Giants Battling Diamondbacks and Padres for NL West Runner-Up

Fans unsure if Giants are competing for 2nd or 3rd place in division

Apr. 5, 2026 at 5:11pm

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A recent SB Nation Reacts poll asked Giants fans which of their NL West rivals - the Diamondbacks or Padres - pose the bigger threat this season. The results suggest fans are uncertain if the Giants are competing for second place in the division or simply trying to avoid fourth place, as they finished last year. With the Dodgers expected to win the NL West, the race for the remaining playoff spots in the competitive National League appears wide open.

Why it matters

The Giants have put themselves in position to compete this season, but their division rivals have also improved. How the Giants fare against the Diamondbacks and Padres could determine if they make the playoffs as a Wild Card team or are relegated to the bottom of the NL West standings.

The details

The poll results showed a near-even split between Giants fans seeing the Diamondbacks or Padres as the bigger threat. This suggests uncertainty around whether the Giants are truly competing for second place in the division or simply trying to avoid a repeat of last year's fourth-place finish. ZiPS projections have the Giants finishing second, the Padres third, and the Diamondbacks fourth, but the teams have been closely matched in recent seasons. The Padres have won the season series against the Giants in four of the last six years, while the Diamondbacks have won it in each of the last four.

  • The SB Nation Reacts poll was conducted on April 5, 2026.
  • The Giants hosted the Yankees in the inaugural 'Opening Night' game to start the 2026 MLB season.

The players

Corbin Carroll

A top prospect for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ketel Marte

A star player for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Fernando Tatis Jr.

A star player for the San Diego Padres.

Manny Machado

A star player for the San Diego Padres.

Logan Webb

A key starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants.

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What they’re saying

“If you figure the Dodgers are the NL West champs (which is no sure thing, because baseball is usually not so predictable), the remaining five teams could be from an extensive group of teams: the Mets, Atlanta, Philadelphia, the Marlins Cubs, Brewers, Reds — heck, the Pirates are 5-3 of this writing. The Giants, Padres, and Diamondbacks don't seem to be on the same level as most of those teams (Pirates & Marlins being the most obvious exceptions for the moment).”

— Bryan Murphy, Author

“Remarkably, ZiPS projects the Giants to land in second place, with the Padres third and Dbacks fourth. The Padres have also won the season series against the Giants in each of the last four seasons and five of the last six. Or, to put it another way, since 2020, the Giants have won the season series just once (2021). Arizona has won the season series in each of the last four seasons, too, though.”

— Bryan Murphy, Author

What’s next

The battle for second place in the NL West between the Giants, Padres, and Diamondbacks is expected to be intense throughout the 2026 season.

The takeaway

The Giants have put themselves in position to compete this year, but their NL West rivals have also improved. The race for playoff positioning in the competitive National League will be a key storyline to follow as the season progresses.