National League West

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National League West
LeagueNational League
SportMajor League Baseball
Founded1969
No. of teams5
Most recent
champion(s)
Los Angeles Dodgers (2024; 22nd)
Most titlesLos Angeles Dodgers (22)
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National League West Teams Location

The National League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was created for the 1969 season when the National League (NL) expanded to 12 teams by adding the San Diego Padres and the Montreal Expos. For purpose of keeping a regular-season of 162 games, half of the teams were put into the new East Division and half into the new West Division. Within each division, the teams played 18 games each against their five division mates (90 games), and also 12 games against the teams in the opposite division (72 games), totaling 162 games. Prior to 1969, the National League had informal, internal divisions strictly for scheduling purposes.[1]

Geography

Despite the geography, the owners of the Chicago Cubs insisted that their team be placed into the East Division along with the teams in New York City, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Also, the owners of the St. Louis Cardinals wanted their team to be in the same division with their natural rivals, the Cubs. The league could have insisted on a purely geographical alignment like the American League did. But the owners were also concerned about what they thought would be a large imbalance in the strength of the divisions. In the previous two seasons prior to realignment, the Cardinals, Giants, and Cubs finished 1-2-3 in the National League standings. The owners were concerned about putting those teams in the same division, thereby creating one very strong division (West) and one weak one (East). Given all of this, the owners of the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds consented to being placed into the West Division, even though Atlanta and Cincinnati are both in the Eastern Time Zone. Hence, the West Division had teams spread all the way from the East to the Pacific Coast, and scattered over three time zones (no MLB teams played in the Mountain Time Zone until 1993, when the Colorado Rockies were enfranchised). The East Division was spread over the Eastern Time Zone and the Central Time Zone - despite the fact that the National League had six teams in the Eastern Time Zone and six teams spread between the Central Time Zone and the Pacific Time Zone. The American League had no such issues, as all six of its teams in the Eastern Time Zone played in the AL East, with the remaining six teams playing in the AL West.

All of this increased the traveling distances and times for all of the teams, and it also made radio broadcasting and TV broadcasts of the games more difficult to schedule. The Braves and the Reds had to travel all the way to California three times during each baseball season, and the three teams in California had to travel to Atlanta, Cincinnati, and Houston three times also. Sometimes, the trouble could be alleviated for them by playing some games in Chicago, St. Louis, or Pittsburgh on the same long road trips. The 1994 addition of the Central Division would remedy these problems, when the Reds and Braves moved to the NL Central and NL East respectively.

First season

The very first baseball season of division play, 1969, resulted in what might be considered by many to be two of the best pennant races in Major League baseball history. In the National League West, five of the teams battled for the divisional championship - with only the expansion team, the San Diego Padres, failing to be a contender. The remaining five teams were separated by as few as one-and-one-half games in the standings on August 18, despite the Houston Astros having lost 20 of its first 24 games.

Beginning in mid-August the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers started collapsing, leaving the Braves, the Reds, and the San Francisco Giants in contention. Following a very-long hot streak in July, August, and September, the Braves clinched the divisional championship by winning their next-to-last game. The Giants finished in a close second place. One of the main factors in the big surge by the Braves was that the slugging outfielder Rico Carty returned to the team after missing the first half of the season while he was recovering from tuberculosis. Carty immediately resumed his starring role, adding to the powerful offensive line-up of the Braves that also featured the sluggers Hank Aaron and Orlando Cepeda and the good singles hitter Félix Millán who was on base to score a lot of runs. Aaron finished in third place for the N.L. Most Valuable Player Award, and the starting pitcher Phil Niekro finished in second place for the N.L. Cy Young Award.

Perhaps this latter pennant race was overshadowed by that of the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs, with the Mets coming back from trailing by nine-and-one-half games near midseason to overtake the Chicago Cubs for the East championship. The sometimes called "Miracle Mets" won the first National League Championship Series over the Braves three games to none, and then the Mets defeated the Baltimore Orioles four games to one in the World Series in October 1969.[2]

Divisional membership

Current members

Former members

Membership timeline

Place cursor over year for division champ or World Series team.

NL West Division[A]
Years
69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97
Atlanta Braves[C]  
Cincinnati Reds[C]  
Houston Astros[C]  
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
  Colorado Rockies[B]
NL West Division[A]
Years
98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
Colorado Rockies
Arizona Diamondbacks[D]
  Team not in division   Division Won World Series   Division Won NL Championship
A The creation of the division with the expansion of the league - with the Padres added.
B With the Rockies added as an expansion team.
C With the Braves moved to East Division and the Reds and the Astros moved to the Central Division
D With the Diamondbacks added as an expansion team.

Champions by year

Before the forming of a third division in both leagues in 1994, the winners of each division competed in a best-of-five series, with the series being lengthened by two possible games in 1985 to a best-of-seven series, dubbed the "League Championship Series" to determine the winner of the league pennant. This format was to be changed in 1994, though it was not carried out until 1995 due to the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike that started on August 12, 1994. There was the addition of two further teams in the playoffs in each league. This has led to the creation of a "Division Series" round of the playoffs, in which two best-of-five series are conducted to determine the participants of the League Championship Series. As before, the winners of each league's pennant compete in the best-of-seven World Series to determine the champion of Major League Baseball.

  • Team names link to the season in which each team played
Year Winner Record % Playoff Results
1969 Atlanta Braves (1) 93–69 .574 Lost NLCS (Mets) 3–0
1970 Cincinnati Reds (1) 102–60 .630 Won NLCS (Pirates) 3–0
Lost World Series (Orioles) 4–1
1971 San Francisco Giants (1) 90–72 .556 Lost NLCS (Pirates) 3–1
1972 Cincinnati Reds (2) 95–59 .617 Won NLCS (Pirates) 3–2
Lost World Series (Athletics) 4–3
1973 Cincinnati Reds (3) 99–63 .611 Lost NLCS (Mets) 3–2
1974 Los Angeles Dodgers (1) 102–60 .630 Won NLCS (Pirates) 3–1
Lost World Series (Athletics) 4–1
1975 Cincinnati Reds (4) 108–54 .667 Won NLCS (Pirates) 3–0
Won World Series (Red Sox) 4–3
1976 Cincinnati Reds (5) 102–60 .630 Won NLCS (Phillies) 3–0
Won World Series (Yankees) 4–0
1977 Los Angeles Dodgers (2) 98–64 .605 Won NLCS (Phillies) 3–1
Lost World Series (Yankees) 4–2
1978 Los Angeles Dodgers (3) 95–67 .586 Won NLCS (Phillies) 3–1
Lost World Series (Yankees) 4–2
1979 Cincinnati Reds (6) 90–71 .559 Lost NLCS (Pirates) 3–0
1980 Houston Astros (1)* 93–70 .571 Lost NLCS (Phillies) 3–2
1981 Los Angeles Dodgers (4)† 63–47 .573 Won NLDS (Astros) 3–2
Won NLCS (Expos) 3–2
Won World Series (Yankees) 4–2
1982 Atlanta Braves (2) 89–73 .549 Lost NLCS (Cardinals) 3–0
1983 Los Angeles Dodgers (5) 91–71 .562 Lost NLCS (Phillies) 3–1
1984 San Diego Padres (1) 92–70 .568 Won NLCS (Cubs) 3–2
Lost World Series (Tigers) 4–1
1985 Los Angeles Dodgers (6) 95–67 .586 Lost NLCS (Cardinals) 4–2
1986 Houston Astros (2) 96–66 .593 Lost NLCS (Mets) 4–2
1987 San Francisco Giants (2) 90–72 .556 Lost NLCS (Cardinals) 4–3
1988 Los Angeles Dodgers (7) 94–67 .584 Won NLCS (Mets) 4–3
Won World Series (Athletics) 4–1
1989 San Francisco Giants (3) 92–70 .568 Won NLCS (Cubs) 4–1
Lost World Series (Athletics) 4–0
1990 Cincinnati Reds (7) 91–71 .562 Won NLCS (Pirates) 4–2
Won World Series (Athletics) 4–0
1991 Atlanta Braves (3) 94–68 .580 Won NLCS (Pirates) 4–3
Lost World Series (Twins) 4–3
1992 Atlanta Braves (4) 98–64 .605 Won NLCS (Pirates) 4–3
Lost World Series (Blue Jays) 4–2
1993 Atlanta Braves (5) 104–58 .642 Lost NLCS (Phillies) 4–2
1994§ No playoffs due to 1994 Major League Baseball strike
1995 Los Angeles Dodgers (8) 78–66 .542 Lost NLDS (Reds) 3–0
1996 San Diego Padres (2) 91–71 .562 Lost NLDS (Cardinals) 3–0
1997 San Francisco Giants (4) 90–72 .556 Lost NLDS (Marlins) 3–0
1998 San Diego Padres (3) 98–64 .605 Won NLDS (Astros) 3–1
Won NLCS (Braves) 4–2
Lost World Series (Yankees) 4–0
1999 Arizona Diamondbacks (1) 100–62 .617 Lost NLDS (Mets) 3–1
2000 San Francisco Giants (5) 97–65 .599 Lost NLDS (Mets) 3–1
2001 Arizona Diamondbacks (2) 92–70 .568 Won NLDS (Cardinals) 3–2
Won NLCS (Braves) 4–1
Won World Series (Yankees) 4–3
2002 Arizona Diamondbacks (3) 98–64 .605 Lost NLDS (Cardinals) 3–0
2003 San Francisco Giants (6) 100–61 .621 Lost NLDS (Marlins) 3–1
2004 Los Angeles Dodgers (9) 93–69 .574 Lost NLDS (Cardinals) 3–1
2005 San Diego Padres (4) 82–80 .506 Lost NLDS (Cardinals) 3–0
2006 San Diego Padres (5)†† 88–74 .543 Lost NLDS (Cardinals) 3–1
2007 Arizona Diamondbacks (4) 90–72 .556 Won NLDS (Cubs) 3–0
Lost NLCS (Rockies) 4–0
2008 Los Angeles Dodgers (10) 84–78 .519 Won NLDS (Cubs) 3–0
Lost NLCS (Phillies) 4–1
2009 Los Angeles Dodgers (11) 95–67 .586 Won NLDS (Cardinals) 3–0
Lost NLCS (Phillies) 4–1
2010 San Francisco Giants (7) 92–70 .568 Won NLDS (Braves) 3–1
Won NLCS (Phillies) 4–2
Won World Series (Rangers) 4–1
2011 Arizona Diamondbacks (5) 94–68 .580 Lost NLDS (Brewers) 3–2
2012 San Francisco Giants (8) 94–68 .580 Won NLDS (Reds) 3–2
Won NLCS (Cardinals) 4–3
Won World Series (Tigers) 4–0
2013 Los Angeles Dodgers (12) 92–70 .568 Won NLDS (Braves) 3–1
Lost NLCS (Cardinals) 4–2
2014 Los Angeles Dodgers (13) 94–68 .580 Lost NLDS (Cardinals) 3–1
2015 Los Angeles Dodgers (14) 92–70 .568 Lost NLDS (Mets) 3–2
2016 Los Angeles Dodgers (15) 91–71 .562 Won NLDS (Nationals) 3–2
Lost NLCS (Cubs) 4–2
2017 Los Angeles Dodgers (16) 104–58 .642 Won NLDS (Diamondbacks) 3–0
Won NLCS (Cubs) 4–1
Lost World Series (Astros) 4–3
2018 Los Angeles Dodgers (17)** 92–71 .564 Won NLDS (Braves) 3–1
Won NLCS (Brewers) 4–3
Lost World Series (Red Sox) 4–1
2019 Los Angeles Dodgers (18) 106–56 .654 Lost NLDS (Nationals) 3–2
2020 Los Angeles Dodgers (19)††† 43–17 .716 Won NLWC (Brewers) 2–0
Won NLDS (Padres) 3–0
Won NLCS (Braves) 4–3
Won World Series (Rays) 4–2
2021 San Francisco Giants (9) 107–55 .660 Lost NLDS (Dodgers) 3–2
2022 Los Angeles Dodgers (20) 111–51 .685 Lost NLDS (Padres) 3–1
2023 Los Angeles Dodgers (21) 100–62 .617 Lost NLDS (Diamondbacks) 3–0
2024 Los Angeles Dodgers (22) 98–64 .605 Won NLDS (Padres) 3–2
Won NLCS (Mets) 4–2
Won World Series (Yankees) 4–1

* – Defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in a one game playoff for the division title, 7–1.

** – Defeated the Colorado Rockies in a one game playoff for the division title, 5–2.

† – Due to the 1981 Major League Baseball strike, the season was split. Los Angeles won the first half and defeated second-half champion Houston (61–49) in the postseason.
The Cincinnati Reds had the best record in the division (66–42) overall but due to the split season did not qualify for the playoffs.

§ – Due to the players' strike starting August 12, no official winner was awarded. Los Angeles was leading at the strike.

†† – The San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers finished the 2006 season tied for first place with identical records. San Diego won the season series 13–5 against Los Angeles and was awarded the NL West title; Los Angeles was awarded the wild-card berth. Had a team from another division won the wild card, a one-game playoff would have decided the division champion.

††† – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MLB teams played 60 games, with teams play within their division and their respective counterpart (NL West vs. AL West, NL Central vs. AL Central, NL East vs. AL East). By virtue of the eight-team postseason format used for that season, division runner-up San Diego (37–23, .617) also qualified for the playoffs.

Other postseason teams

See List of National League Wild Card winners (since 1994)

The wild card is given to the team in each league with the best record that did not win its division and was first introduced in 1994. The system, however, was not implemented until the following season, as a player strike prematurely ended the 1994 season. Since its implementation, three NL West teams have won the wild card, on six occasions.

Year Winner Record % GB Playoff Results
1995 Colorado Rockies 77–67 .535 1 Lost NLDS (Braves) 3–1
1996 Los Angeles Dodgers 90–72 .556 1 Lost NLDS (Braves) 3–0
2002 San Francisco Giants 95–66 .590 2.5 Won NLDS (Braves) 3–2
Won NLCS (Cardinals) 4–1
Lost World Series (Angels) 4–3
2006 Los Angeles Dodgers 88–74 .543 0 Lost NLDS (Mets) 3–0
2007 Colorado Rockies 90–73* .552 0.5 Won NLDS (Phillies) 3–0
Won NLCS (Diamondbacks) 4–0
Lost World Series (Red Sox) 4–0
2009 Colorado Rockies 92–70 .568 3 Lost NLDS (Phillies) 3–1
2014 San Francisco Giants** 88–74 .543 6 Won NLWC (Pirates)
Won NLDS (Nationals) 3–1
Won NLCS (Cardinals) 4–1
Won World Series (Royals) 4–3
2016 San Francisco Giants** 87–75 .537 4 Won NLWC (Mets)
Lost NLDS (Cubs) 3–1
2017 Arizona Diamondbacks** 93–69 .574 11 Won NLWC (Rockies)
Lost NLDS (Dodgers) 3–0
Colorado Rockies** 87–75 .537 17 Lost NLWC (Diamondbacks)
2018 Colorado Rockies** 91–72 .558 1 Won NLWC (Cubs)
Lost NLDS (Brewers) 3–0
2020 San Diego Padres** 37–23 .617 6 Won NLWC (Cardinals) 2–1
Lost NLDS (Dodgers) 3–0
2021 Los Angeles Dodgers** 106–56 .654 1 Won NLWC (Cardinals)
Won NLDS (Giants) 3–2
Lost NLCS (Braves) 4–2
2022 San Diego Padres** 89–73 .549 22 Won NLWC (Mets) 2–1
Won NLDS (Dodgers) 3–1
Lost NLCS (Phillies) 4–1
2023 Arizona Diamondbacks** 84–78 .519 16 Won NLWC (Brewers) 2–0
Won NLDS (Dodgers) 3–0
Won NLCS (Phillies) 4–3
Lost World Series (Rangers) 4–1
2024 San Diego Padres** 93–69 .574 5 Won NLWC (Braves) 2–0
Lost NLDS (Dodgers) 3–2

* – The Colorado Rockies played the San Diego Padres in a wild card tie-breaker game after both teams finished the season with the same record, 89–73. The Rockies defeated the Padres, 9–8, in 13 innings. A wild card tie-breaker game was still considered part of the regular season, and thus, the Rockies' win made it their 90th victory of the season.

** – From 2012 to 2019, and in 2021, the Wild Card was expanded to two teams. Those teams faced each other in the Wild Card Game to determine the final participant in the National League Division Series. In 2020 only, eight teams, including the three division winners, played in a best-of-three Wild Card Series, with the winners advancing to the Division Series. Starting in 2022, the Wild Card field was increased to three teams, and along with the lowest-ranked division winner, qualified for the best-of-three Wild Card Series to determine the remaining two slots in the Division Series.

Season results

(#) Denotes team that won the World Series
(#) Denotes team that won the National League pennant, but lost World Series
(#) Denotes team that qualified for the MLB postseason
Season Team (record)
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
1969 Atlanta (93–69) San Francisco (90–72) Cincinnati (89–73) Los Angeles (85–77) Houston (81–81) San Diego (52–110)
1970 Cincinnati (102–60) Los Angeles (87–74) San Francisco (86–76) Houston (79–83) Atlanta (76–86) San Diego (63–99)
1971 San Francisco (90–72) Los Angeles (89–73) Atlanta (82–80) Cincinnati (79–83) Houston (79–83) San Diego (61–100)
1972 Cincinnati (95–59) Los Angeles (85–70) Houston (84–69) Atlanta (70–84) San Francisco (69–86) San Diego (58–95)
1973 Cincinnati (99–63) Los Angeles (95–66) San Francisco (88–74) Houston (82–80) Atlanta (76–85) San Diego (60–102)
1974 Los Angeles (102–60) Cincinnati (98–64) Atlanta (88–74) Houston (81–81) San Francisco (72–90) San Diego (60–102)
1975 Cincinnati (108–54) Los Angeles (88–74) San Francisco (80–81) San Diego (71–91) Atlanta (67–94) Houston (64–97)
1976 Cincinnati (102–60) Los Angeles (92–70) Houston (80–82) San Francisco (74–88) San Diego (73–89) Atlanta (70–92)
1977 Los Angeles (98–64) Cincinnati (88–74) Houston (81–81) San Francisco (75–87) San Diego (69–93) Atlanta (61–101)
1978 Los Angeles (95–67) Cincinnati (92–69) San Francisco (89–73) San Diego (84–78) Houston (74–88) Atlanta (69–93)
1979 Cincinnati (90–71) Houston (89–73) Los Angeles (79–83) San Francisco (71–91) San Diego (68–93) Atlanta (66–94)
1980 Houston[a] (93–70) Los Angeles (92–71) Cincinnati (89–73) Atlanta (81–80) San Francisco (75–86) San Diego (73–89)
1981 Cincinnati (66–42) Los Angeles (63–47) Houston (61–49) San Francisco (56–55) Atlanta (50–56) San Diego (41–69)
1982 Atlanta (89–73) Los Angeles (88–74) San Francisco (87–75) San Diego (81–81) Houston (77–85) Cincinnati (61–101)
1983 Los Angeles (91–71) Atlanta (88–74) Houston (85–77) San Diego (81–81) San Francisco (79–83) Cincinnati (74–88)
1984 San Diego (92–70) Atlanta (80–82) Houston (80–82) Los Angeles (79–83) Cincinnati (70–92) San Francisco (66–96)
1985 Los Angeles (95–67) Cincinnati (89–72) Houston (83–79) San Diego (83–79) Atlanta (66–96) San Francisco (62–100)
1986 Houston (96–66) Cincinnati (86–76) San Francisco (83–79) San Diego (74–88) Los Angeles (73–89) Atlanta (72–89)
1987 San Francisco (90–72) Cincinnati (84–78) Houston (76–86) Los Angeles (73–89) Atlanta (69–92) San Diego (65–97)
1988 Los Angeles (94–67) Cincinnati (87–74) San Diego (83–78) San Francisco (83–79) Houston (82–80) Atlanta (54–106)
1989 San Francisco (92–70) San Diego (89–73) Houston (86–76) Los Angeles (77–83) Cincinnati (75–87) Atlanta (63–97)
1990 Cincinnati (91–71) Los Angeles (86–76) San Francisco (85–77) Houston (75–87) San Diego (75–87) Atlanta (65–97)
1991 Atlanta (94–68) Los Angeles (93–69) San Diego (84–78) San Francisco (75–87) Cincinnati (74–88) Houston (65–97)
1992 Atlanta (98–64) Cincinnati (90–72) San Diego (82–80) Houston (81–81) San Francisco (72–90) Los Angeles (63–99)
1993 Atlanta (104–58) San Francisco (103–59) Houston (85–77) Los Angeles (81–81) Cincinnati (73–89) Colorado (67–95) San Diego (61–101)
1994 Los Angeles (58–56) San Francisco (55–60) Colorado (53–64) San Diego (47–70)
1995 (3) Los Angeles (78–66) (4) Colorado (77–67) San Diego (70–74) San Francisco (67–77)
1996 (2) San Diego (91–71) (4) Los Angeles (90–72) Colorado (83–79) San Francisco (68–94)
1997 (2) San Francisco (90–72) Los Angeles (88–74) Colorado (83–79) San Diego (76–86)
1998 (3) San Diego (98–64) San Francisco[b] (89–74) Los Angeles (83–79) Colorado (77–85) Arizona (65–97)
1999 (2) Arizona (100–62) San Francisco (86–76) Los Angeles (77–85) San Diego (74–88) Colorado (72–90)
2000 (1) San Francisco (97–65) Los Angeles (86–76) Arizona (85–77) Colorado (82–80) San Diego (76–86)
2001 (2) Arizona (92–70) San Francisco (90–72) Los Angeles (86–76) San Diego (79–83) Colorado (73–89)
2002 (2) Arizona (98–64) (4) San Francisco (95–66) Los Angeles (92–70) Colorado (73–89) San Diego (66–96)
2003 (2) San Francisco (100–61) Los Angeles (85–77) Arizona (84–78) Colorado (74–88) San Diego (64–98)
2004 (3) Los Angeles (93–69) San Francisco (91–71) San Diego (87–75) Colorado (68–94) Arizona (51–111)
2005 (3) San Diego (82–80) Arizona (77–85) San Francisco (75–87) L.A. Dodgers (71–91) Colorado (67–95)
2006 (2) San Diego[c] (88–74) (4) Los Angeles (88–74) San Francisco (76–85) Arizona (76–86) Colorado (76–86)
2007 (1) Arizona (90–72) (4) Colorado[d] (90–73) San Diego (89–74) L.A. Dodgers (82–80) San Francisco (71–91)
2008 (3) Los Angeles (84–78) Arizona (82–80) Colorado (74–88) San Francisco (72–90) San Diego (63–99)
2009 (1) Los Angeles (95–67) (4) Colorado (92–70) San Francisco (88–74) San Diego (75–87) Arizona (70–92)
2010 (2) San Francisco (92–70) San Diego (90–72) Colorado (83–79) L.A. Dodgers (80–82) Arizona (65–97)
2011 (3) Arizona (94–68) San Francisco (86–76) L.A. Dodgers (82–79) Colorado (73–89) San Diego (71–91)
2012 (3) San Francisco (94–68) L.A. Dodgers (86–76) Arizona (81–81) San Diego (76–86) Colorado (64–98)
2013 (3) Los Angeles (92–70) Arizona (81–81) San Diego (76–86) San Francisco (76–86) Colorado (74–88)
2014 (2) Los Angeles (94–68) (5) San Francisco[e] (88–74) San Diego (77–85) Colorado (66–96) Arizona (64–98)
2015 (2) Los Angeles (92–70) San Francisco (84–78) Arizona (79–83) San Diego (74–88) Colorado (68–94)
2016 (3) Los Angeles (91–71) (5) San Francisco[f] (87–75) Colorado (75–87) Arizona (69–93) San Diego (68–94)
2017 (1) Los Angeles (104–58) (4) Arizona (93–69) (5) Colorado (87–75) San Diego (71–91) San Francisco (64–98)
2018 (2) Los Angeles[g] (92–71) (5) Colorado (91–72) Arizona (82–80) San Francisco (73–89) San Diego (66–96)
2019 (1) Los Angeles (106–56) Arizona (85–77) San Francisco (77–85) Colorado (71–91) San Diego (70–92)
  • 2020: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was shortened to 60 games. The postseason field was expanded to eight teams and the wild-card round became a best-of-three series.
2020 (1) Los Angeles (43–17) (4) San Diego (37–23) San Francisco[h] (29–31) Colorado (26–34) Arizona (25–35)
2021 (1) San Francisco (107–55) (4) L.A. Dodgers (106–56) San Diego (79–83) Colorado (74–87) Arizona (52–110)
2022 (1) Los Angeles (111–51) (5) San Diego (89–73) San Francisco (81–81) Arizona (74–88) Colorado (68–94)
2023 (2) Los Angeles (100–62) (6) Arizona[i] (84–78) San Diego (82–80) San Francisco (79–83) Colorado (59–103)
2024 (1) Los Angeles (98–64) (4) San Diego (93–69) Arizonaj (89–73) San Francisco (80–82) Colorado (61–101)
Notes and Tiebreakers
  • a Houston and Los Angeles were tied for the division championship and played in a tie-breaker game. The Astros won 7–1 to claim the division crown.
  • b San Francisco and Chicago of the National League Central were tied for the wild-card berth and played in a tie-breaker game. The Giants lost 5–3 and were eliminated from postseason contention.
  • c San Diego and Los Angeles were tied for the division championship and wild-card berth, but the Padres claimed the division crown by winning the season series 13–5, relegating the Dodgers to the wild-card spot.
  • d Colorado and San Diego were tied for the wild-card berth and played in a tie-breaker game. The Rockies won 9–8 in 13 innings to claim the wild-card spot.
  • e San Francisco and Pittsburgh of the National League Central were tied for both wild-card berths, but the Giants were relegated to the second wild-card spot by losing the season series 4–2.
  • f San Francisco and New York of the National League East were tied for both wild-card berths, but the Giants were relegated to the second wild-card spot by losing the season series 4–3.
  • g Los Angeles and Colorado were tied for the division championship and second wild-card berth and played in a tie-breaker game. The Dodgers won 5–2 to claim the division crown, while the Rockies were relegated to the second wild-card spot.
  • h San Francisco and Milwaukee of the National League Central were tied for the second wild-card berth, but the Giants were eliminated from postseason contention due to an inferior intra-division record (Milwaukee had a 19–21 record while San Francisco had an 18–22 record).
  • i Arizona and Miami of the National League East were tied for the fifth seed and the second wild-card berth, but the Diamondbacks were relegated to the third wild-card spot by losing the season series 4–2.
  • j Arizona, Atlanta and New York of the National League East were tied for the fifth seed and the second wild-card berth, but the Diamondbacks were eliminated from the postseason by losing the season series 5–2 with the Braves, and 4–3 with the Mets.

NL West statistics

Team Division championships Postseason records[a]
Number Year(s) Most recent Wild Card[b] ALWC ALDS ALCS World Series
Current Teams in Division
Los Angeles Dodgers 22 1974, 1977–1978, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1995, 2004, 2008–2009, 2013–2017, 2018*, 2019–2020, 2022–2024 2024 3 2–0 10–9 9–7 4–5
San Francisco Giants 9 1971, 1987, 1989, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2010, 2012, 2021 2021 3 2–0 4–5 5–2 3–2
San Diego Padres 5 1984, 1996, 1998, 2005–2006 2006 3 3–0 2–5 2–1 0–2
Arizona Diamondbacks 5 1999, 2001–2002, 2007, 2011 2011 2 2–0 3–4 2–1 1–1
Colorado Rockies 0 5 1–1 1–3 1–0 0–1
Former Teams in Division
Cincinnati Reds 7 1970, 1972–1973, 1975–1976, 1979, 1990 1990 0–0 5–2 3–2
Atlanta Braves 5 1969, 1982, 1991–1993 1993 0–0 2–3 0–2
Houston Astros§ 2 1980*, 1986 1986 0–1 0–2 0–0
Total 55 1969–1993, 1995–present 2024 11 5‍–‍5 18‍–‍20 18‍–‍24 11‍–‍7

* – Won division via tiebreaker
† indicates no longer in division since 1994
§ indicates no longer in division since 1994, and no longer part of NL since 2013

Totals updated through conclusion of the 2024 postseason.

Rivalries

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Reflects postseason record of each team only during the team's time as a member of the NL West
  2. ^ Number of times qualifying as a wild card team

References

  1. ^ "Boston Braves go to Milwaukee". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. March 18, 1953. p. 1 – via Google News.
  2. ^ "1969 World Series - New York Mets over Baltimore Orioles (4-1)". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 16, 2024.