2027 NL West Preview
Nov 28, 2021 17:05:27 GMT -5
Commissioner Erick, Grubs - Philly, and 2 more like this
Post by mikereds on Nov 28, 2021 17:05:27 GMT -5
The fierce rivalry between the Dodgers and the Giants will surely continue in 2027 and dominate the NL West headlines. The Dodgers are second in PBA payroll and have a formidable lineup, but the Giants have a rabid fan base and tons of season ticket holders and make the most of their opportunities to push the Dodgers for the division title. It's going to be a tall order for the Diamondbacks, Padres or Rockies to crash the Dodgers/Giants party. But the records are currently 0-0 and hope always springs eternal in the PBA.
1) Los Angeles Dodgers
2026: 100-63, NL West and World Series Champions. Defeated Orioles 4-1 (series) in World Series
Looking Back: Ben Vincent led his Dodgers to the World Series victory again. The Dodgers became the first team in the PBA era to be back-to-back championship winners. Their bitter rival the Giants and the superb Brewers provided tough competition however and that looks to continue in 2027. LF Luis Robert and 1B Willie Calhoun led the way with 30+ HR and 110+ RBI each. 3B Alex Bregman continued to be an anchor and posted a 4.6 WAR. Starter Matt Cleveland had his best PBA season yet with a 11-3 record and will look to continue that upward trajectory and possibly assume the role of staff ace.
Offseason Review: The Dodgers swapped big names at third base. Bregman left in free agency and then the hot corner was solved by a big trade with the Cubs for Manny Machado. Injuries limited Machado greatly last season, so the Dodgers are banking on his return to good health. 40-year old Korey Kluber surrendered a high number of hits last year so LA opted to let him depart in free agency. The Dodgers also made a big change at catcher, letting switch-hitter Keibert Ruiz depart and signing international Korean star Hyo-Sang Choo to fill his spot. Stalwart Austin Hedges remains as the second catcher to help Choo make the adjustment to the bigs. 1B Ryon Healy also joins the Dodgers on an affordable 1-year deal after a breakout year with the Phillies. The Dodgers still have plenty of stars like RF Alex Verdugo and 2B Luis Urias under contract for years to come and have an excellent proven core of talent, particularly in the outfield.
On the Farm: The farm has some okay pieces but is ranked 28th in PBA and has no obvious stars. Their one big piece in young ace pitcher Tillmam Corriga was just dealt to the Cubs in the Machado deal. Despite this, the Dodgers still have some young arms to work with, particularly in the bullpen with Arturo Pedrano and Jonathan Roman. The Dodgers seem like they have drafted well and have adequate depth in the minors that they can still develop at leisure in case someone breaks out. But with no glaring holes at the major league level, the Dodgers don't have the pressure other organizations do and can take their time developing whatever comes along.
Best Case Scenario: The Dodgers rise to the occasion yet again and become the PBA equivalent of the late 1990's Yankees "evil empire" with a 3-peat while the rest of the PBA owners collectively roll their eyes.
Worst Case Scenario: Barring widespread injuries, the Dodgers still seems too loaded not to make the postseason. Seems like the worst case scenario might be finishing second to the Giants and suffering a quick playoff exit.
Key Questions:
Machado is in his contract year. Will the Dodgers seek to extend him and make him part of the core - or instead look for more roster flexibility with his salary freeing up?
How confident is Vincent in his starting rotation? Could the Dodgers look to trade for an extra arm if they get in a nip-and-tuck battle with the Giants again?
2) San Francisco Giants
2026: 99-64, lost to Brewers 4-1 (series) in Divisional round
Looking Back: Splitting time between 1B and RF, lefty Arturo Rivera won the NL rookie of the year award with a shocking 5.4 WAR. Pitcher Miekhi Lias led the whole NL with 17 wins and posted a very nice 2.13 ERA as well. Contributions like this show that the Giants have very formidable young talent that could at some point very soon overtake the Dodgers. The only Giants veteran above 30, 3B Orlando Arcia, had a breakout year and posted an NL-best .323 batting average. San Francisco's pitching is very stout and second in ERA and WHIP only to the Brewers in the NL. The Giants home park limits opposition power, which the pitching staff and sparkplug catcher Hendrik Beimler take full advantage of.
Offseason Review: The Giants remain tethered to their excellent farm system and had no need to add anything of note in free agency. The draft remains a crucial part of GM Dave Twibell's approach, as the Giants also hold the Rays 2nd and 4th round picks this year in addition to retaining their own. If there is any controversy regarding the Giants offseason, it is their own sheer depth. The Giants lost an astounding 11 players in the 2026 Rule V draft! We could see even more turnover due to the Rule V in coming years - the Giants system is just that loaded. Some tough decisions will need to be made over the next few years - how big of a veteran core do they want to write contracts to, and who gets chosen from the large group? At any rate, this superreactor of young budding talent seems to work well year in and year out for the Giants.
On the Farm: The Giants farm system continues to be the gold standard of the PBA. They currently possess 5 of the top 27 rated prospects. Leading the way is #3 SP Gerald Riches. Remarkably, Riches has been pitching in the Giants system since age 16 and is taking a while to develop, but many scouts still see him as a future stud. Some think fellow 20-year old starter Alfredo Estevez (rated #13) will be even better. RF Nelle 'Zipper' Willemsen seems plenty ready for the majors, but with all the outfield depth San Francisco sports, it could be difficult to find a spot for him. It's as if the Giants have too many crops to gather in from harvest ... but that's a great problem to have as the Giants have a ton of assets at their disposal to use if a key trade is needed.
Best Case Scenario: The Giants take back the division from the Dodgers and secure home field for the first round at least, which would really work in their favor. If they manage to have another NL rookie of the year winner in the process as well, then no one would be surprised.
Worst Case Scenario: It's possible that a number of the young prodigies slump and they lose more close games. Their bullpen could regress a little bit given its sheer youth. But to be fair, the massive depth of the Giants young group insulates them. A few well-timed call ups could offset any trouble they run into.
Key Questions:
Who will take the helm as the Giants' new pitching coach? The role still appears to be vacant, as perhaps the organization is looking for the right fit for their young staff.
Star players RF Calvin Mitchell and SP Mekhi Lias will run out of arbitration eligibility in a few years. Will either sign a big contract with the Giants - or will they get to test the free agent market?
Will the Giants find somewhere to play top catching prospect Brian Hampton, who seems ready for the majors quite soon?
3) San Diego Padres
2026: 84-78
Looking Back: The Padres have been improving gradually over the last 3 seasons and hope they can continue that trend. 5-tool shortstop Royce Lewis is in his prime, as is 1B Alejandro Toral. Veteran closer Jake Reed provided 42 saves, while Anderson Espinoza, Adrian Morejon and Jeff Henry led a solid pitching staff who are mostly in their late 20's and all throwing well. Jake Shirey was drafted in Rule V and started last year. Despite some struggles he showed he should have what it takes to stay in the rotation long-term.
2026 Gold Glove catcher MJ Melendez helped get the most out of the pitching staff as well. The progress and finish above .500 was nice to see, but it's going to take some incredible pitching performances for the Padres to threaten the Dodgers and Giants in the NL West.
Offseason Review: The losses in the offseason were fairly minor for the Padres. Bullpen arm Alex Colome departed in free agency. They lost power pitching starting prospect Sergio Vargas but added reliever Alfredo Orduna in the Rule V draft. The Padres were very quiet in free agency despite quite a bit of talent being available. It seems the Padres approach is to draft, scout and develop their own talent and not take too many chances on a fairly limited budget. This approach seems to be improving the team - it just remains to be seen who the Padres who will be able to afford as good players approach the end of their arbitration years.
On the Farm: The Padres have the 6th rated farm system in the PBA, and there is a lot of buzz around 2022 1st round pick Greg Kelly, who should be ready for the majors this year after raking .334 in AAA in 2026. OF John Yancey also has reliable power and solid defense and could be promoted this year if the Padres can find a spot. The Padres have a wealth of talent available for call up in their international complex in a pretty crowded minor league system. The Padres are also hoping for growth in 2026 1st round pick catcher Antonio Contreras. He lacks great defense but has nice offensive upside. Tom McCracken is a very good pitching prospect, but needs more minor league innings to work on his pitches and round into an eventual rotation piece.
Best Case Scenario: If Shirey has a breakout year and the other pitchers are dialed in, the Padres could make some noise and net a wildcard berth. It's unlikely that both the Dodgers and Giants would falter and allow the Padres to claim the division title though.
Worst Case Scenario: The Padres lack the sheer offensive firepower that several of the NL teams have and could fall further behind in this area. Their margin for error is small, and it's conceivable the Padres could regress if manager Creig McBride is unable to find the right lineups to maximize the Padres' bats.
Key Questions:
Greg Kelly has solid defense at 2B and CF. Where will Kelly play in 2027? Could he be used in a super-utility role in his rookie year?
1B Alejandro Toral is in his final year before free agency. The Padres do not have many big contracts on the books and should be able to make the money work for an extension. But will they choose to do so, since Toral is marginal defensively?
4) Colorado Rockies
2026: 71-91
Looking Back: The Rockies took a big step back in 2026 and finished well below .500. The pitching struggled heavily last year, but perhaps some of that was bad luck - Rockies opponents had a league high .344 BABIP. Nolan Arenado remained the face of the franchise and drove in 105 RBI's. Coming via trade from the Orioles, DH Jake Bauers had an excellent year and made the all-star team, finishing with a .318 average. Riley Pint was a bright spot in the Rockies rotation, going 13-4 with a 4.20 ERA. On the flipside, Franklyn Kilome went 3-13 with a 5.95 ERA and was allowed to leave in free agency. 23-year old 1B Juan Marrufo realized his pro potential and made the all-star game, finishing with a .296/.392/.483 line and was probably the biggest bright spot of the season.
Offseason Review: The Rockies will have a few holes to fill in 2027. Reliable bullpen arm Chris Devenski departed in free agency. Bauers and starting shortstop Jasrado Chisholm also left in free agency. This is probably a reflection of the Rockies feeling the financial crunch this year, with Arenado in the most expensive year of his contract at over 39 million for the 2027 season. Reliever Brad Hand was added in free agency, but he probably won't be able to pitch until the summer months due to shoulder trouble. Yeong-Seon Khang was added in the Rule V draft and it's possible he will fill the void left at DH by Bauers. The Rockies also acquired 4 pitchers in the Rule V - most are likely slated for the bullpen but Roger Macari may be good enough to crack the rotation.
On the Farm: The Rockies are grooming an eventual replacement for Arenado at 3B in Tom Gunning, their top pick in 2024. His power is starting to develop nicely in AA. Promising starter Jorge Tovar is at least 2 years away from the majors and will need to prove himself further in the minors. Charlie Dougan is a very good power pitching reliever, but struggled in AAA and may need another year in the minors to steady himself. Other than those players, the Rockies farm seems rather ordinary, but does have a few decent long-term 1B prospects in 2026 pick Chris McKenzie and foreigner Hector Quezada.
Best Case Scenario: If the enigmatic Ralph Porter (.190 average in 2026) gets it together and Arenado and CF David Dahl are in top form, the Rockies offense could propel the team above .500 again. But the pitching will have to come together, and that could be asking a lot as usual in Coors Field.
Worst Case Scenario: The Rockies have enough offensive weapons to ensure their floor isn't too low. Even if the pitching struggles, they should still be able to manage 70 or more wins, barring major injury.
Key Questions:
How will the Rockies fill the shortstop slot? Will they go with a good defensive option in Wenceel Perez, or someone with better power for Coors Field?
The Rockies do not have a proven closer and little experience in general in the bullpen. Eric Pardinho might be a candidate, but only has two major league saves under his belt. How will the Rockies will the void? Will they be signing a few veteran free agents to help out?
5) Arizona Diamondbacks
2026: 53-109
Looking Back: The Diamondbacks found themselves planted firmly in the NL West basement in 2026 and exceeded 100 losses. The World Series victory of 2022 is starting to seem more distant. The Diamondbacks broke in a lot of rookie pitchers and a new closer in 2026 which should help them out over the long run, though. Speedy outfielder Deshawn DeLaine led the NL in triples last year and was a bright spot in his first year of full time play. The hitters as a whole however lacked plate discipline and finished second only to the Marlins in strikeouts. The budget, payroll and fan interest all seem to be near or at the bottom of the league. General Manager Will Harrison will have a tough task ahead of him in 2027. But another bright spot late in 2026 was OF Tony Sierra, who had no problem adjusting to major league pitching and really looks the part. If the Diamondbacks build around Sierra, things could be on the upswing.
Offseason Review: Arizona's budget is small, and they seem to have not dipped into free agency whatsoever. The Diamondbacks seem to be building almost solely from their farm. They did add a few solid players in the Rule V draft, most notably RF Danny Bilbrew who hit 39 homers in AA in 2026. They lack a first round draft pick in 2027 which is a bit of a concern. Developing the talent on the farm is going to be crucial for Arizona over the next few years.
On The Farm: The Diamondbacks have the 12th rated farm system and have a big slugger in Gary Ford who can play either infield corner. But he may need another year of seasoning in the minors for best results. Hard throwing lefty Jim D'Amico could be a top line starter in 2030 and beyond. The farm is in good shape, especially at the high levels. The Diamondbacks have some nice assets, considering the talent that started last year and many others which will likely make their debut this year. There is hope that a young core emerges so that Arizona can dig its way out of the basement over time.
Best Case Scenario: If the young pitching comes together after taking their lumps last year, this team could improve. If Sierra has a great first year in full time action, he and some of the other young hitters could push this team very close to .500.
Worst Case Scenario: The Diamondbacks are dealing with some major pitching injuries to promising starters Marty Benito and Jake Higginbothar. If the injury bug hits the pitching staff further, things could get very rough in 2027 and Arizona could sink even further in the NL West.
Key Questions:
Which position will Tim Barton play in 2027? Will Emmanuel Valdez become the backup so Barton can take over at 2B?
Will the Diamondbacks look for a veteran leader or two to help this young core, or is the mangement and coaching confident in bringing this team together by themselves in the locker room?
2026: 100-63, NL West and World Series Champions. Defeated Orioles 4-1 (series) in World Series
Looking Back: Ben Vincent led his Dodgers to the World Series victory again. The Dodgers became the first team in the PBA era to be back-to-back championship winners. Their bitter rival the Giants and the superb Brewers provided tough competition however and that looks to continue in 2027. LF Luis Robert and 1B Willie Calhoun led the way with 30+ HR and 110+ RBI each. 3B Alex Bregman continued to be an anchor and posted a 4.6 WAR. Starter Matt Cleveland had his best PBA season yet with a 11-3 record and will look to continue that upward trajectory and possibly assume the role of staff ace.
Offseason Review: The Dodgers swapped big names at third base. Bregman left in free agency and then the hot corner was solved by a big trade with the Cubs for Manny Machado. Injuries limited Machado greatly last season, so the Dodgers are banking on his return to good health. 40-year old Korey Kluber surrendered a high number of hits last year so LA opted to let him depart in free agency. The Dodgers also made a big change at catcher, letting switch-hitter Keibert Ruiz depart and signing international Korean star Hyo-Sang Choo to fill his spot. Stalwart Austin Hedges remains as the second catcher to help Choo make the adjustment to the bigs. 1B Ryon Healy also joins the Dodgers on an affordable 1-year deal after a breakout year with the Phillies. The Dodgers still have plenty of stars like RF Alex Verdugo and 2B Luis Urias under contract for years to come and have an excellent proven core of talent, particularly in the outfield.
On the Farm: The farm has some okay pieces but is ranked 28th in PBA and has no obvious stars. Their one big piece in young ace pitcher Tillmam Corriga was just dealt to the Cubs in the Machado deal. Despite this, the Dodgers still have some young arms to work with, particularly in the bullpen with Arturo Pedrano and Jonathan Roman. The Dodgers seem like they have drafted well and have adequate depth in the minors that they can still develop at leisure in case someone breaks out. But with no glaring holes at the major league level, the Dodgers don't have the pressure other organizations do and can take their time developing whatever comes along.
Best Case Scenario: The Dodgers rise to the occasion yet again and become the PBA equivalent of the late 1990's Yankees "evil empire" with a 3-peat while the rest of the PBA owners collectively roll their eyes.
Worst Case Scenario: Barring widespread injuries, the Dodgers still seems too loaded not to make the postseason. Seems like the worst case scenario might be finishing second to the Giants and suffering a quick playoff exit.
Key Questions:
Machado is in his contract year. Will the Dodgers seek to extend him and make him part of the core - or instead look for more roster flexibility with his salary freeing up?
How confident is Vincent in his starting rotation? Could the Dodgers look to trade for an extra arm if they get in a nip-and-tuck battle with the Giants again?
2026: 99-64, lost to Brewers 4-1 (series) in Divisional round
Looking Back: Splitting time between 1B and RF, lefty Arturo Rivera won the NL rookie of the year award with a shocking 5.4 WAR. Pitcher Miekhi Lias led the whole NL with 17 wins and posted a very nice 2.13 ERA as well. Contributions like this show that the Giants have very formidable young talent that could at some point very soon overtake the Dodgers. The only Giants veteran above 30, 3B Orlando Arcia, had a breakout year and posted an NL-best .323 batting average. San Francisco's pitching is very stout and second in ERA and WHIP only to the Brewers in the NL. The Giants home park limits opposition power, which the pitching staff and sparkplug catcher Hendrik Beimler take full advantage of.
Offseason Review: The Giants remain tethered to their excellent farm system and had no need to add anything of note in free agency. The draft remains a crucial part of GM Dave Twibell's approach, as the Giants also hold the Rays 2nd and 4th round picks this year in addition to retaining their own. If there is any controversy regarding the Giants offseason, it is their own sheer depth. The Giants lost an astounding 11 players in the 2026 Rule V draft! We could see even more turnover due to the Rule V in coming years - the Giants system is just that loaded. Some tough decisions will need to be made over the next few years - how big of a veteran core do they want to write contracts to, and who gets chosen from the large group? At any rate, this superreactor of young budding talent seems to work well year in and year out for the Giants.
On the Farm: The Giants farm system continues to be the gold standard of the PBA. They currently possess 5 of the top 27 rated prospects. Leading the way is #3 SP Gerald Riches. Remarkably, Riches has been pitching in the Giants system since age 16 and is taking a while to develop, but many scouts still see him as a future stud. Some think fellow 20-year old starter Alfredo Estevez (rated #13) will be even better. RF Nelle 'Zipper' Willemsen seems plenty ready for the majors, but with all the outfield depth San Francisco sports, it could be difficult to find a spot for him. It's as if the Giants have too many crops to gather in from harvest ... but that's a great problem to have as the Giants have a ton of assets at their disposal to use if a key trade is needed.
Best Case Scenario: The Giants take back the division from the Dodgers and secure home field for the first round at least, which would really work in their favor. If they manage to have another NL rookie of the year winner in the process as well, then no one would be surprised.
Worst Case Scenario: It's possible that a number of the young prodigies slump and they lose more close games. Their bullpen could regress a little bit given its sheer youth. But to be fair, the massive depth of the Giants young group insulates them. A few well-timed call ups could offset any trouble they run into.
Key Questions:
Who will take the helm as the Giants' new pitching coach? The role still appears to be vacant, as perhaps the organization is looking for the right fit for their young staff.
Star players RF Calvin Mitchell and SP Mekhi Lias will run out of arbitration eligibility in a few years. Will either sign a big contract with the Giants - or will they get to test the free agent market?
Will the Giants find somewhere to play top catching prospect Brian Hampton, who seems ready for the majors quite soon?
2026: 84-78
Looking Back: The Padres have been improving gradually over the last 3 seasons and hope they can continue that trend. 5-tool shortstop Royce Lewis is in his prime, as is 1B Alejandro Toral. Veteran closer Jake Reed provided 42 saves, while Anderson Espinoza, Adrian Morejon and Jeff Henry led a solid pitching staff who are mostly in their late 20's and all throwing well. Jake Shirey was drafted in Rule V and started last year. Despite some struggles he showed he should have what it takes to stay in the rotation long-term.
2026 Gold Glove catcher MJ Melendez helped get the most out of the pitching staff as well. The progress and finish above .500 was nice to see, but it's going to take some incredible pitching performances for the Padres to threaten the Dodgers and Giants in the NL West.
Offseason Review: The losses in the offseason were fairly minor for the Padres. Bullpen arm Alex Colome departed in free agency. They lost power pitching starting prospect Sergio Vargas but added reliever Alfredo Orduna in the Rule V draft. The Padres were very quiet in free agency despite quite a bit of talent being available. It seems the Padres approach is to draft, scout and develop their own talent and not take too many chances on a fairly limited budget. This approach seems to be improving the team - it just remains to be seen who the Padres who will be able to afford as good players approach the end of their arbitration years.
On the Farm: The Padres have the 6th rated farm system in the PBA, and there is a lot of buzz around 2022 1st round pick Greg Kelly, who should be ready for the majors this year after raking .334 in AAA in 2026. OF John Yancey also has reliable power and solid defense and could be promoted this year if the Padres can find a spot. The Padres have a wealth of talent available for call up in their international complex in a pretty crowded minor league system. The Padres are also hoping for growth in 2026 1st round pick catcher Antonio Contreras. He lacks great defense but has nice offensive upside. Tom McCracken is a very good pitching prospect, but needs more minor league innings to work on his pitches and round into an eventual rotation piece.
Best Case Scenario: If Shirey has a breakout year and the other pitchers are dialed in, the Padres could make some noise and net a wildcard berth. It's unlikely that both the Dodgers and Giants would falter and allow the Padres to claim the division title though.
Worst Case Scenario: The Padres lack the sheer offensive firepower that several of the NL teams have and could fall further behind in this area. Their margin for error is small, and it's conceivable the Padres could regress if manager Creig McBride is unable to find the right lineups to maximize the Padres' bats.
Key Questions:
Greg Kelly has solid defense at 2B and CF. Where will Kelly play in 2027? Could he be used in a super-utility role in his rookie year?
1B Alejandro Toral is in his final year before free agency. The Padres do not have many big contracts on the books and should be able to make the money work for an extension. But will they choose to do so, since Toral is marginal defensively?
2026: 71-91
Looking Back: The Rockies took a big step back in 2026 and finished well below .500. The pitching struggled heavily last year, but perhaps some of that was bad luck - Rockies opponents had a league high .344 BABIP. Nolan Arenado remained the face of the franchise and drove in 105 RBI's. Coming via trade from the Orioles, DH Jake Bauers had an excellent year and made the all-star team, finishing with a .318 average. Riley Pint was a bright spot in the Rockies rotation, going 13-4 with a 4.20 ERA. On the flipside, Franklyn Kilome went 3-13 with a 5.95 ERA and was allowed to leave in free agency. 23-year old 1B Juan Marrufo realized his pro potential and made the all-star game, finishing with a .296/.392/.483 line and was probably the biggest bright spot of the season.
Offseason Review: The Rockies will have a few holes to fill in 2027. Reliable bullpen arm Chris Devenski departed in free agency. Bauers and starting shortstop Jasrado Chisholm also left in free agency. This is probably a reflection of the Rockies feeling the financial crunch this year, with Arenado in the most expensive year of his contract at over 39 million for the 2027 season. Reliever Brad Hand was added in free agency, but he probably won't be able to pitch until the summer months due to shoulder trouble. Yeong-Seon Khang was added in the Rule V draft and it's possible he will fill the void left at DH by Bauers. The Rockies also acquired 4 pitchers in the Rule V - most are likely slated for the bullpen but Roger Macari may be good enough to crack the rotation.
On the Farm: The Rockies are grooming an eventual replacement for Arenado at 3B in Tom Gunning, their top pick in 2024. His power is starting to develop nicely in AA. Promising starter Jorge Tovar is at least 2 years away from the majors and will need to prove himself further in the minors. Charlie Dougan is a very good power pitching reliever, but struggled in AAA and may need another year in the minors to steady himself. Other than those players, the Rockies farm seems rather ordinary, but does have a few decent long-term 1B prospects in 2026 pick Chris McKenzie and foreigner Hector Quezada.
Best Case Scenario: If the enigmatic Ralph Porter (.190 average in 2026) gets it together and Arenado and CF David Dahl are in top form, the Rockies offense could propel the team above .500 again. But the pitching will have to come together, and that could be asking a lot as usual in Coors Field.
Worst Case Scenario: The Rockies have enough offensive weapons to ensure their floor isn't too low. Even if the pitching struggles, they should still be able to manage 70 or more wins, barring major injury.
Key Questions:
How will the Rockies fill the shortstop slot? Will they go with a good defensive option in Wenceel Perez, or someone with better power for Coors Field?
The Rockies do not have a proven closer and little experience in general in the bullpen. Eric Pardinho might be a candidate, but only has two major league saves under his belt. How will the Rockies will the void? Will they be signing a few veteran free agents to help out?
2026: 53-109
Looking Back: The Diamondbacks found themselves planted firmly in the NL West basement in 2026 and exceeded 100 losses. The World Series victory of 2022 is starting to seem more distant. The Diamondbacks broke in a lot of rookie pitchers and a new closer in 2026 which should help them out over the long run, though. Speedy outfielder Deshawn DeLaine led the NL in triples last year and was a bright spot in his first year of full time play. The hitters as a whole however lacked plate discipline and finished second only to the Marlins in strikeouts. The budget, payroll and fan interest all seem to be near or at the bottom of the league. General Manager Will Harrison will have a tough task ahead of him in 2027. But another bright spot late in 2026 was OF Tony Sierra, who had no problem adjusting to major league pitching and really looks the part. If the Diamondbacks build around Sierra, things could be on the upswing.
Offseason Review: Arizona's budget is small, and they seem to have not dipped into free agency whatsoever. The Diamondbacks seem to be building almost solely from their farm. They did add a few solid players in the Rule V draft, most notably RF Danny Bilbrew who hit 39 homers in AA in 2026. They lack a first round draft pick in 2027 which is a bit of a concern. Developing the talent on the farm is going to be crucial for Arizona over the next few years.
On The Farm: The Diamondbacks have the 12th rated farm system and have a big slugger in Gary Ford who can play either infield corner. But he may need another year of seasoning in the minors for best results. Hard throwing lefty Jim D'Amico could be a top line starter in 2030 and beyond. The farm is in good shape, especially at the high levels. The Diamondbacks have some nice assets, considering the talent that started last year and many others which will likely make their debut this year. There is hope that a young core emerges so that Arizona can dig its way out of the basement over time.
Best Case Scenario: If the young pitching comes together after taking their lumps last year, this team could improve. If Sierra has a great first year in full time action, he and some of the other young hitters could push this team very close to .500.
Worst Case Scenario: The Diamondbacks are dealing with some major pitching injuries to promising starters Marty Benito and Jake Higginbothar. If the injury bug hits the pitching staff further, things could get very rough in 2027 and Arizona could sink even further in the NL West.
Key Questions:
Which position will Tim Barton play in 2027? Will Emmanuel Valdez become the backup so Barton can take over at 2B?
Will the Diamondbacks look for a veteran leader or two to help this young core, or is the mangement and coaching confident in bringing this team together by themselves in the locker room?
