The calendar has flipped to February and the start of Spring Training is just a matter of days away. While some notable free agents (including nine of MLBTR’s Top 50 MLB Free Agents for the 2024-25 offseason) remain unsigned, most clubs have already done the heavy lifting in terms of preparing their roster for the 2025 season. In the coming days, we’ll be taking a look around the league at which clubs have had the strongest offseason to this point. So far, the Mets and Cubs have decisively won the polls covering the NL East and Central respectively. Today, the focus shifts to the NL West.
The west coast represents the class of the National League given that they’ve represented the senior circuit in the World Series in each of the past two seasons. The division has sent at least two teams to the postseason in each of the past five seasons, and this offseason finds three of the club’s five teams firmly in win-now contention windows while a fourth has also begun acting aggressively. Which team has done the most to set themselves up for success this winter? Teams are listed in order of their 2024 record.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The reigning World Series champions may have stayed mostly on the sidelines during the bidding for top free agent and $765MM man Juan Soto, but that in no way means they’ve had a quiet offseason. The Dodgers have been one of the league’s most active teams this winter, re-signing Teoscar Hernandez and Blake Treinen, extending Tommy Edman, and also making a number of additions in free agency. The club kicked off the winter by poaching lefty Blake Snell from their division rivals in San Francisco and haven’t let up since, adding Michael Conforto to the outfield and Hyeseong Kim to the infield while bolstering the bullpen with both Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, arguably the two best closers available in this winter’s market.
The most notable addition of the winter for Los Angeles, however, was surely longtime NPB phenom Roki Sasaki, who was posted despite not yet being eligible for anything more than a minor league contract and international bonus pool money. Getting Sasaki under such favorable terms would be a coup for any team, and it only serves to strengthen the Dodgers further. That’s not to say their offseason has been flawless, however. Their roster crunch reached a point where they had to sell off some of their less-necessary 40-man prospects and depth pieces like Diego Cartaya, Gavin Lux, and Ryan Brasier. Aside from that, the club’s biggest question mark in 2025 was the shortstop position, and that remains largely unaddressed as the club plans to give veteran star Mookie Betts another run at the position despite his lack of experience there. Even with a potential hole at short if Betts is unable to handle the position, however, the Dodgers have set themselves up well as they look to defend their World Series title in 2025.
San Diego Padres
It’s been a quiet and disappointing offseason in San Diego amid discord within the club’s ownership group and a clear budget crunch that has hampered president of baseball operations A.J. Preller all throughout the winter. The departures of Scott, Jurickson Profar, Donovan Solano, and Ha-Seong Kim in free agency have left the club’s strong core without much of its supporting cast, and San Diego’s hopes of landing Sasaki were dashed by their rivals in L.A. despite a strong push that made them a finalist. The club’s only big league signing to this point in the winter has been re-signing Elias Diaz to help shore things up behind the plate. It’s a welcome addition but hardly a needle mover, and it seems as though the Padres may not be able to make more impactful additions without trading a player like Dylan Cease or Luis Arraez to clear salary.
Arizona Diamondbacks
After missing the playoffs by just a hair in 2024, the 2023 NL champions have not been resting on their laurels this winter. The club re-upped with Randal Grichuk yesterday to keep a key right-handed bat in the outfield mix, and while the losses of Joc Pederson, Christian Walker, and Josh Bell to free agency are all sure to sting the lineup the addition of Josh Naylor in a trade with the Guardians should help to ease that blow considerably. By far the club’s most notable addition, however, is that of Corbin Burnes. Arizona managed to reel in the offseason’s top pitching free agent on a surprisingly favorable six-year guarantee, and the 2021 NL Cy Young award winner will now join Zac Gallen at the top of an already-strong rotation that also features Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt, and Jordan Montgomery. With that being said, the club still has one major question mark in the lineup after letting Pederson’s role as the regular DH go as-of-yet unfilled, and the club’s efforts to add a closer to their relief corps have not yet come to fruition either.
San Francisco Giants
Much like the Diamondbacks, the Giants’ offseason is highlighted by one major, splashy signing: they added shortstop Willy Adames to their infield on the largest free agent contract in club history, pairing him with recently-extended third baseman Matt Chapman to form a dynamic duo on the left side of the infield for years to come. Aside from that signing, perhaps the biggest addition to the Giants organization of the offseason was longtime franchise face Buster Posey taking over for the exiting Farhan Zaidi as president of baseball operations.
Since adding Adames just before the Winter Meetings, however, things have been fairly quiet in San Francisco. Future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander was brought in to help Logan Webb anchor the rotation after Snell departed for Los Angeles, but Verlander turns 42 later this month and it’s fair to wonder how much he has left in the tank after a difficult 2024 season. That appears to be all the club plans to do this winter, as Posey recently suggested that the organization feels “pretty set” with their offseason moves despite departures like Michael Conforto and Taylor Rogers having gone as-of-yet unanswered.
Colorado Rockies
Coming off back-to-back 100-loss seasons, the Rockies have continued to eschew the full rebuild strategy other bottom-feeders like the White Sox and Marlins have taken up in favor of retaining their veteran players to serve as a bridge to their younger pieces. That’s led to extremely quiet offseasons in recent years, and this one has been no exception to that. The club added some infield depth by signing Thairo Estrada and Kyle Farmer to one-year deals as they look to replace Brendan Rodgers, but those are the club’s only big league free agent additions of the winter.
Arguably their most impactful move was re-signing catcher Jacob Stallings on the heels of an excellent rebound season with the club last year, and he should help to solidify the catcher position until well-regarded prospect Drew Romo is ready to take over regular catching duties. The pitching staff has been almost entirely unaltered aside from the departures of Daniel Bard and Cal Quantrill, however, and there hasn’t been a bat brought in to replace the production of retiring franchise stalwart Charlie Blackmon.
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This offseason has been a bit of a mixed bag around the NL West, with three of its five clubs making multiple major additions to the roster but the other two having done very little to this point in terms of either buy-side or sell-side moves, instead largely remaining stagnant. The Dodgers have been, unsurprisingly, the most active club of the winter both within the division and arguably in baseball as a whole. With that said, however, Arizona’s coup in bringing Burnes into the fold and San Francisco’s record-setting deal for Adames are strong moves that could catapult either club back into the postseason after missing out last year. Colorado’s trend of modest offseasons has continued, however, and with the caveat that Preller can never be counted out when it comes to making bold moves, it seems that the Padres have elected to join them in that quiet approach to this point in the offseason.
Of the five NL West clubs, which one has had the strongest offseason so far? Have your say in the poll below:
I’m surprised the comment section is even open for this one lol…let the Dodgers bashing begin!
My Rox won this easily with all of their shrewd buy lows
#FarmerNation
The Rox have had a better offseason than the Padres.
Padres = F
“The Rox..better off-season”..I think maybe the Friars are a bit tired of “winning” the off-season. They’ve been there, done that in the last few yrs. By all accounts, this year they’re much more focused on winning the regular season.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Dodgers lose based solely on people protesting their awesome ability to sign every free agent not named Soto.
I mean, is this not the most idiotic question ever? The Dodgers could build two All-Star teams with their one team. Both teams would win the World Series.
I got Rockies 2. Can see them as #1 If they went on a spending spree they would be 5. They know what they are so why even bother. Better than signing Alonso Bregman for Bryant 2.0 Although it ain’t over yet.
Votes for the Rockies are a protest against the poll
Colorado is the new Jill Stein.
Aloha 100, I voted for San Diego because they still have Cease, King and Suarez, lol! Of course this can still change if Preller convinces Hoyer to unload the farm system for more rentals. Seriously though, I hope San Diego holds onto them and competes this season. Strong pitching needed big time in their division. Mahalo!
That’s a negative for SD in my philosophy. Pending free agents it’s extend or trade. Have to get something for them. It’s not too late though according to the trade article every single day.
They still have Prellar and a mess in the organization outside of baseball. He’s lucky to not be in jail let alone have a job himself at this point.
Aloha YourDream, I wonder if San Diego goes into the season with all the pitchers I mentioned above and tries at the very least to extend King. Mahalo
I thought about voting for the Rockies, and then I decided to defer my vote until 2042.
On paper the Dodgers. I will say the Padres spent the least, which was needed. Make some room for some prospects, mixed with the current roster. We arent going to out spend LA, so dont try to.
We aren’t going to outspend the As or Pirates.
Padres offseason = F
It could be easily argued the Dodgers had the best off season period. Look at those names they got damn you dodgers!!!!
Top 2 pitcher, top setup man, top international signing x2. Damn you again dodgers!
I meant these numbers based on free agents this off season
Have to see all polls to refresh my memory. But if they didn’t already own the Japan market (they did) they do now. Added a proven elite arm in Snell. Conforto sneaky good. Added even better pen arms. They got the best of the best.
Yankees come to mind as #2
Crochet to Sox was a big one so maybe 3. No Cleveland dumping their salary onto Toronto was 3 heck maybe 2 even 1.
Tigers getting Flaherty and Torres for a year was pretty good. Maybe Cobb will be too if he doesn’t get hurt
Flaherty was a steal.
Yeah Tigers a strong 4 for me. Crochet just 1 man. Yankees fried I liked the contract, hate he was a QO guy. But Williams Bellinger Goldschmidt impact talent for nothing. Also big names to help the pr marketing of losing Soto. Not signing Soto was their best move by far.
Yankees overall offseason could be #2-3. Cleveland always does well. What about Tampa?
Wasn’t impressed with Tampa. Like catcher signing. Kim injured expensive. Could have done more with that $. Not awful contract but not doing anything for me.
Maybe White Sox for #5. Perez Tauchman for nothing. Traded Crochet. Did something else maybe and can’t remember if good or bad. But can’t be that dramatic can it.
Rangers good. Pederson big bat. Signed Eovaldi. Like the reliever for Lowe but they traded Lowe. Got Burger but I think I liked the return for Miami. But depending on how you feel about those trades they made moves.
Astros I hate QO guys but Walker reasonable price. Traded Tucker for fair return. Ahhh the not pulling Bregmans offer kills it for me though. Just terrible negotiating. Here’s the offer now go shop it all over the place.
That Cleveland selling the BJ’s snake oil was quite possibly #2 transaction after Sasaki.
Rockies coming in hot in 2025.
THE ROX ARE ALL IN!
Full Boulder!
@freddie. “Full boulder” and “boulder down” have to be on the merch giveaway list.
But, it also seems like the response to a tragedy in Denver. “Boulder strong”
Votes are funny so far…
I voted for the Rockies just for the simple fact that everyone knows the dodgers are on top of the world and I wanted to give the little guy my own seal of approval…. Lmfao
Come on it’s not even close in the NL West…
We all know that the padres had by far the best off-season there with how they’ve upgraded their roster
Tommy Doyle, Keston Huira, Diego Castillo, Jake Woodford, AND Austin Nola?
I can’t think of any team that did more to add impact players.
White Sox adding Dalbec was a close second.
I can’t believe you forgot about Kyle farmer. Oh the horror! did you not know that he’s the rockies version of Ted Williams? He signle handedly made the entire rockies off season look lopsided compared to the rest of the league… lmfao
I also cannot believe I missed that. Looks like the rich keep getting richer. Tommy Doyle and Brenton Doyle! No team boasts double-Doyles. That’s a +3 multiplier to all offensive stats.
Almost voted for the Giants as a joke.
They did just enough to remain mediocre and not enough to be interesting. Great jorb!
The Diamondbacks did well. Burnes and Naylor might be just a little better than Walker and Pederson. Better pitching from existing guys could go a long way.
Roki on his own gives the Dodgers the best offseason in the league. Snell, Kim and Conforto are just icing.
Giants may be worse or break even.
Rockies were bad and are standing pat.
San Diego is definitely a worse team than last year. Still better than the Giants? Maybe. Arizona? Not so sure.
Sarcasm at its finest.
The creamiest the dreamiest, velvets shells & cheese
Hardest question of the year.
Anyone but the LA deferrals
At least they can economize by keeping the D on their hats!
But most people in LA are in favor of taking the D.
Guys, come on with those Padres votes, they’ve done nothing and lost a bunch. Yikes.
It’s LAD and it’s not close obviously. Kudos to Arizona and the Giants they have made moves for the better, but it’s tough to keep pace with LA right now.
The padres haven’t made a single signing with potential to be a bust
I asked the same question as to why the Padres can have any votes.
Spend less, to allow prospects to mix in with this talented team.
You’re taking this procedural vote too seriously. MLBTR clearly is going to run a poll for each division, even if the answer is absurdly clear in this year’s NL West.
Um yes, no one argued that. I’m loling at folks voting Pads.
same here regarding folks suggesting the Padres trade Arraez to the Yankees for Stroman and a prospect whose star has faded.
Imagine if Arraez wins his 4th consecutive batting title and the main return gets released in August to avoid triggering an unwanted 2026 Player Option… yikes!
You all don’t know sarcasm if it came up and sat on your face with a sign that said “This is Sarcasm!!!!” Lighten up. Taking this silly poll too seriously.
This poll is right up there with posting NBA trades…
At least nba trades have thought in them
It is beyond shocking how many grown ass men cry about a post about the most shocking trade in sports history–beyond nuts. People actually were offended about it. Like you can scroll down .5 seconds to the next article. People deal with real things like cancer, hunger, homlessness etc–but some want to die on a hill of “how dare they!!!” They owner own both sites–what is/was the big deal?
I was shocked at how many were appalled. Enough so to waste time commenting
I never got the shock. First few minutes sure no one even thought it was possible but after thinking about it not really shocking. He was out of shape and injured. Due a huge pay day. It was either let him leave in free agency or get something. Maybe should have called other teams but smart trade for Dallas.
How can you not pick the Dodgers? They continued to wield their mighty payroll and became even more desirable of a destination for stars? Landing Sasaki alone might win them the offseason.
Honorable mention to the Diamondbacks, who continued to augment their talented, young, well-rounded roster and then surprisingly landed Corbin Burnes. That would probably win them the offseason in many other divisions.
And the Giants have done okay. I wish they’d lean more into the “spend extra to be competitive in 2025-27 while the minor league pipeline is overhauled” direction. Their season will be determined by how the in-house homegrown guys (plus Lee) progress, and the organization’s trajectory is ultimately going to hinge on if they can fix their player development.
The Padres continue to deal with payroll and ownership turmoil, which has lead them to squander some of what could still be a great roster. Some 2020-23 offseason mojo could have done wonders for some of their gaps. But even though if tank their offseason below the Giants, they’re still far likelier to finish second or third in the division.
And the Rockies… uh, the Rockies didn’t hand out a Kris Bryant kind of contract, so they’ve have worse offseasons in recent memory
It’s a tough one, but it’s clearly the Rockies. They’ve got the division wrapped up before the season even starts!
If they reverse the records at the end of the season
So far, 36 wannabe comedians have logged votes for the Rockies. I’ll quite rightly interpret that as anti-Dodger protest blowback.
I voted for the rockies as my own seal of approval for the little guy. Everyone knows the dodgers are the kings of baseball right now, so why not let some people have fun with it? It doesn’t have to be a “protest” to the dodgers especially when this little MLBTR article holds no sway whatsoever. Lighten up a little.
What?
I admit. I voted for the Rockies just for fun.
See everybody he gets it! He absolutely freaking gets it. A dodgers fan voted for the rockies because it was fun, most people who did the same were doing it for FUN. As a joke. Everyone knows dodgers are the kings of the off-season, a vote won’t determine that. Some of you have no sarcastic or funny bones in your body. Lighten up a little bit!
Tough decision.
Read title.
Scroll down
Click Dodgers.
Click Vote.
Click rockies because it’s funny!
Is this a joke?
LA Dodgers strategy of high-volume, high-risk, high-reward is almost failure proof. So much has to go wrong for them to finish below first in the regular season.
And yet, the playoffs are a whole different ballgame. I will enjoy rooting against them.
They are following the rules that were collectively bargained, and if more teams went all-out, the Dodgers would not been able to acquire all these top players.
Play ball!
No need for a poll
Padres can’t acquire anyone, at CBT and have an ownership crisis. Farm system is dilapidated. Clear winner.
Can acquire people in trades. That would solve the cbt and getting team ready for next 6 8 years. But if they keep Cease King they keep attendance, short term at least.
Who’s trolling by picking anyone but LAD?
Me. Like that one guy who self-justifies not picking Ichiro for the HOF.
/raises hand
D-Backs and Giants have done well for themselves…
…. but clearly the answer is Colorado.
How can the Padres have 41 votes? All the articles that I’ve read at various places have given the Padres offseason an F.
The same way the Rockies are in second place in this poll: protest votes.
The Rockies votes are funny.
The Padres votes are sad.
Rockies should be #2. They can’t win division. Can’t get a wild card. They are winning the off season by doing nothing.
Rockies=funny not protest if you really think anyone is voting for other teams as protest you are lost, everyone knows the dodgers had the best off-season, so when an article like thus comes out people like to have fun with it knowing it won’t change a damn thing.
This poll is as productive a use of time as any team but the Dodgers believing Sasaki was actually considering signing with them.
How do the Rockies still have a fanbase?
By surpassing the Marlins
Also pretty far from any other team.
Majority of people root for their home team no matter what. Understandable I suppose but with streaming now I dunno why.
This was softball on a T poll. Question coulda been who had best off-season in ALL of MLB n I would bet LAD finish 1st. A lower total but still hot stove champs ’25. Pads are lucky they don’t allow negative votes.
Total should be the same either way.
re-signing catcher Jacob Stallings on the heels of an excellent rebound season is a big underrated move by whats his name
Hahahaha, really? I think everyone knows this answer!
I never trust a poll anymore.
Troll poll haha. Respect to SF and Arizona for actually trying a little, sad for SD fans. Rockies I’m just waiting on Pete Alonso for 8 years 300 mil hahaha
Make the dream happen!
Most ridiculous poll ever.
Rockies are holding steady in second place polling. Can they pull off an upset???
They’re 2025’s Buster Douglas.
Many people act like the Dodgers inherented their superteam and didn’t have to work hard for it.
Many people forget that 12+ years ago, under the Frank McCourt ownership, the Dodgers were a middling, floundering, infighting organization that mismanaged and squandered their numerous assets and advantages.
The Dodgers arrived where they are today with astute, excellent business management and savvy knowledge of the business of baseball.
Also, it doesn’t hurt to operate in one of the most populous, temperate regions in the world.
Or we could just say the real answer:
$
When you’re owned by guggenheim, you’ve got a teeny bit of an inside advantage
“Inside advantage”…Almost every team has at least some built in advantages(Padres are the only pro sports team in S.D, I believe). I’ve oftened wondered why the Florida Marlins couldn’t leverage being the closest team to the Caribbean(I’m not a geography expert)and the popularity of Miami Beach with many of the best young people who play baseball.
We lived through the Mark Grudzielanek years, let us enjoy something.
I refuse to even answer this.
They won’t post about an NBA trade, but will post this TriggerFest?
“Won’t post about”..Some NBA trades happened recently. For more details and insights, please head to an NBA blog, post or website near you.
As a company guy might I suggest hoops rumors
Triggerfest? Like going shooting in the woods?
1 Dodgers They went huge. Impact players to win in playoffs. They own Japan.
2 Rockies They realize they are toast and did nothing. Nothing is better than Bryant 2.0
3 San Diego Like Colorado nothing is better than stupid. They are a wild card as is. Should have been in on Grichuk though or Profar. Maybe they are cash strapped. Extend ot trade though. They have a lot of pending free agents. They need to get trade returns if they want to keep the winning going. Just rolling with Cease King is terrific for this year only but awful for the following 6 8 years.
4 Arizona They tried. Burnes is meh contract not a fan but like the Naylor to replace Walker move. Stole Grichuk again. If trying to win is the criteria they would be 2. Gotta respect Colorado self awareness though.
5 Giants They tried. Adames another meh contract. Like Verlander move. No one had even close to a bad off season. Everyone did ok except the Dodgers who killed it. 2 through 5 is close.
Other than Snell, Roki, Scott, Yates, Conforto, Kim and a bunch of other important key pieces, all the Dodgers have done is re-sign a few star FAs that were on their team last year. Big deal.
Plus they lost their big stars in Bueller and Braiser. Resigning Kershaw and adding Alonso and Bregman is the only way to tip the scales definitively in this polling IMHO.
Plus they lost Brasier. Don’t think they’ll recover from that.
I’ll laugh if the Dodgers finish below .500. Sasaki is an unknown who could lose 20 games for all we know so whoever signed him was taking a risk.
Has there ever not been a risky signing?
Oh yeah huge risk. Ton of cash involved in that one.
For the cost of a #5 starter, I think it’s a pretty safe risk.
Oh no it was a terrible idea to sign the single most desired player of the offseason. Just too darn risky. Ask the Princess.
Its much less than that. Its $6M bonus and 3 then 3 pre arb years and then arb years. So its like 3/9M + arb years.
Of all the signings the Dodgers did this off-season, Sasaki is easily the LEAST risky.
What’s interesting about this poll is the order of the other four teams.
The Rockies in second place is amusing, to say the least. The D-backs signing Burnes makes them the actual #2, followed by the Giants (who did something, at least), and then the Rockies and Padres can fight over the final two spots.
Part of the Dodgers overwhelming success comes from the years prior combined with this year to make it seen like no question. LAD recieced my vote (because honestly how much did they spend) but that doesn’t mean AZ didn’t have a great off-season and the padres could be players for Alonso/Bregman
fantasy.espn.com/baseball/league/join?leagueId=201…
Anyone arguing against the dodgers today is trolling I’m sure.
Let me ask my dog this question and I bet he can get it right
It’s amazing how many people don’t understand the question of the poll, apparently. Figures considering the movie idiocracy is becoming a documentary
That movie went from fiction to damn near history.
Rockies and it’s not even close.
We may have to change the rules to keep the Rox from accumulating all the best players. They’re practically ruining baseball.
Rockies in 2nd? The Dodgers are obviously in 1st but the Diamondbacks stand out to me as the pretty clear 2nd place in this category. The Rockies have barely even done more than my Padres.
How are the Rox not leading the poll? Estrada, Farmer & Stalling. Nuff said….
The OKC Comets
If the Dodgers don’t win the division and World Series they ought to be dreadfully ashamed of themselves.
Yea, Dodgers are leading poll by substantial amount but everyone knows most of those votes are deferred.
23% of voters haven’t a clue.
Given that the LA market is larger than the other four teams combined it would be malpractice for them not to win the offseason every year. They have a huge advantage in revenue over the other teams and aren’t shy about taking advantage of it. Az and SD have tried to compete with some success. Giants have tried with vary little success, excluding the anomaly of ’21. The Rockies are in an extended rebuild.
LA is the largest market in the division for sure, but “larger than the other four teams combined” is wildly inaccurate.
Ha ha ha. Most hilarious poll ever.
Respect.
It doesn’t matter, the regular season is where stuff is won or lost.
I don’t know, Dodger fans have been told for years the regular season doesn’t matter, either.
No need for a poll, the only important opinion is that of Mickey Solis. Where you at, Mickey?
Least necessary poll I’ve seen in a while.