NL West odds: Padres payout would be huge in close division race with Dodgers
MILWAUKEE, WI - MAY 13: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres runs to first after hitting a single in the third inning during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Kylie Bridenhagen/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images The last time the Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t win the NL West Division was 2021, the year after winning the World Series.
The Dodgers have now won the last two World Series, and they’ve backfilled their roster churn by upgrading to star players through free agency and their own stellar farm system. The lengthy MLB season provides a sample size that’s meant to favor averages over abnormalities. Hot- and cold-streaks blend together as weeks become months.
But the weight of those games can also fall victim to entropy as months become years. The long summers are tests of endurance and commitment as much as talent. The San Diego Padres finished just three games behind the Dodgers in the 2025 division race, and the Toronto Blue Jays pushed them to seven games and extra innings last November.
The thin line between dynasty and disappointment will be carved out over the next 120 games. FanDuel has odds on the NL West Division winner , which is an opportunity to prognosticate on the predictive ability of the first 40 games, and which performances will propel their team to a division title. The Dodgers (-900) are heavy favorites to remain atop the division, with a deep roster that’s built to weather a long season.
But their offense is still struggling midway through May. Shohei Ohtani is enduring his first cold streak, going hitless between starting pitching assignments for the first time in his career. Andy Pages (9 HRs, 35 RBI) and Max Muncy (11 HRs, .