Los Angeles Dodgers: 96-66
San Francisco Giants: 82-80
Arizona Diamondbacks: 81-81
San Diego Padres: 79-83
Colorado Rockies: 66-96
Best Projected Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
The two-time defending World Series champs are projected to win more games in 2026. Not that that’s surprising, given that it’s basically the same team but now with Kyle Tucker and Edwin DÃaz.
Maybe the only question here is if a bad World Series hangover will finally set in after taking it easy on the Dodgers last year. As it is, Blake Snell’s achy shoulder and Roki Sasaki’s unpredictability are less-than-encouraging storylines.
Worst Projected Team: Colorado Rockies
Hey, 96 losses sure beats 119 losses. And after being famous for being anti-innovative for so many years, it’s refreshing to hear talk of “funky, whacky ideas.”
Yet contrary to some of the other bad teams around MLB, there’s no way to “Maybe if [X, Y, Z]” with this Rockies team. The roster simply doesn’t have high-upside talent, and they need that a lot more than even the funkiest, whackiest ideas.
The Padres are the only one of the three that rose above .500 in 2025, and they lost a lot more talent than they gained over the winter. Among other things, that has led to glaring shortages of talent at the back ends of their lineup and rotation.
The Giants stole Luis Arraez off the Padres as part of an offseason that was active, but far from aggressive. But they at least have the potential for an impact offense, particularly if Bryce Eldridge lives up to his track record as a MiLB slugger.
Despite a weak-looking bullpen, the D-backs are the potential chaos agent in this division. The top three of their lineup is sneaky-elite, while deals with Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly effectively saved their rotation.