solid innings-eater as the lone lefty in this rotation after Austin Gomber went down for the year. Lastly, Antonio Senzatela is hoping to bounce back from a rough 2024 while Bradley Blalock looks to prove himself as he only has seven MLB games under his belt.

The biggest story for this rotation is when we see Chase Dollander in 2025. The electric righty has displayed eye popping stuff in Spring Training but still needs a bit more time in the minor leagues. If Dollander can come up and be a contributor in 2025, this can provide the Rockies with some real hope, as it is always hard to find young pitchers who can be effective at Coors Field.

Projected Bullpen

Bullpen Depth

1. Tyler Kinley

2. Seth Halvorsen

3. Scott Alexander

4. Luis Peralta

5. Victor Vodnik

6. Jake Bird

7. Diego Castillo

8. Jimmy Herget

If we’re being completely honest, there is not a ton of upside in the bullpen for the Colorado Rockies. Every single reliever in this group is projected to have an ERA north of 4.00. While pitching at Coors does not help that by any means, it’s still a major red flag.

Seth Halvorsen could be one of the few bright spots in this group. Going into his first full season in the bigs, he is looking to build off what ended up being a pretty solid showing last year. In 12 innings with the Rockies in 2024, Halvorsen had 13 strikeouts and pitched to the tune of a 1.46 ERA.

Luis Peralta is another name who could make a name for himself this season. He finished last year with a 0.73 ERA and a 10.22 K/9 in just over 12 innings. If he can stretch anything close to that out across an entire season, the Rockies could have two solid bullpen arms to build off of for their future. 

Outlook

Although coming off of a 100-loss season. The Rockies have a lot of young players that could take a step forward in 2025. Although the playoffs is a bit too ambitious of a goal, the development and improvement of the young talent will be instrumental to this franchise.

Veteran Kris Bryant simply being on the field will be a big deal for the Rockies. Not only performance wise, but as a leader helping the younger talent develop in this league. He has the opportunity to give this team hope and propel one of the better Rockies lineups we have seen in a couple of years.

There’s a real chance that the Rockies truly improve in 2025, lead by other guys including Ezequiel Tovar, Brenton Doyle, and even Nolan Jones. If all goes well, the Rockies could eclipse 70 wins and finally show their fans some real hope and building blocks to look forward to for years to come.

4. San Francisco Giants

2024 Record: 80-82, Finished 4th in NL West

Projected Opening Day Starting Lineup

Lineup vs. RHP/LHP

1. LaMonte Wade Jr./Heliot Ramos

2. Willy Adames

3. Jung Hoo Lee

4. Matt Chapman

5. Heliot Ramos/Tyler Fitzgerald

6. Patrick Bailey/Wilmer Flores

7. Wilmer Flores/Jerar Encarnacion

8. Mike Yastrzemski/Luis Matos

9. Tyler Fitzgerald/Patrick Bailey

Notable IL: Tom Murphy

This is definitely the most complete Giants lineup we have seen since the team won 107 games in 2021. With an organization who has always emphasized pitching, they are hoping for an offense that can just be average or slightly above.

Lamonte Wade Jr. and his above average on base ability will lead off against righties while Bob Melvin has been experimenting with Heliot Ramos as a leadoff against lefties. Ramos was the second best lefty masher in the league last season, behind only Aaron Judge.

We will finally, and hopefully, get a full season from former KBO MVP Jung Hoo Lee, who has looked very good throughout Spring Training. Willy Adames is the big addition to this lineup and the Giants are hoping he can replicate his production from 2024. Matt Chapman is coming off an excellent 2024 in which he had a 121 wRC+ and slots in as the team’s cleanup hitter.

The two big story lines at the bottom of the lineup are Tyler Fitzgerald and Patrick Bailey. Fitzgerald is looking to build off of a stellar rookie season after making the move to second base. Bailey, on the other hand, is looking to take a step forward with the bat and cement himself as one of the most valuable players in the game.

Notable Depth/Bench

OF Luis Matos, DH/OF/1B Jerar Encarnacion, C Sam Huff, INF Casey Schmitt/Brett Wisely

The Giants don’t have many position battles but one comes in the form of their fourth infielder. Both have had solid run in the big leagues so far. Schmitt brings an above average glove and high upside bat while Wisely could be a solid left-handed bat off the bench.

Jerar Encarnacion is looking to have a break out year for San Francisco. He mashed in Mexico and Triple-A Sacramento last season and has a ton of raw power that the Giants have lacked for years.

Lastly, Luis Matos will most likely be the fourth outfielder going into 2025. It is very likely that we see him and Mike Yastrzemski platoon out in right field, depending on who is on the mound for the opposing team. Matos won a National League Player of the Week award in 2024 in which he displayed some of the raw tools he possesses. He is looking to build off of the highs of last season and cement himself in the Giants’ future plans.

Projected Starting Rotation

Rotation Depth Chart on Opening Day

1. Logan Webb

2. Justin Verlander

3. Robbie Ray

4. Jordan Hicks

5. Hayden Birdsong/Landen Roupp

6. Kyle Harrison

Notable IL:

Logan Webb sits atop the rotation as one of the most reliable and consistent starting pitchers in all of baseball. He could be the first pitcher to have three straight seasons of 200+ innings since the next guy in this rotation, Justin Verlander.

Verlander is going into his age 42 season and the Giants are hoping he can turn back the clock and hold off Father Time for just a bit longer. Robbie Ray is another veteran and former Cy Young who slides into this rotation looking to have a big year after working back from some injuries.

Perhaps the biggest story for this organization is the battle for the fifth starter. As the spring goes on, it is starting to look more and more like Kyle Harrison will not be the fifth starter. His dip in velocity and effectiveness has allowed Hayden Birdsong and Landen Roupp to insert themselves into the conversation.

With both performing very well throughout the spring, it will be interesting to see how the last spot in the rotation shakes out.

Projected Bullpen

Bullpen Depth

1. Ryan Walker

2. Tyler Rogers

3. Erik Miller

4. Camilo Doval

5. Sean Hjelle

6. Lou Trivino

7. Randy Rodríguez

8. Keaton Winn

The Giants have a lot of the same names returning to their bullpen from last year. Ryan Walker was absolutely lockdown after taking over as closer last season and put himself into the conversation for the top 10 relievers in all of baseball.

Tyler Rogers has been a workhorse for this team and is coming off of a 70 inning, sub-3.00 ERA season.

Next, we have the big strikeout guys in this pen. Camilo Doval was an All-Star in 2023 and is looking to regain his form after a disappointing 2024. Erik Miller and Randy Rodriguez are both heading into their sophomore seasons hoping to put up high strikeout rates while lowering the elevated walk rates.

Lastly, it will be interesting to see how the last few slots fill up in this pen as there is a mixed bag of arms looking to make the team. Lou Trivino was a non-roster invite to camp and has performed well. There’s also a handful of homegrown arms who could grab a spot as well as some rotation options who could start the year in the bullpen.

Outlook

The Giants are in an interesting spot as they are in the first year of a regime change. They extended Matt Chapman and signed Willy Adames showing that they want to contend now.

However, they also have young pieces like Heliot Ramos, Tyler Fitzgerald, and Luis Matos in which they need to see what they truly have.

If those guys can repeat some of the magic they showed in their 2024 campaigns, they can elevate this team hoping to sneak into the final Wild Card spot.

What we get out of some of the guys in this rotation will be big as well. Aging Robbie Ray and Justin Verlander have to be good for this team to go anywhere. With a lot of inexperience making up the last few spots of this rotation, them leading the way with Logan Webb will be huge.

There’s a real world where everything goes right for the Giants in 2025 and they are a Wild Card team. However, there’s another very real chance some things go very wrong and they are right around .500 again.

3. San Diego Padres

2024 Record: 93-69, Finished 2nd in NL West

Projected Opening Day Starting Lineup

Lineup vs. RHP/LHP

1. Luis Arraez

2. Fernando Tatis Jr.

3. Jackson Merril/Manny Machado

4. Manny Machado/Xander Bogaerts

5. Jake Cronenworth/Jackson Merrill

6. Xander Bogaerts/Jose Iglesias

7. Jose Iglesias/Connor Joe

8. Jason Heyward/Jake Cronenworth

9. Elias Díaz/Luis Campusano

Notable IL:

The Padres are coming off a season in which they were one game away from knocking the Dodgers out of the playoffs. With a lineup headlined by aging stars, they’re looking for one more shot at making the World Series.

Luis Arraez will lead off for San Diego with the best bat to ball and hit tool in the league. A couple of mashers slide in to the next few spots of the lineup. Fernando Tatis Jr. is one of the young superstars of this league looking to insert himself back in the MVP conversation.

Manny Machado follows looking to fight off Father Time and continue his production as one of the best third basemen in the league.

Jackson Merrill is coming off one of the best rookie seasons in recent memory. Hopefully, he avoids a sophomore slump and is able to recreate the numbers that he posted in 2024.

Xander Bogaerts is the last big bopper in the lineup. He has been subtly declining over the last few seasons and we will see if he can pick it back up in 2025.

The last few spots of the Padres’ lineup will consist of a number of platoon partners including free agent signees Connor Joe and Jason Heyward.

Notable Depth/Bench

C Luis Campusano, 1B/OF Connor Joe, INF Eguy Rosario, INF/OF Tyler Wade

Luis Campusano will be the backup catcher and get plenty of opportunities to win the starting role while splitting time with Elias Díaz.

Connor Joe is the most reliable bat on this bench, as he put up a pretty solid season for the Pittsburgh Pirates last year. He will definitely get more at-bats than a normal bench piece throughout the year.

Eguy Rosario put together a decent showing in 30 games with the Padres last year hitting 3 home runs and batting .245. He will be the fourth infielder on the roster and can play anywhere within the infield.Lastly, Tyler Wade will be the left-handed bat coming off the bench for the Padres.

Not much of a power threat, Wade has the chance to be a solid hitter in limited opportunities.

Projected Starting Rotation

Rotation Depth Chart on Opening Day

1. Dylan Cease

2. Michael King

3. Yu Darvish

4. Nick Pivetta

5. Stephen Kolek

6. Matt Waldron

Notable IL: Joe Musgrove

With rumors flying all offseason about this rotation, it was a bit of a question mark going into Spring Training. However, none of the rotation has been moved at this point, and after the addition of Nick Pivetta, it looks pretty consistent.

Dylan Cease is the ace of this staff, and deservedly so. He finished 4th in National League Cy Young voting last season and if he doesn’t get traded, the Padres have one of the better starters in the league at their helm.

Michael King took a major step forward last season and was one of the more consistent and dominant pitchers down the line. If he can keep it up, he gives this rotation one of the better 1-2 punches in the league.

It will be interesting to see what we get from 38-year old Yu Darvish, but he seems to be a rather solid three starter. Newly acquired Nick Pivetta solved a lot of problems for this organization and truly lengthened their rotation.

If he can give the Padres a low-4.00s ERA in at least 150 innings, it would give this rotation a lot of innings that it didn’t have once Joe Musgrove went down for the year.

Projected Bullpen

Bullpen Depth

1. Robert Suarez

2. Jason Adam

3. Jeremiah Estrada

4. Adrian Morejon

5. Yuki Matsui

6. Alek Jacob

7. Wandy Peralta

8. Kyle Hart

The Padres have a high upside bullpen going into 2025 as only two guys are projected to have an ERA north of 4.00. Robert Saurez is the top dog of this group after posting a 2.77 ERA in 65 innings, finishing with 36 saves. In a division loaded with closers, he is one of the best.

An interesting aspect of this specific bullpen is how lefty heavy it is. As of now, it is looking like four of the projected eight relievers are southpaws, which is more than a team’s normal two or three.

Adrian Morejon headlines the lefties after putting up a solid year in just north of 63 innings. In home games facing a lefty, opponents hit a mere .152 against Morejon. He is followed by a guy going into his second year after coming over from Japan.

Yuki Matsui had an ERA of 3.73 last season, but his xERA was almost a whole run lower at 2.94. After a full season to get comfortable with the MLB ball size and time rules, he is a prime candidate to take a major step forward and breakout in 2025.

Outlook

The Padres are going into an interesting season, as it seems like one of their last chances to go for it all with some of the players that they have. With how some of them are aging and the price tag attached to them, they may have some contracts that they can’t afford.  

That being said, there’s no denying that they have some of the best sluggers in one lineup in the National League. If Tatis, Merrill, and Machado can continue elite production, this team will be competing for a pennant once again. 

However, a lot of that falls on the rotation. With an elite 1-2 punch in Cease and King, the rest of the starters will have to step up. The Padres will need Yu Darvish and Nick Pivetta to be solid all year if they want to compete with the mighty Dodgers and competitive Diamondbacks in any way. 

2. Arizona Diamondbacks

2024 Record: 89-73

Projected Opening Day Starting Lineup

Lineup vs. RHP/LHP

1. Corbin Carroll/Ketel Marte

2. Ketel Marte/Corbin Carroll

3. Josh Naylor/Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

4. Lourdes Gurriel Jr./Eugenio Suarez

5. Jake McCarthy/Randal Grichuk

6. Eugenio Suarez/Josh Naylor

7. Pavin Smith/Gabriel Moreno

8. Gabriel Moreno/Jake McCarthy

9. Geraldo Perdomo

Notable IL: Blaze Alexander

The Diamondbacks are coming off a season in which they had the best offense in all of baseball. With a few changes, they are hoping for the same type of success on that side of the ball. Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte are two legit superstars in this league and make up the top of this lineup. With the departure of Christian Walker, Josh Naylor slots into the lineup as the first baseman.

Eugenio Suarez might be one of the most underrated home run hitters in the league. He has 5 seasons, including 2024, in which he launched 30 or more long balls.

The next few slots in the lineup depend on who’s on the opposing team’s mound, but consists of Pavin Smith, Gabriel Moreno, and Jake McCarthy. All three are young players looking to take steps forward and cement themselves as true contributors in this league.

Depending on what this organization does with Jordan Lawlar, newly extended shortstop Geraldo Perdomo rounds out the lineup in the nine spot. Perdomo was an All-Star in 2023 and followed that up with a better season in 2024 which was 1.5 WAR higher.

Notable Depth/Bench

OF Alek Thomas, OF Randall Grichuk, C Jose Herrera, INF/OF Garrett Hampson

The Diamondbacks bench is highlighted by the return of lefty killer Randall Grichuk. He was a free agent for the majority of the offseason but ended up returning to Arizona as a perfect platoon partner with Jake McCarthy.

Alek Thomas is a toolsy left-handed bat that can come off the bench whenever needed and provide solid defense with above average speed.

Jose Herrera will be doing the backup catching responsibilities once again, hoping to be slightly better offensively than he has been the past few seasons.

Lastly, Garrett Hampson comes over from the Royals and will serve as the utility man off the bench. Hampson is a solid bench bat who can slide into almost any position should any injuries take place.

Projected Starting Rotation

Rotation Depth Chart on Opening Day

1. Corbin Burnes

2. Zac Gallen

3. Merrill Kelly

4. Eduardo Rodriguez

5. Brandon Pfaadt

6. Jordan Montgomery/Ryan Nelson

Notable IL:

The Diamondbacks made waves this offseason and made themselves true contenders when they signed star pitcher Corbin Burnes to a six-year pact. Burnes slides into the top spot in the rotation ahead of Zac Gallen, forming one of the best 1-2 punches in the game.

Gallen had a bit of a down year last season, for his standards, but he was still able to post a 3.65 ERA in 148 innings. Diamondbacks fans are hoping he can return to the Cy Young candidate he was in 2022 and ’23. The three starter, Merrill Kelly had a bit of an elevated ERA last season but has been one of the more consistent starters in baseball over the last few seasons.

Eduardo Rodriguez is arguably the biggest X factor for the snakes going into 2025. After an excellent year with the Tigers in 2023, he was underwhelming with Arizona in his limited 50 innings last year.

Brandon Pfaadt will likely round out the rotation as the fifth starter. He has shown flashes in the big leagues, but has yet to fully find his footing. Hopefully, this is the year we get to see the 26-year old put it together.

Projected Bullpen

Bullpen Depth

1. A.J. Puk

2. Justin Martinez

3. Kevin Ginkel

4. Ryan Thompson

5. Joe Mantiply

6. Shelby Miller

7. Drey Jameson

8.Kendall Graveman

The Diamondbacks have a very solid bullpen headlined by a lockdown 1-2 punch at the top. A.J. Puk is one of the better left-handed relievers in all of baseball and was nails after coming over in a trade with Miami. Following him is one of the young stud relievers in the league.

Justin Martinez has some of the best pure stuff in all of baseball and had a breakout season for the Diamondbacks. If he can limit the walks a little bit, Martinez can solidify himself as one of the best relievers in the league.

Kevin Ginkel slides in after him and has provided the snakes with a mid 2.00s to low 3.00s ERA for the past three years.

It will be interesting to see who slides into the last few slots of this bullpen once Spring Training is over. There are a few starter options who might be pushed to the pen.

Either way, the rest of this bullpen is full of guys who will give the Diamondbacks a solid season with an ERA in the mid to high 3.00s

Outlook

The Diamondbacks have had an interesting last few seasons. After reaching the World Series in 2023, they were unable to even reach the playoffs in 2024. 

After basically substituting Josh Naylor for Christian Walker, they are hoping to repeat as the best offense in baseball. Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll lead the way as arguably the best top two in a lineup in the National League.

With lineups like the Dodgers and the Braves, it will be interesting to see where the Diamondbacks’ stacks up when the season is all said and done. 

Lastly, it’s impossible to not talk about this team’s rotation going into 2025 after they signed superstar pitcher Corbin Burnes in free agency. He has the opportunity to propel this team to a level that they didn’t even see in 2023.

With a solid two through five to follow him up, headlined by Zac Gallen, this Diamondbacks team has a real chance to make some noise in the National League and offer the best chance at dethroning the dominant Dodgers. 

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

2024 Record: 98-64, Finished 1st in NL West

Projected Opening Day Starting Lineup

Lineup vs. RHP/LHP

1. Shohei Ohtani

2. Mookie Betts

3. Freddie Freeman

4. Teoscar Hernandez

5. Max Muncy/Will Smith

6. Will Smith/Tommy Edman

7. Michael Conforto

8. Tommy Edman/Max Muncy

9. Andy Pages

Notable IL:

The reigning World Series champions go into 2025 with an absolutely dominant lineup, led by one of the best top threes in a lineup we have ever seen.

Shohei Ohtani is coming off a 50/50 season and the first season worthy of the MVP award from a primary designated hitter in the history of the game. Having the best player in the league leading off is a pretty good way to start your lineup.

Although dealing with an illness and missing the first few games, Mookie Betts will bat second. Going into his tenth season in the league, Betts is coming off another stellar year in which he posted a 141 wRC+. Freddie Freeman is the final boss of this three headed monster and continues to be one of the best first baseman in the league, even at this stage of his career.

The biggest free agent addition to this lineup wasn’t much of an addition at all, as Teoscar Hernandez signed back to the Dodgers on a 3-year deal. Michael Conforto was another free agent acquisition that will slide into this lineup as a left-handed bat towards the bottom.

Conforto put up two seasons for San Francisco that were slightly underwhelming compared to some of his younger years, but is a prime bounce back candidate after signing with Los Angeles.

The rest of this lineup is full of solid, proven veterans who solidify one of the deepest lineups in the game. Will Smith and Max Muncy highlight the bottom half of the lineup as some of the longest tenured Dodgers.

Finally, one of the newest Dodgers, Tommy Edman looks to build off of a solid first showing with Los Angeles where he launched six home runs in just 37 games.

Notable Depth/Bench

C Austin Barnes, INF Miguel Rojas, UTL Chris Taylor, UTL Kike Hernández, OF James Outman

Miguel Rojas could be a slight X factor for the Dodgers with the way the year has started for Mookie Betts. Rojas is coming off the best season of his career, in terms of fWAR, and can slide in at shortstop whenever needed.

Austin Barnes, Chris Taylor, and Kike Hernández have been coming off the bench and doing a solid job for years now. However, the most interesting piece of this bench is none other than James Outman.

Outman put up a stellar rookie showing in 2023 posting 4.0 fWAR across 151 games. However, in 2024, he was a completely different player. He had a .147/.256/.265 slash line and even spent the majority of the year in Triple-A.

He’s a guy to keep an eye on, as if he is anywhere near his rookie self, he can propel this lineup to a level even higher than it already is.

Projected Starting Rotation

Rotation Depth Chart on Opening Day

1. Yoshinobu Yamamoto

2. Roki Sasaki

3. Blake Snell

4. Tyler Glasnow

5. Dustin May

6. Tony Gonsolin (IL)

Notable IL: Kyle Hurt, Clayton Kershaw, River Ryan, Emmet Sheehan, Gavin Stone, Shohei Ohtani

Even with a lengthy list of starters on the IL, the Dodgers go into 2025 with an inarguable top five rotation in the game. Yoshinobu Yamamoto leads the way and is looking to build off a solid MLB debut in which he dealt with some injury.

Newest addition Roki Sasaki slides into the two spot of this rotation, after choosing the Dodgers in his sweepstakes. Sasaki’s fastball/splitter combination is something we haven’t really seen in the league and it will be interesting to see how big league hitters adjust.

The second best free agent pitcher in this class, Blake Snell, came over on a $182 mega deal. Snell put up an insane second half last year and Dodgers fans are hoping he can recreate that over a full season.

Even with two big additions to the group, Dustin May could be the most interesting storyline for the rotation. After a critical incident that could’ve costed him his life, May finally returns to the mound to bolster an already loaded rotation. Although he has never thrown more than 60 innings in a season, there is no question about the talent.

Projected Bullpen

Bullpen Depth

1. Tanner Scott

2. Kirby Yates

3. Blake Treinen

4. Alex Vesia

5. Anthony Banda

6. Ben Casparius

7. Jack Dreyer

8. Justin Wrobleski

If it wasn’t enough to have one of the best lineups and rotations in the league, the Dodgers also added two stud relievers to create one of the best relief units in the sport.

Tanner Scott is arguably the best reliever in the entire league and chose the Dodgers in free agency on a four year deal. Kirby Yates also signed with Los Angeles to form one of the best relief duos in the entire sport.

Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia are two names who have been with the Dodgers for a couple of years now and have turned into some of the more reliable relievers throughout the National League.

The rest of this pen is full of younger guys looking to find their footing in the big leagues and help contribute for the reigning World Series champions.

Outlook

The Dodgers are attempting to do the hardest thing there is in all of American sports, be back-to-back champions. In the history of Major League Baseball, only 14 teams have been able to accomplish this feat. 

However, the Dodgers have a solid chance to do so. With a star-studded lineup headlined by the modern day Babe Ruth, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles is poised to make another run at the Fall Classic. It’s not just those names, either.

The rest of the lineup is full of guys who are absolutely capable of putting together extremely solid seasons which could only further propel this team’s winning chances.

Lastly, with a gauntlet of a rotation that will get Shohei Ohtani back in the near future, it’s hard to envision this team ever truly struggling. With three elite Japanese arms, a two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell, along with 2024 All-Star Tyler Glasnow, it’s hard to find a true weakness with this roster.

There’s no question if the Dodgers have the talent to win another World Series and, frankly, if they do anything besides that, it will be a disappointment of a season.