The dream lineup and rotation for every NL West team

The NL West was arguably the most interesting MLB division in 2025. On one hand, it features the back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, plus a San Diego Padres team that's always in the hunt and going for it. On the other hand, both the San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks were massive disappointments this season, while the Colorado Rockies were one of the worst teams in modern history.

More of the same could be in store for 2026, based on the dream (but realistic) lineup and rotation for each of the five NL West clubs.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.

Colorado Rockies

Dream lineup

There is not a single scenario in which the Colorado Rockies go from one of the worst teams in MLB history to contenders in a single offseason. With that being said, this dream lineup is one that Rockies fans can at least have some fun watching.

The highlights here are young, potential building blocks like Hunter Goodman, Brenton Doyle and Ezequiel Tovar. Ultimately, where the Rockies end up in the future is largely dependent on how those guys develop. Exciting youngsters like Zac Veen and Adael Amador should be given time to show if they can contribute at the big-league level as well, and guys like Mickey Moniak and Jordan Beck showed flashes of being something last season.

As for external additions, Eugenio Suarez and Rhys Hoskins can add some power to the corner infield spots. Neither player should break the bank, making them realistic Rockies targets, and neither player profiles as a long-term fit either. Enjoy watching them slug home runs at Coors Field for the first half and trading them for prospects, paving the way for Charlie Condon and others to break through when they're ready. That sounds like a dream scenario.

Dream rotation

If you thought the lineup was depressing, take a look at the rotation. Finding pitchers who are willing and/or able to pitch at the hitters' paradise that is Coors Field has been tough throughout Colorado's existence, and the rotation they're projected to have in 2026 speaks to that. With that being said, there are reasons to like this "dream" five somewhat.

Obviously, Adrian Houser is nowhere near an ace, but he should be affordable, is coming off a very strong year (3.21 ERA in 21 starts) and, perhaps most importantly, does not allow many home runs. Houser had a minuscule 1.9 percent home run rate in 2025, and has a 2.3 percent home run rate in his career. The MLB average is at 3.1 percent. Houser ranked in the 79th percentile in ground ball rate per Baseball Savant, and has consistently been able to keep the ball on the ground throughout his career. There's a chance he'll pitch better than most would expect in Colorado, making him a desirable candidate to then flip at the deadline.

Following Houser is a slew of mostly dart throws. Kyle Freeland will factor in somewhere because he's owed $16 million in 2026. As bad as his contract looks, though, he's been able to pitch in Colorado in the past, so perhaps he'll find a way to rediscover his form. Chase Dollander had a rough debut season for the Rockies in 2025, but he was a top-10 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. There's obvious upside there. Ryan Feltner had a lost season in 2025, but he looked promising when healthy in 2024. As for Gabriel Hughes, he's a rookie who has yet to debut. Perhaps he's a diamond in the rough. They can only find out if they give him a shot, and since he was just added to the 40-man roster to protect him from being selected in the Rule 5 Draft, perhaps that shot comes in early April.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Dream lineup

The last thing Arizona Diamondbacks fans want to see this offseason is Ketel Marte getting traded, so obviously, he stays put in this dream lineup, even if there seems to be a pretty good chance that he gets dealt. The trio at the top of the order of Geraldo Perdomo, Corbin Carroll and Marte is honestly as good as it gets anywhere. All three of these players are MVP-level players at their best. The rest of the lineup, though, is where things get interesting.

The Diamondbacks sold at the trade deadline, parting with guys like Suarez and Josh Naylor in exchange for mostly prospects. Trading those players made sense in what appeared to be a lost season, but it created clear holes that Arizona is unlikely to fill, given owner Ken Kendrick's desire to lower payroll. Some under-the-radar additions that should be cheap enough come from Ryan O'Hearn and Austin Hays, each of whom can provide some power to this order that could really use it. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. returning from his torn ACL will help in that regard, too.

The lower third of the order is headlined by Jordan Lawlar, a top prospect who finally has a clear spot on Arizona's roster. How he plays could indicate how successful this offense is. Ultimately, while Diamondbacks fans would love to see major lineup additions, the team must focus most of its resources on the pitching front.

Dream rotation

This rotation is a problem, and not in a good way. Zac Gallen hitting free agency at the same time Corbin Burnes is recovering from Tommy John surgery has Arizona in a rough spot. A path they could take is signing a couple of older veterans, like Merrill Kelly and Chris Bassitt, to short-term deals to sure things up at the top and keep Arizona in the mix by the time Burnes is ready to return.

Diamondbacks fans know what they can get from Kelly, a pitcher whom they traded away at the deadline and who has been rock-solid for years now. Bassitt hasn't played for the Diamondbacks before, but he, too, is nothing but reliable. He's posted five straight seasons of 27+ starts and 157+ innings of work, and has a 3.66 ERA in that span. Bassitt had a solid year in 2025 and was even better in a bullpen role in the playoffs. Since Kelly (37) and Bassitt (36) are older, it wouldn't take much of a financial commitment to get both on board.

Following that veteran duo, the Diamondbacks will have to realistically rely on their internal options. Ryne Nelson pitched very well in 2025, and while both Eduardo Rodriguez and Brandon Pfaadt struggled mightily, both have had good moments in recent years. Having those starters round out the rotation isn't the worst thing in the world, and Burnes' return will only make this staff more dangerous.

San Francisco Giants

Dream lineup

Despite the midseason acquisition of Rafael Devers, the San Francisco Giants struggled to score runs and missed the playoffs with an 81-81 record. From the day Devers was traded to the Giants, San Francisco ranked 20th in the Majors in runs scored and 19th in home runs. Obviously, Devers has to be better than he was in his first stint with the team, but it's clear the Giants could use another upgrade. That's where Cody Bellinger comes into play.

Handing a massive long-term deal to an inconsistent hitter like Bellinger undoubtedly carries a lot of risk, but the Giants are in win-now mode, and other than Kyle Tucker there isn't a better outfielder for them to pursue. Bellinger's left-handed swing might not be tailor-made for Oracle Park, a stadium notorious for its rough dimensions in right field, but Bellinger's speed could allow him to take full advantage of Triple's Alley. Additionally, Bellinger's elite defense in the corner outfield spots makes him a strong fit in the field.

Adding Bellinger gives the Giants another 25+ home run threat they could really use, as well as a major defensive upgrade. This addition, combined with Bryce Eldridge finding his footing in his first full season, could lead to exciting results in the Bay Area.

Dream rotation

The Giants have two reliable starters in Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, both of whom were All-Stars in 2025, but the rest of their projected rotation leaves a lot to be desired. Adding a big bat is important, but it can be argued that adding depth to their rotation is even more important.

The dream rotation addition has to be Tatsuya Imai, a 27-year-old right-hander who made it clear that one of his goals is to beat the Dodgers — and do so as the lone Japanese player (the Giants do not currently have a Japanese player on their roster). A rotation trio featuring proven arms in Webb and Ray as well as a pitcher with as much upside as Imai can be quite scary.

Rounding out the staff is Landen Roupp, a pitcher who underratedly excelled in his first season as a full-time starter, and Zack Littell, another free agent addition who makes a lot of sense. Littell is far from a household name, but he's been an effective starter in each of the last two seasons. He might give up a couple more home runs than you'd like, but having him start half the time at Oracle Park could be what helps him take a step forward. You can do a lot worse as a No. 5 starter.

San Diego Padres

Dream lineup

You'd think a lineup that begins with Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado would score a lot of runs, but that was not the case for the 2025 San Diego Padres. Sure, some of that had to do with down years from all three of the above individuals, but the lack of power up and down the lineup was evident. The Padres ranked 18th in runs scored in the regular season and 28th in home runs — not good enough. Bolstering the power has to be a priority.

Given that, adding Brandon Lowe (31 home runs) and Jorge Polanco (26 home runs) makes a lot of sense for the cash-strapped Padres. Even with a subpar farm system, San Diego has enough to pry Lowe away from the Rays, and Polanco, despite his bounce-back season, shouldn't break the bank. These players should help lengthen the lineup considerably.

Ultimately, how this Padres team does will depend on the top of the order performing to their capabilities and the bottom of the order showing signs of life. Do guys like Xander Bogaerts and Jake Cronenworth have anything left in the tank? Was Ramon Laureano's ascension a fluke? Can Freddy Fermin provide enough offensive value to be given starter's reps?

Dream rotation

The state of the Padres' rotation is dire right now. Dylan Cease just departed for the Toronto Blue Jays, Michael King is a free agent and Yu Darvish will miss the entire 2026 campaign due to injury. This leaves only Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove as rotation locks. Pivetta is coming off a breakout year, but Musgrove missed all of 2025 with an injury of his own. How good can he really be right away with that in mind?

Starting pitching is where A.J. Preller needs to devote most of his resources. Re-signing King is the dream; he's as good if not better than Cease when healthy, but his injury-riddled 2025 campaign might lower his value enough to give the Padres a chance to bring him back. This is a dream rotation, right? King, when healthy, gives San Diego a reliable frontline arm to turn to.

As for the back end of the staff, the Padres will have to take some dart throws. Jose Quintana is often overlooked, but he's put together four straight seasons with a sub-4.00 ERA, has made 24+ starts in three of those four seasons and has pitched mostly well in the playoffs as well. Brad Keller would be a risky play, as he'd be converting from a reliever to a starter, but if any team can get the most out of him in that transition it'd be the Padres. They did it with King and Seth Lugo, so Keller finding success alongside pitching coach Ruben Niebla following his breakout with the Chicago Cubs this year would be far from shocking.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Dream lineup

If you thought the Los Angeles Dodgers were breaking baseball before, look at what they can do this offseason. Sure, it'd be a long shot for them to get Kyle Tucker and Byron Buxton, but is it impossible? The Dodgers have seemingly unlimited amounts of money to spend, so paying them wouldn't be a challenge. The only holdup with a potential Buxton trade would be getting him to waive his no-trade clause; well, getting to play half the time in Southern California on what's essentially an All-Star team with the ability to compete for the World Series every year sounds pretty good, doesn't it? It'd be pretty surprising if the Dodgers didn't acquire at least one star outfielder this winter.

Tell me why this lineup can't become reality without just expressing your hatred for what the Dodgers have done. Again, they have a ton of money to spend if they want to, and their farm system happens to also be as good as any. They can outbid just about any team for Buxton if they want. This will come down to their ownership's desire to continue pushing. Regardless, they'll be favored to win it all.

This lineup might legitimately be the greatest in MLB history, which is a frightening thought considering how dominant the Dodgers' rotation was in October — and can be again in 2026.

Dream rotation

Can you imagine a full season of this? Yoshinobu Yamamoto is one of the best pitchers on the planet and he just put together one of the greatest World Series performances in MLB history. Blake Snell is a two-time Cy Young winner who is dominant when healthy. Shohei Ohtani should have no restrictions now that he's 100 percent healthy and has ace upside. Tyler Glasnow has some injury concerns, but he, too, is a bonafide frontline starter when he's able to take the mound.

The only "concerns" come at the back end of the rotation. The Dodgers will move Roki Sasaki back to the rotation after his dominant run as their closer in the postseason. Sasaki had his ups and downs in his rookie year, but with how strongly he finished, there's reason to expect excellence. Having him as a No. 5 starter is unfair.

Rounding out the rotation is Emmet Sheehan, who had a 2.82 ERA in 15 appearances (12 starts) in the 2025 regular season and threw a key scoreless inning in Game 7 of the World Series in relief. If Sheehan doesn't work out, the Dodgers have highly touted guys like River Ryan and Gavin Stone making their way back from major injuries as depth. L.A. could add a starter anyway, just because they're the Dodgers, but it does feel like they're all but set on the rotation front. Their pitching focus will undoubtedly be on their bullpen.