Dodgers or Padres: Who’s The Favorite in NL West

While the majority of the country is trying to dig itself out of one of worst winter storms in modern history, Arizona and Florida are yelling “Play Ball!” with start of spring training this week. And in doing so, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres are preparing to do battle for the National League West title. So who is the favorite to win the division?

According to Las Vegas oddsmakers, the Dodgers and Padres are not only top contenders to win the NL West, but also the World Series next October. It is safe to say the division is a two-team race as the San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Colorado Rockies have done very little to improve themselves this offseason.

Dodgers are the Favorites

The Dodgers deserve to be the favorites heading into the 2021 season. Who could argue with their success: eight consecutive NL West titles, averaged over 100 wins per season from 2017-19, and finally won a World Series championship in their third appearance in the Fall Classic over the last four seasons.

But I know one thing, the Padres are not going anywhere. The Dodgers kept them at arm’s distance away from their perch atop of the division all last season. But that was 2020 and this is 2021.

Last season’s Padres roster was not complete as they did not have enough quality pitching to contend with the Dodgers. Team general manager AJ Preller went to work and acquired talent through a number of trades completed this winter. Now, the Padres can boast a deep, talented roster. Will all of the moves be enough to overtake the Dodgers in the NL West? That question cannot be answered until the conclusion of the season.

Experience Will Play a Key Role in Who Wins NL West

Experience will play a key role on who will win the NL West. Padres went through growing pains against the Dodgers last season. Both teams were in a virtual tie on the first day of August. Then, the Dodgers closed out the season by going 38-14 while the Padres went 31-21 in the same time frame.

The season series between the Dodgers and Padres can be best described as missed opportunities. The Friars made too many unforced errors that the Dodgers converted into big scoring rallies and convincing wins. Whether it was poor base running, fielding mishaps, or trouble throwing strikes, the Padres were continually outclassed by their rival. At times, the games were too painful to watch. Unfortunately, the Friar Faithful won’t know if their team has learned from their mistakes until the teams meet for the first time in April.

The Dodgers bench will look quite different in 2021. Two key performers (Joc Pederson and Kiki Hernandez) left the organization via free agency. No question, Pederson and Hernandez were integral in the team’s postseason success. Do the Dodgers have viable in-house candidates on their 40-man roster to replace them and duplicate their production? We shall see, but don’t be surprised if the Dodgers make a few moves to fortify their bench at the trade deadline.

Quality Starting Pitching is a Common Denominator

When two teams are as close in talent as the Dodgers and Padres are, often the difference will come down to starting pitching.

In a move that best can be described as “the rich getting richer,” the Dodgers added 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer to an already impressive starting rotation that includes Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, and David Price. Plus, Julio Urias, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin will be vying for the fifth spot in the rotation this spring. You would be hard-pressed to find a better group of starters in the majors.

The Padres might want to call your bet. They feature a starting rotation of Blake Snell, Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, Dinelson Lamet, and Chris Paddack with MacKenzie Gore and Adrian Morejon in reserve if one of the mentioned is injured or ineffective on the mound. This group isn’t too shabby either.

It is rare to see two teams with this type of quality starting pitching in the same division. It will put more emphasis on each lineup to gain an early lead in a contest. If not, then the odds are high that you might get shutout by the opposing side on that day.

Still, both staffs have plenty of pitching-related questions that need to answered. Can Kershaw and Lamet remain health-free and not crumble from the grind of a long baseball season? Is Snell ready to dispel the notion that he is a five-inning pitcher? Will Bauer’s outspoken behavior be a good fit inside the Dodgers clubhouse? No question, pitching will be the driving force for both the Dodgers and Padres success this season.

Let’s face the facts, the Dodgers are the favorites of the NL West until they’re dethroned. But you cannot deny the fact that the Padres have closed the gap in talent between the two teams.

The Dodgers and Padres seem to be on a collision course to see who is the best in baseball. Keep an eye on this pennant race, it could become a fight to the finish.