Padres or Dodgers, Who Would Make A Better 2021 World Series NL Team?

If you’re a baseball fan and you want to watch the best baseball action around, you’re probably tuning into a National League game and even more, you’re probably watching either the LA Dodgers or the San Diego Padres. Both teams are looked upon by World Series betting experts as the two top options in the National League to make it to the fall classic in late October. And it goes without a shadow of a doubt as to why. Their pitching rotations are world class, their hitting power, on point and their defensive skills are premier.

Now though, if push came to shove, who would make a better representative for the National League in the upcoming World Series? Let’s take a look.

When It Comes To Pitching, It’s An All Out Brawl For Dominance

On the one side you have the LA Dodgers with Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Julio Urias and Trevor Bauer. Yes, it’s so dominant that even while writing it I felt like I struck out at least ten times. The Dodgers can brag about having one of the most dominant rotations in all of baseball, not just the National League. The addition of Trevor Bauer to the already dominant pitching list made LA move even further up in the lists of teams with almost no flaws when it comes to pitching. Oh yeah, and we haven’t really counted on the fact that they have David Price there in case they need him. Add to that the relief help of guys like Blake Treinen and Kenley Jansen closing and they are just too good to be true.

On the other side of the fence are the Padres, with Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, Chris Paddack and Blake Snell. Yet another team just like the Dodgers that can brag about having one of the most dominant rotations in baseball. The difference here is, the consistency and struggles with injuries that this rotation has had to go through. If you were to give this rotation a full season without injury scares they would be the best in all of baseball, hands down, but since baseball, like life, is not perfect and completely fair, they must do with what’s given and they still do a very good job.

Still, with all said, this rotation as well as LA’s could easily well be the reason why the Padres or Dodgers would win the World Series.

Hitting Power: Tatis Jr. and Machado vs. LA’s Stacked Lineup

Have you given yourself the pleasure of watching Fernando Tatis Jr. hit? I do not lie when I say that this man does things to baseballs that should be illegal and the whole of MLB is well aware of his powers as well. If you add to that the groove that a guy like Manny Machado brings to the plate and the help of players like Eric Hosmer, Tommy Pham and Jake Cronenworth then if I was the Padres manager I would consider myself a happy man. The Padres know how to bring runs in, by the handful and they are not ever afraid to go yard if given the chance. One could argue that San Diego plays the style of offensive baseball that all fans always wish to see, the style that helps the game stay relevant.

Now what the Dodgers don’t have in sheer batting power like San Diego has, they make up for in a batting lineup full of stars. Mookie Betts, star. Justin Turner, star. Max Muncy, star. Cory Seager, star. Cody Bellinger, star. Recent addition and future hall of famer Albert Pujols, star obviously. See, it’s a trend and one that works wonders for LA. What they might lack in brute hitting force they make up in all around team averages and numbers, meaning, they play like a complete unit, pitching, hitting, everything. Something that a championship caliber team always needs, just like they showed last year when they won the World Series.

Is It Time For a Repeat or Time For The New Kids To Show What’s Up?

The Dodgers came into the season as the top favorites to take the World Series title yet again this season and even without leading their division they are still considered top favorites for the crown. The Padres on the other hand have built up on a reputation of being one of the most dominant and entertaining teams in all of baseball and it’s paying off for them.

What could stop San Diego from reaching their pinnacle just yet is their lack of true management when treating resting periods for their players and injury concerns, something that the Dodgers are very good at. If it had to come down to sheer excitement against championship pedigree, at least for now, rolling with the champions seems like a better option.

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