Los Angeles Dodgers
Key Additions: Mookie Betts, David Price, Blake Treinen, Jimmy Nelson, Brusdar Graterol
Key Departures: Hyun-jin Ryu, Rich Hill, Kenta Maeda, Alex Verdugo
The Dodgers are once again the clear favorite in the West. They lost Cy Young runner-up Ryu to Toronto and missed on the other major free agents like Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon. But they made a splash in trading for Mookie Betts and David Price. And getting Graterol after the trade was reworked adds another electric bullpen arm. Some familiar faces left, like Verdugo and Maeda, but this team is still built to win a title.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Key Additions: Starling Marte, Madison Bumgarner, Kole Calhoun
Key Departures: Wilmer Flores
The Diamondbacks have added pieces to a team that had some positive strides last year, despite the subtractions before and during 2019. Ketel Marte bloomed into an offensive force. Christian Walker showed flashes as he gained playing time with Goldschmidt out of town. Bumgarner replaces the veteran presence left open by Zack Greinke’s departure. Kole Calhoun will hopefully find Chase Field friendlier than Angel Stadium. Are they title contenders? That’s a bit of a stretch, but they have the ability to get to the postseason if everything goes right, and maybe Bumgarner rediscovers his playoff voodoo magic.
San Diego Padres
Key Additions: Tommy Pham, Zach Davies, Trent Grisham, Jurickson Profar, Emilio Pagan
Key Departures: Hunter Renfroe, Luis Urias, Eric Lauer, Manuel Margot
Last year showed so much promise at times. They were within shouting distance of the wild card for much of the season, but faltered to finish in the basement of the NL West. Manny Machado wasn’t everything he could be. Urias, who they shipped with Lauer to Milwaukee for Davies and Grisham, fell vastly short of expectations. Fernando Tatis, Jr. brought some much needed flair and personality, but injuries derailed a potential Rookie of the Year season. Young pitcher Chris Paddack showed flashes and Garret Richards is returning from Tommy John surgery. The bullpen with Kirby Yates and now Emilio Pagan looks to be stellar on the back end. But they still lack a game changing ace in the rotation, so the ceiling may again be lower than they hope.
Colorado Rockies
Key Additions: none
Key Departures: none
Well last year stunk didn’t it? German Marquez was the only pitcher with a semblance of a good season. The offense was abysmal behind Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story. And now Arenado is unhappy with the front office after he was floated around on the trade market this winter. Not much should be expected from this team which finished 4th in the division last year with no significant upgrades made.
San Francisco Giants
Key Additions: Wilmer Flores, Hunter Pence
Key Departures: Madison Bumgarner, Will Smith
The Giants are stuck. They have aging and expensive assets who aren’t performing to the championship levels of last decade. Buster Posey, Brandon Belt, and Brandon Crawford make up the core of a lineup that won’t scare anybody. Jonny Cueto and Jeff Samardzjia headline a rotation that sports Derrick Rodriguez as its young stud, which isn’t that encouraging. Could they trade some of their pieces? Certainly. But they might not like the return given the price and ability of those pieces.
