Who will win the National League East?
The Braves begin their regular season Friday against the Royals at Truist Park. They’re seeking a postseason return after missing the playoffs last season for the first time in seven years.
Here’s how the National League East is shaping up as the season gets underway (win totals and odds might vary by sportsbook):
New York Mets (90.5 wins over/under, +130 to win division)
There’s buzz for the Mets, who reimagined their team over the winter following a second-half collapse. Gone are Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil and Edwin Diaz. The Mets acquired starter Freddy Peralta, infielder Bo Bichette, outfielder Luis Robert Jr. and infielder Marcus Semien.
The team makeover has analysts and oddsmakers giddy over the Mets, who’ve taken over as division favorites. It remains to be seen how the new-look roster around Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor meshes. But there’s optimism around the Mets.
Philadelphia Phillies (89.5 o/u, +170)
The Phillies, two-time defending division champions, return their core that’s chasing that elusive championship. The Phillies lost Ranger Suarez in free agency, but they’re inserting top prospect Andrew Painter into the rotation. What will Adolis Garcia, trying to reestablish himself, bring to the outfield? The Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber trio should again be excellent.
Philadelphia’s roster is another year older, and some would argue it isn’t improved from the 2025 version. But the core contributors remain. The Phillies should be considered a reliably good team until they give reason to think otherwise. The pressure is mounting, though, for this group to win a World Series.
Atlanta Braves (86.5 o/u, +270)
Some believed the Braves would reemerge as favorites in this division, but that optimism was quelled as the team suffered numerous pitching injuries in spring training. The Braves are betting the first-half offensive woes of 2025 were a fluke; if they’re right, the team will surely be competing for a playoff spot even with the pitching questions. The back end of the bullpen features Raisel Iglesias and Robert Suarez, one of baseball’s better tandems.
This conversation centers on health, though. New manager Walt Weiss is already dealt a short-handed rotation, and more ailments are inevitable. The Braves need to have an outstanding offense again. They’ll need some pitchers to outperform expectations. And it would help if Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep return healthy later this summer.
Miami Marlins (72.5 o/u, +2700)
The upstart Marlins are a sexy pick for those seeking sleepers, but there probably still isn’t enough experience here to make a serious push in this division.
There’s excitement around the Marlins because they seemingly have direction. They have ample young talent on the cusp, along with some solid players who’ve already been in the majors. Maybe in a year or two, the Marlins are a scarier threat, but any real postseason contention this year would be deemed surprising.
Washington Nationals (64.5 o/u, +8000)
The Nationals will likely be in similar territory as Colorado at the bottom of the standings. Washington, years removed from that 2019 championship, is essentially undergoing a second iteration of a rebuild. The youth movement even extends to their new brain trust, where GM Ani Kilambi is just 32 years old and new manager Blake Butera is 33. At least Nationals fans get to watch James Wood, the youngster who’s expected to ascend into superstardom.
The NL East could very well be determined by who dominates the Nationals or who slips up against them.
About the Author
Gabriel Burns is a general assignment reporter and features writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After four years on the Braves beat, he's expanded his horizons and covers all sports. You'll find him writing about MLB, NFL, NBA, college football and other Atlanta-centric happenings.
