Arizona Diamondbacks
2025 Recap
Final record: 80-82
Division finish: 4th
Biggest Strengths
Arizona’s infield production was among the best in baseball. Before the trade deadline, Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez posted big numbers, while Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte formed one of the best middle-infield pairings in the league.
Biggest Weaknesses
The bullpen ranked 27ᵗʰ in ERA. Left and right field were disappointing, with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Alek Thomas providing little value at the plate. The pinch-hitting numbers were poor, as was the production from DH.
Key Additions
Zac Gallen almost counts as an addition after not finding a new team in free agency, and Merrill Kelly re-signed after being flipped at the trade deadline. Veteran corner infielders Nolan Arenado and Carlos Santana were hardly high-upside acquisitions, and both are well past their respective peaks.
Michael Soroka adds depth to the rotation. A struggling bullpen has been reinforced with Paul Sewald and Kade Strowd.
Prospects Likely to Contribute
Tommy Troy, a first-round pick in 2023, is a non-roster invitee to spring training and spent time in Triple-A last year. He could get a chance if an infielder suffers an injury.
After posting an .833 OPS in Double-A, LuJames Groover isn’t far from getting a big-league shot. The Diamondbacks’ top prospect, Ryan Waldschmidt, is coming off a strong year in the minors and has an outside chance of breaking camp with the team.
Key Losses
The main losses were Naylor and Suárez at last year’s trade deadline. Arizona had already moved its expiring contracts, so Blaze Alexander and Jake McCarthy were the only notable departures this winter.
Projected Lineup
Geraldo Perdomo
Corbin Carroll
Ketel Marte
Gabriel Moreno
Pavin Smith
Nolan Arenado
Carlos Santana
Jordan Lawlar
Alek Thomas
Projected Pitching Staff
Rotation
Zac Gallen
Ryne Nelson
Eduardo Rodriguez
Brandon Pfaadt
Michael Soroka
Bullpen
Kevin Ginkel
Paul Sewald
Ryan Thompson
Kade Strowd
Drey Jameson
Brandyn Garcia
Taylor Clarke
Biggest Question Mark
Will the rotation be close to league average? FanGraphs ranks the Diamondbacks as having the 20ᵗʰ-best rotation in the big leagues. With no Corbin Burnes, this is a fairly uninspiring group.
Given that the lineup has the potential to be in the top 10 in baseball, can the starting pitchers find a way to post an ERA+ of 100?
Breakout Candidate
Kade Strowd had a 1.71 ERA last year. It came in only 26.1 innings, though, so it’s probably a bit premature to say he has already broken out. Strowd allowed only a 1.5% barrel rate.
His stuff was impressive. The fastball grades highly, and his breaking pitches have the potential to be elite. Improved command could give Strowd the chance to become a multi-inning bullpen weapon.
Projected record: 79-83
Colorado Rockies
2025 Recap
Final record: 43-119
Division finish: 5th
Biggest Strengths
Hunter Goodman and Mickey Moniak posted strong individual numbers. Other than that, there wasn’t much to take from Colorado’s 119-loss season. It was bleak from start to finish. Being 26ᵗʰ in Outs Above Average was better than they fared in most other categories.
Biggest Weaknesses
The Rockies ranked dead last in wRC+, starter ERA, and reliever ERA. Their lineup was abysmal outside of Goodman and Moniak, ranking 30ᵗʰ in Wins Above Average from first base, second base, and the outfield group.
Key Additions
Forget about the roster. The main additions for the Rockies were Paul DePodesta as president of baseball operations and Josh Byrnes as general manager. This franchise needs a complete overhaul, including its player development approach. For now, they must settle for Tomoyuki Sugano, Jose Quintana, Edouard Julien, and Willi Castro.
Prospects Likely to Contribute
Infielder Charlie Condon and outfielder Sterlin Thompson had strong years in the high minors and should reach the big leagues before the trade deadline.
McCade Brown struggled mightily in seven MLB starts last year, but he has a high-spin, high-velocity fastball with two quality breaking pitches and should be able to contribute in 2026.
Key Losses
After losing 119 games, most players can move on without too much heartache. Longtime Rocky Germán Márquez, along with Michael Toglia, Kyle Farmer, and Thairo Estrada, were the main departures.
Projected Lineup
Jake McCarthy
Ezequiel Tovar
Hunter Goodman
Mickey Moniak
Jordan Beck
Willi Castro
Brenton Doyle
Troy Johnston
Edouard Julien
Projected Pitching Staff
Rotation
Michael Lorenzen
Jose Quintana
Kyle Freeland
Chase Dollander
Tomoyuki Sugano
Bullpen
Jimmy Herget
Victor Vodnik
Seth Halvorsen
Juan Meija
Brennan Bernardino
Keegan Thompson
RJ Petit
Biggest Question Mark
Has the floor really been raised? The veteran additions to the rotation aren’t exactly exciting, but they could at least help the Rockies avoid being the worst pitching staff in baseball by such a clear margin.
Julien and Castro bring some depth to the lineup, albeit with minimal upside. Condon and Thompson need to be significant contributors if the Rockies are going to be better than 26ᵗʰ offensively.
Breakout Candidate
A 6.52 ERA means the bar for a breakout is low for Chase Dollander. It’s worth remembering he was one of the sport’s top pitching prospects just 12 months ago and has a 3.11 ERA with 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings in the minors.
Dollander’s curveball was very effective last year, and his cutter graded well in advanced metrics. A change in the front office could help bring out the best in the young right-hander.
Projected record: 60-102
Los Angeles Dodgers
2025 Recap
Final record: 93-69
Division finish: 1st
Biggest Strengths
The Dodgers ranked second in wRC+ and second in walk rate. Four hitters, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, and Max Muncy, posted an OPS+ of 136 or better.
Biggest Weaknesses
The bullpen ranked 21ˢᵗ in ERA and 29ᵗʰ in Wins Above Average. Dave Roberts had very few relievers he trusted in the postseason, leading to Roki Sasaki and other starters working out of the bullpen.
Key Additions
The rich, indeed, got richer. A weakness in one outfield corner was fixed by signing Kyle Tucker, enabling Teoscar Hernández to shift to left field. Twelve months after handing a massive deal to Tanner Scott, Los Angeles broke the bank to bring in Edwin Díaz as its new closer.
Prospects Likely to Contribute
Who needs prospects when your 40-man roster is this stacked? Well, the Dodgers still have a highly talented farm system, including Josue De Paula and Zyhir Hope.
River Ryan and Kyle Hurt headline the Dodgers’ pitching prospects. Both are likely to be needed with the number of injuries Los Angeles’ rotation tends to suffer.
Key Losses
Anthony Banda had a solid year. Kirby Yates wasn’t at his best. Michael Conforto won’t be missed after his struggles at the plate.
Projected Lineup
Shohei Ohtani
Mookie Betts
Kyle Tucker
Freddie Freeman
Will Smith
Max Muncy
Teoscar Hernández
Andy Pages
Hyeseong Kim
Projected Pitching Staff
Rotation
Blake Snell
Tyler Glasnow
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Shohei Ohtani
Emmet Sheehan
Bullpen
Edwin Diaz
Tanner Scott
Roki Sasaki
Alex Vesia
Blake Treinen
Jack Dreyer
Will Klein
Biggest Question Mark
There really aren’t any. Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani combined for just 45 starts in 2025 and the Dodgers still won 93 games. Perhaps Yoshinobu Yamamoto struggles after an arduous postseason, but this Dodgers team has one of the highest floors in MLB history.
Breakout Candidate
Dalton Rushing posted a .933 OPS in the minors and had a 14% barrel rate in a small big-league sample last year. He should be on the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster. If he gets opportunities, Rushing should provide power and post a solid OBP.
Projected record: 95-67
San Diego Padres
2025 Recap
Final record: 90-72
Division finish: 2nd
Biggest Strengths
San Diego (3.06 ERA) had MLB’s best bullpen by a wide margin in 2025. The offense was good rather than great, with production coming from up and down the lineup despite Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado not being at their most productive.
Biggest Weaknesses
Catcher and the right side of the infield were underwhelming, with Elias Díaz, Luis Arraez, and Jake Cronenworth posting mediocre combined numbers. As a team, their numbers against left-handed pitching weren’t great, and several of their peers performed better when pitchers went through the order for a third time.
Key Additions
Miguel Andújar and Nick Castellanos were the main offensive additions for a team that lacked power. Neither inspires a great deal of confidence and both offer little to no defensive value. It was important to re-sign Michael King, while Griffin Canning was acquired in free agency.
Prospects Likely to Contribute
The farm system has been decimated by a string of win-now trades. It would take a remarkable season in the high minors for Ethan Salas to appear in 2026.
Tirso Ornelas didn’t set the world on fire in Triple-A last year but could see more plate appearances in 2026.
Key Losses
The offense lost two everyday players in Ryan O’Hearn and Luis Arraez. Dylan Cease signed a mega deal with the Blue Jays, and Robert Suárez penned a three-year deal with the Braves. San Diego certainly lost more talent than it acquired during the offseason.
Projected Lineup
Xander Bogaerts
Jackson Merrill
Manny Machado
Fernando Tatis Jr.
Jake Cronenworth
Ramon Laureano
Gavin Sheets
Miguel Andujar
Freddie Fermin
Projected Pitching Staff
Rotation
Nick Pivetta
Michael King
Joe Musgrove
Randy Vasquez
German Marquez
Bullpen
Mason Miller
Adrian Morejon
Jason Adam
Jeremiah Estrada
David Morgan
Wandy Peralta
Yuki Matsui
Biggest Question Mark
Are projections right to be optimistic about the lineup? Depth Charts has only one everyday hitter projected below league average. How much will San Diego get from Gavin Sheets, Miguel Andújar, and Nick Castellanos?
Breakout Candidate
David Morgan posted a 3.71 FIP and 2.66 ERA in 2025, an excellent season for the rookie. A big fastball is complemented by high-whiff breaking pitches in the form of a slider (122 Stuff+) and a curveball (125 Stuff+).
The stuff is there for Morgan’s strikeout rate to jump into the 30s, while there remains hope he can improve his command.
Projected record: 84-78
San Francisco Giants
2025 Recap
Final record: 81-81
Division finish: 3rd
Biggest Strengths
It was another mediocre year for the San Francisco Giants. The front two in the rotation was their biggest strength, along with the value coming from the left side of the infield thanks to Willy Adames and Matt Chapman. The bullpen was elite until Camilo Doval and Tyler Rogers were dealt at the deadline.
Biggest Weaknesses
Jung Hoo Lee disappointed in center field, resulting in a move to right. The outfield as a whole ranked 19ᵗʰ in baseball, and the Giants were also in the bottom 10 in Wins Above Average from catcher and first base. The latter should be markedly improved with a full season of Rafael Devers.
Key Additions
It wasn’t a flashy offseason for the Giants after years of chasing the biggest names. Buster Posey addressed the major issues, adding Harrison Bader to play center, Luis Arraez at shortstop, and Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser to back up Logan Webb and Robbie Ray in the rotation.
Prospects Likely to Contribute
It feels like a toss-up whether Bryce Eldridge will start the year in the big leagues after a brief appearance at the end of 2025. Eldridge had limited time in Triple-A, so he might return there for more plate appearances before joining the Giants.
Beyond the lefty slugger, Jesús Rodríguez can help with catching depth, and Bo Davidson could get the call if outfield help is needed.
On the pitching side, Carson Whisenhunt, who has reportedly added fastball velocity, along with Blake Tidwell and Trevor McDonald, are waiting in the wings.
Key Losses
Justin Verlander left as a free agent despite impressing down the stretch and Wilmer Flores’ years as an Oracle Park fan favorite came to an end.
Projected Lineup
Luis Arraez
Rafael Devers
Willy Adames
Matt Chapman
Heliot Ramos
Jung Hoo Lee
Harrison Bader
Jerar Encarnacion
Patrick Bailey
Projected Pitching Staff
Rotation
Logan Webb
Robbie Ray
Tyler Mahle
Adrian Houser
Landen Roupp
Bullpen
Gregory Santos
Spencer Bivens
Matt Gage
Joel Peguero
Erik Miller
Ryan Walker
JT Brubaker
Biggest Question Mark
Does Bader fix the outfield defense? San Francisco had the worst outfield defense in the majors last year. Heliot Ramos has reportedly been working on his defense during the offseason, and Bader remains an elite defender. This group needs to improve defensively given its lack of collective offensive upside.
Breakout Candidate
A case can be made for a few different Giants pitchers. Carson Seymour is an interesting candidate, as his numbers, both traditional and advanced, were poor in a small sample in 2025. His slider generated plenty of whiffs, though, and Stuff+ also liked his sinker and curve.
The results haven’t always matched the stuff with Seymour. He has posted big strikeout numbers in the minors, but walks and hard contact have kept him somewhat under the radar. There’s a chance that changes in 2026 if he can improve his command.
Projected record: 83-79
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