MLB predictions 2023: Who will win NL West? Odds, favorites, picks

Can you believe the Los Angeles Dodgers have won the NL West in nine of the last 10 seasons? You probably can, as the Dodgers led the MLB in spending for the majority of those years. Los Angeles is back with another star-studded roster, but will that be enough to hold off the San Diego Padres, another team that hasn't been shy about opening up its pocketbook to acquire top talent?

Below, we'll break down the NL West odds (according to DraftKings Sportsbook) while offering a prediction as well.

2023 MLB odds: NL West

• Los Angeles Dodgers: -110
• San Diego Padres: +120
• San Francisco Giants: +950
• Arizona Diamondbacks: +4500
• Colorado Rockies: +18000

The Padres picked up superstar outfielder Juan Soto at the trade deadline last season. Then, they signed Nelson Cruz and Xander Bogaerts in the offseason to an already potent lineup. Fernando Tatis Jr. will return to the lineup on April 20 after serving an 80-game suspension for PED use.

Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish, and Blake Snell will anchor the San Diego rotation once again. The bullpen is elite, especially if Josh Hader can get back to some iteration of his dominant self. Now for the big question: is that all enough to overtake the Dodgers as division champs?

In short, the answer is yes. There's no denying that San Diego has made enough moves to compete head-to-head with Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have some question marks on offense and defense. How will the bottom of the order fare? Can their starting pitching stay healthy?

This looks like San Diego's window to claim its first division crown since 2006.

Prediction: Padres, +120

  
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