NL East Preview
Atlanta Braves –
They get their franchise superstar back at some point this spring, from a torn ACL he suffered last year in July. They are also returning basically their entire roster from a team that made the playoffs down the stretch without the most dynamic player on their roster. They also have an injury to one of their best pitchers, Spencer Strider, and to the catcher they traded for, Sean Murphy. The latter isn't as bad because they have their organization's top prospect coming to the show in catcher Drake Baldwin.
Healthy Projected Lineup:
Jurickson Profar
Ronald Acuña
Matt Olson
Marcell Ozuna
Austin Riley
Ozzie Albies
Michael Harris
Sean Murphy
Orlando Arcia
Rotation:
- Spencer Strider
- Chris Sale
- Reynaldo López
- A.J. Smith-Shawver
- Grant Holmes
Closer: Raisel Iglesias
Projected Win Total: 93.5
I think this team has what it takes to win it all. They just need to weather the storm of injuries to key players at the start of the season. If they are able to do that, they will be competing with the Dodgers for the best record in the National League.
Miami Marlins -
This offseason, they emphasized getting younger, which isn't a dumb strategy since they had a lot of older players who weren’t producing much more than younger players. However, this team doesn’t really have many recognizable names besides Sandy Alcantara
Projected Healthy Lineup -
- Xavier Edwards
- Dane Myers
- Jesus Sanchez
- Griffin Conine
- Matt Mirvis
- Kyle Stowers
- Otto Lopez
- Nick Fortes
- Connor Norby
Rotation -
- Sandy Alcantara
- Cal Quantrill
- Max Meyer
- Conor Gillaspie
- Valente Bellozo
Closer - Calvin Faucher
Projected Win Total: 63.5
I don't see this team accomplishing much this season aside from determining which players will be part of the future. They will likely finish below .500, but I do believe they will win more than 63 games this season.
New York Mets - They acquired the biggest name this offseason, Juan Soto, who switched sides of town from the Yankees to the Mets in a massive 15-year, $765 million contract. The Mets vs. Yankees game on 5/16 should be a lot of fun to watch. They also added Clay Holmes to bolster their rotation and are getting Edwin Diaz back healthy to start the season, which is huge.
Projected Healthy Lineup -
- Francisco Lindor
- Juan Soto
- Pete Alonso
- Brandon Nimmo
- Francisco Alvarez
- Jesse Winker
- Jeff McNeil
- Brett Baty
- Jose Siri
Rotation -
- Clay Holmes
- Kodai Senga
- Sean Manaea
- Frankie Montas
- Griffin Canning
Closer - Edwin Diaz
Projected Win Total: 90.5
The NL East this year will be exciting to watch, featuring four teams that are entering the season with genuine expectations to win the World Series. The Mets are the wild card of this group. If they perform as they are capable of, this team will be scary to face, especially if the rotation is healthy. If they take a lead into the 9th inning, it’s over 9 out of 10 times. I’m eager to see what they do at the trade deadline if they are in the race.
Philadelphia Phillies - A solid team that always seems to struggle when it matters most. They have one of the best players in the world and a balanced lineup. They didn’t make any huge moves aside from adding Max Kepler, who will probably start more than 50% of their games this season.
Healthy Projected Lineup -
- Trea Turner
- J.T. Realmuto
- Bryce Harper
- Kyle Schwarber
- Alec Bohm
- Nick Castellanos
- Max Kepler
- Brandon Marsh
- Bryson Stott
Rotation -
- Zach Wheeler
- Aaron Nola
- Ranger Suárez
- Jesús Luzardo
- Christopher Sánchez
Closer - Jordan Romano
Projected Win Total: 90.5
I believe this is a solid team, but I fear they may have already reached their ceiling. I would take the under for this ball club because this division has no guaranteed wins aside from the Marlins, and if Sandy is on the mound for the Marlins, that’s not an easy game. Turner should also aim to steal more bases this season if they want to be a better team.
Washington Nationals - One of the more exciting young teams that have a good combination of speed and power. They also added a few veterans this offseason to help these young players get through the dog days of summer. Paul DeJong, Nathaniel Lowe, and Josh Bell all bring leadership and have all seen high-level baseball.
Projected Healthy Lineup -
- C.J. Abrams
- Dylan Crews
- Josh Bell
- James Wood
- Luis García Jr.
- Nathaniel Lowe
- Paul DeJong
- Keibert Ruiz
- Jacob Young
Rotation -
- MacKenzie Gore
- D.J. Hertz
- Jake Irvin
- Josiah Gray
- Mitchell Parker
Closer - Kyle Finnegan
Projected Win Total: 70.5
I believe this team will surprise some people, similar to how the Reds did a few years back. Washington's top four in the lineup will be as good as anyone this season. Dylan Crews will most likely win Rookie of the Year in the NL this season.
Standing Predictions -
Mets
Phillies
Braves
Nationals
Marlins
