Is There Any Hope San Francisco Giants Can Catch Dodgers and Rest of NL West?

The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to distance themselves from the San Francisco Giants and the rest of the NL West this offseason.

Oct 1, 2024; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey addresses the media during an introductory press conference at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

While the rest of the baseball world has had their eyes on the Houston Astros and their dynastic performance for the better part of the last decade, the San Francisco Giants have called the National League West home along with another of MLB's dynasties.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have dominated the division for more than a decade now, winning it every year but one since 2013, and that does not look to change anytime soon.

Now resembling the New York Yankees at the turn of the century as their luxury tax payroll quickly approaches $400 million, the only team with a three at the beginning of that figure, the Dodgers have quickly become the most polarizing team in the sport.

Many have taken to social media to lambast the deferrals, and many more expect a lockout to occur once the current CBA expires at the end of 2026.

To keep things strictly on the field, Los Angeles has widened the gap between themselves and the rest of the National League West.

The Giants have tried to improve this offseason, adding Willy Adames to the offense with the largest contract in franchise history, but 2025 was never going to be their year to contend, even before the Dodgers added Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott, and seemingly half of the other big names available in free agency.

2025 was going to be another foundational year, the first full season under the new president of baseball operations Buster Posey, but he has already shown that he is willing to do what it takes to put a winning product on the field with the Adames signing and the Matt Chapman extension.

For the rest of the division, the San Diego Padres have been rumored to be trying to cut payroll this offseason, though there has been no firm action to confirm that.

The Arizona Diamondbacks took a massive step forward by adding a true ace to their rotation in Corbin Burnes, and their offense was the best in MLB in the second half of 2024, but they still do not hold a candle to Los Angeles or the three World Series contenders in the National League East.

Oh? The Colorado Rockies, you ask? Well, they exist. But they, along with the Miami Marlins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Guardians, etc. are key examples of why the sport has a much larger need for a salary floor rather than a salary cap.

After winning 11 of the last 12 National League West titles, the Dodgers look well primed to make that 12 of the last 13 in 2025.

San Francisco's time back in the spotlight will come. It has just been deferred.