It’s the National League West division’s world, we’re all just living in it.
Believe it or not, we’re already rapidly approaching the 15 percent mark of the 2025 Major League Baseball season. And thus far, there’s one division that’s separated itself in terms of talent and competitiveness. By far.
With the Arizona Diamondbacks completing a sweep of the Miami Marlins on Thursday afternoon, they moved to 12-7. That’s a .632 winning percentage, putting them on pace for 102 wins over a full season. They’re also in fourth place in their division.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have followed up their 2024 World Series with a hot start, winning eight in a row and 14 of their first 20. That .700 winning percentage puts them on pace to win 113 games. They’re not in first place. Nor are the San Francisco Giants, who’ve won 13 of 19 to start their year. How’s that even possible?
The San Diego Padres, that’s how.
SAN DIEGO – San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) celebrates after hititng a walk-off home run during the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park on July 5, 2024. Photo: Denis Poroy-USA TODAY Sports
NL West Running Away With Best Division Title
Miraculously, the Padres have essentially refused to lose to start the season.
READ: Somehow The San Diego Padres Just Can’t Stop Winning
Their bullpen has stopped giving up runs. Their offense has used timely hitting and an MVP-caliber start from Fernando Tatis Jr. to do just enough to win. And their starting pitching has been virtually unhittable.
Through their first 19 games, they’re an MLB-best 15-4. That .789 winning percentage? Just a 128-win full-season pace. Seems reasonable.
Obviously, the Padres aren’t going to shatter the record for most wins in a season. And it’s virtually impossible for four teams in the same division to all reach 100 wins. But the West has already demonstrated where the balance of power is in the National League this year.
In fact, every single NL West team would be leading every other division in baseball. Heck, the Padres would already have a 4.5-game lead over the first-place Detroit Tigers in the AL Central.
What do all these teams have in common? They’re actively trying to win. They’ve spent money on players, invested in building deep, talented rosters, and have reasonable expectations of making a postseason push. The Central divisions could take notes.
