The Los Angeles Dodgers have had their foot on the neck of the National League West, claiming 12 of the past 13 divisional crowns. But pitching and injury woes have left a scent of blood in the water, and rivals can smell it. Look no further than the San Francisco Giants' stunning blockbuster acquisition of star slugger Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox as proof.
San Francisco didn't necessarily give up a haul for Devers. However, they agreed to pay the rest of his 10-year, $313.5 million contract, which runs through 2033 and exceeds $250 million in remaining balance. You don't make an impromptu move of this magnitude without contending in mind.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers have made headlines of their own in recent days, courtesy of superstar Shohei Ohtani. He made the highly anticipated return to his roots as a two-way player, taking the mound for the first time since Aug. 23, 2023. Yet, this may only be the tip of the NL West iceberg, with multiple members expected to be active buyers at the upcoming trade deadline.
Four games separate the Dodgers from the third-place San Diego Padres. Six losses differentiate L.A. from the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are fourth in the NL West. Below, we assess the current state of affairs in the continuously evolving, suddenly revamped division.
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NL West rankings after Rafael Devers trade and Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani resumes pitching
5. The Rockies remain entrenched at the bottom, and it's not close
No surprises here. The Colorado Rockies' 13 wins through 70 games marked the fewest since the Cleveland Spiders went 12-58 ... in 1899. That's right, it's been a century-plus since a team has been this bad. Stats like this shouldn't even be allowed, let alone possible.
Many of us have been raised to know that if you don't have something nice to say, say nothing at all. Well, there's nothing positive happening in Colorado beyond reliever Jake Bird and catcher Hunter Goodman's respective breakout campaigns, so let's just leave it at that.
4. It's only a matter of time before the Padres get exposed
Perhaps no one has benefited from a friendly first-half schedule more than the Padres. They've beaten up on inferior foes with relative ease, but have struggled against clubs above .500. If this trend continues, it'll be hard to treat San Diego as a legitimate threat to the Dodgers and their NL West counterparts.
Uncertainty surrounding the status of Padres ace Michael King lingers, as does right-hander Yu Darvish not appearing particularly close to making his season debut. San Diego isn't equipped offensively to overcome a short-handed rotation. They're posting below league-average marks in runs per game (4.20) and OPS (.692).
3. Surging Diamondbacks are finding their stride
Arizona is like a cockroach; nearly impossible to kill. Right when everyone is ready to count the Diamondbacks out and label them deadline sellers, they rattle off nine wins in 13 games. Despite their slow start to the year, general manager Mike Hazen plans to push the envelope in hopes of reaching the postseason.
Boasting one of baseball's most high-powered lineups, the Diamondbacks feature All-Stars like Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte, plus stable veterans, Eugenio Suárez and Josh Naylor. Even after losing former Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes to Tommy John Surgery, they have a complementary rotation to boot. Merrill Kelly has been excellent in 2025, and Zac Gallen is a prime bounceback candidate.
2. Rafael Devers makes the Giants a force to be reckoned with
Devers is exactly what the Giants could've asked for. He instantly brings juice to the middle of an order that badly needs it. Moreover, the 28-year-old provides a necessary jolt of star power, something San Fran lacked in an NL West littered with big names.
With Devers now in the Bay, the Giants have an elite hitter to pair with one of the MLB's premier pitching staffs. San Francisco is first in reliever ERA (2.67) by a considerable margin; their starters rank 13th. Like the Padres, they haven't been getting on base or driving in runs consistently. But unlike San Diego's front office, president of baseball operations Buster Posey took matters into his own hands.
1. Shohei Ohtani pitching again separates the Dodgers from the rest of the NL West
Listing the Dodgers atop the NL West hierarchy is as predictable as putting Colorado at the bottom. Health and pitching misfortunes aside, L.A. has more than earned the benefit of the doubt until we see someone pass them in the standings.
Ohtani and the Dodgers' stable of bats are a mash unit, and Mookie Betts has yet to reach his MVP form. Backstop Will Smith continues to quietly rake. Reigning World Series MVP Freddie Freeman's dark horse candidacy to earn the regular-season version of the award is going strong.
Once hurlers Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow re-enter the mix, L.A. will deploy the spectacular five-man rotation everyone envisioned this past winter. They, along with Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and franchise icon Clayton Kershaw, will enable the Dodgers to assert their NL West supremacy. The only thing that would prevent them from being an unstoppable force is injury, but the defending champions have already weathered that storm.