After winning 89 games and finishing 21 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West last season, the San Diego Padres pulled off the upset in the postseason, eliminating their heated division rivals in the NLDS.
And it appears that this offseason, the tide has shifted within the division.
The Dodgers have won nine division titles in the last 10 years and have been the dominant force in the NL West.
However, they were quiet this offseason, while the Padres added Michael Wacha, Xander Bogaerts, Matt Carpenter, Nelson Cruz, and Seth Lugo.
Now it appears that the Padres may have the edge.
On MLB Network, Matt Vasgersian and Harold Reynolds discussed where the Padres stand now and if they truly are the team to beat in the NL West.
Are the Padres THE team to beat in the NL West? #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/wnAIpInUWL
—MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 7, 2023
Reynolds spoke first and said that with Walker Buehler out until 2024, the Dodgers are not going to have an easy path to the NL West title.
Some notable departures also took place for the Dodgers.
The team lost Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, and Trea Turner this past winter.
Though they added JD Martinez and a few other pieces, the Padres have at the very least closed the gap.
The analysts then compared the lineups of the Dodgers and Padres.
San Diego appears to have more star power in their lineup as of now.
Fernando Tatis Jr. will be suspended for the first 20 games, but San Diego appears to be making strides.
Reynolds reiterated that at the very least, the gap has been closed and the Padres are a legitimate threat to the Dodgers.
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