Giants (8-1), Dodgers (9-2), and Padres (8-2) have the three best records in MLB through Sunday
Any hope of the Dodgers leading the National League West wire to wire were dashed on Sunday when they had the audacity to lose for a second time. The division has the three best records in baseball, including the hard-charging Giants on a seven-game win streak.
San Francisco won in walk-off fashion on Sunday, putting them at 8-1 after sweeping the Astros in Houston and sweeping the Mariners at home. The Dodgers are zero games back with one more win and one more loss after Sunday, but the Giants are technically in first place with their .889 winning percentage compared to the relatively-paltry .818 mark by Los Angeles.
The Dodgers and Padres didn’t lose at all until Friday. With Los Angeles starting 8-0 and San Diego 7-0 they are the first two teams in the same division to each open the season with at least seven victories.
Since divisional play began in 1969, only twice before have two teams in the same division each started with at least six wins — Royals (7-0) and Tigers (6-0) in 2015, and the Yankees (6-0) and Blue Jays (6-0) in 1992.
Not to be outdone, the Giants have also won …, marking just the second time in 57 seasons of divisional play that three teams in the same division all started 7-1 or better, per Sarah Langs of MLB.com.
NL West standings
through April 6
Giants 8-1, – – –
Dodgers 9-2, – – –
Padres 8-2, ½ GB
D-backs 5-5, 3 ½ GB
Rockies, 2-7, 6 GB
The week ahead
- Dodgers: at Nationals, vs. Cubs
- Padres: at A’s, vs. Rockies
- Giants: vs. Reds, at Yankees
- D-backs: vs. Orioles, vs. Brewers
- Rockies: vs. Brewers, at Padres
Rockies at Padres next weekend at Petco Park is the first matchup between NL West teams this season, and one of only three intradivisional battles this month. The other two upcoming series are the Dodgers hosting the Rockies from April 14-16 and the Giants in San Diego on April 29-30.