MLB Betting: Should You Bet the Dodgers to Come Back and Take the NL West?

The National League West is as competitive as it's been in a long time, setting the division up for an exciting second half.

The NL West currently has three teams directly in contention, with a fourth team still having a window to figure things out before it's too late.

Who has what it takes to win the division?

Here's a look at the current NL West odds via the MLB division winner odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Note: The Colorado Rockies (+25000) will not be featured

Los Angeles Dodgers

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: -210
Record: 41-33 (third in NL West)

The Los Angeles Dodgers have set the bar in the NL West for years now, and the odds support that -- even if they aren't currently in first place.

At 41-33, the Dodgers have by no means been a bad team this season, but given the excellent roster they have, there's no doubt that they've underperformed a bit as they sit in third place in the division.

Offensively, they've answered the bell. Los Angeles' 393 runs scored are the fourth-most this season, with the likes of Mookie Betts leading the way. The Dodgers lineup has powered its way to a .332 weighted on-base average (wOBA), the sixth-best in the league. They're driving the ball all around the park, but they are striking out at a pretty high rate of 23.1%, tied for the 11th-highest.

While LA's pitching has been OK, it's been worse than it's been in recent campaigns, which has left the Dodgers looking up in the division for once.

The team's 4.01 skill-interactive ERA (SIERA) ranks as the 10th-best in baseball -- good but not elite. After being in the top five in strikeout rate in 2022, they've dropped down to 14th. Injuries to Julio Urias and Walker Buehler have hurt them, even if Clayton Kershaw has turned back the clock.

How you think LA will fare over the next couple of weeks should dictate how you handle the Dodgers in this market. The longer the Dodgers stay out of first, the shorter -- or more favorable -- their odds will become. On the flip side, if they go on a run in the short term, this -210 price will lengthen pretty quickly.

Arizona Diamondbacks

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +430
Record: 45-30 (first in NL West)

There may not be a team in baseball that is more fun than the Arizona Diamondbacks, and they're making things happen out west.

After years of trying to get back into the playoffs, the Diamondbacks are on track to getting back there because of a mix of homegrown talent (Corbin Carroll) and smart acquisitions (Lourdes Gurriel).

A part of their offensive magic is that they don't strike out much as their K rate is the third-lowest in the league at 19.6%.

Carroll, who is both the NL Rookie of the Year favorite and an NL MVP candidate, is tied with Ronald Acuna for the most Wins Above Replacement (per FanGraphs) at 3.4. He's top five in wOBA at .407 and even has an outside shot at a 40-40 season as he's got 16 home runs and 21 stolen bases.

The reason you may pause on betting with the Diamondbacks is that their pitching staff isn't among the best, even if Zac Gallen is. Arizona is 20th with 4.30 SIERA and 18th in fielding independent pitching (FIP) at 4.26.

The Diamondbacks aren't perfect -- far from it. But their offense is exciting, they're trending in the right direction (20-10 in their last 30 games), and they just go out there and play baseball. If you want to bet on a team who, if things go the way they have been, can outdo the Dodgers all season, Arizona might be the team to bet on.

San Francisco Giants

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +480
Record: 42-32 (second in NL West)

The San Francisco Giants are finding ways to win, especially of late.

San Francisco is currently riding a 10-game win streak that has pushed them to second in the NL West, and it has happened through walk-off wins, a questionable call reversal, and good baseball. While this team doesn't necessarily feel like the Giants team from 2021 that ultimately won the division, it definitely has some of the good vibes that team had.

Their offense has been powered by former New York Mets players Michael Conforto and J.D. Davis as well as the likes of LaMonte Wade Jr and Mike Yastrzemski. The Giants are eighth-best in the league when it comes to wOBA (.328) and are ninth in home runs (94).

They've paired a solid offense with dynamic pitching -- led by ace Logan Webb and lights-out closer Camilo Doval -- to create what should be a team that can contend deep into the season.

The Giants trail only the Seattle Mariners in team SIERA with a 3.77 clip. What's most impressive about the Giants' pitching is that they force groundballs better than anyone, boasting a league-leading 49.6% groundball rate.

Between the Diamondbacks and Giants, this won't be an easy run for the Dodgers to get to the top. And knowing how the Gabe Kapler-led Giants have worked in the not-so-distant past, San Fran feels like the best bet to dethrone the Dodgers for the NL West crown (again).

San Diego Padres

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +1500
Record: 35-39 (fourth in NL West)

The San Diego Padres should be in the same conversation as the Mets in terms of the biggest disappointments so far in 2023. The Padres, however, benefit from their division leader not feeling unreachable... yet.

The offense and pitching of the Padres are middling, something that may be perceived as unacceptable -- especially on offense.

When you look at the Padres' offense, it's headlined by Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, Manny Machado, and Xander Bogaerts. And yet, San Diego is tied for a meh 17th with a .313 wOBA. That's pretty unacceptable for an offense that packs this much punch. Tatis has shined since returning from his suspension, but he can't do it all. The Padres rank 22nd in hard-hit rate at 30.9%, highlighting their struggles.

The Padres' pitching staff has been in the middle of the pack all season with a 15th-ranked SIERA (4.12), so they haven't picked up the slack for the underachieving offense.

San Diego needs both sides of its game to step up if they want to make the playoffs this season, let alone win the NL West. With how good the three teams above them are playing right now, it's not going to be easy, and it may wind up being a lost season for the Padres when it's all said and done.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.