Rest of National League East struggling behind Braves

The Braves are off to an MLB-best 18-8 start. Their primary competition, however, has floundered.

Here’s a look at how the rest of the teams in the National League East — against whom the Braves are already 8-2 — have started the season:

Miami Marlins (12-13; 5½ games behind the Braves)

The frisky Marlins have remained in second place over the past couple of weeks, again appearing to be a competitive club. Sandy Alcántara, aside from one poor outing, has looked Cy Young-caliber again, which is a joyful development for Miami. All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers has just returned to the lineup.

Miami has four players hitting above .300, none of whom would probably be recognized by a casual fan: Javier Sanoja (.352); Xavier Edwards (.330); Liam Hicks (.321); and Otto Lopez (.315). Despite the lack of brand power, the Marlins are a feisty lineup with some electric arms on the pitching staff. They have the look of a team that will hang around, though they don’t seem ready talent-wise to challenge the Braves.

Washington Nationals (11-15, 7 games behind the Braves)

The Braves just took three of four in Washington, which has played better than expected in the early going. Braves fans saw a lineup headlined by star James Wood, who could have MVP-level upside in his prime, and breakout youngster Daylen Lile (.799 OPS).

The Nationals’ lineup could help them upset better teams throughout the summer, but they aren’t well-rounded or deep enough to remain competitive. The pitching staff has a long way to go, especially after trading MacKenzie Gore over the winter. Will CJ Abrams, an Alpharetta native, be among the better players traded by August? The Nationals are in the thick of a rebuild and will almost certainly fall further in the standings as the underachieving teams beneath them rise.

New York Mets (9-16, 8½ games behind the Braves)

The Mets’ roster makeover has been a disaster. They said goodbye to longtime veterans Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil and Edwin Diaz over the winter, needing to change their clubhouse makeup, and added Bo Bichette, Devin Williams, Marcus Semien, Luis Robert and others.

It hasn’t worked; New York just endured a 12-game losing streak that’s led to fan unrest. The pressure is already high on manager Carlos Mendoza. And just as Juan Soto returned from injury, Francisco Lindor landed on the injured list.

The Mets’ saving grace is that it’s a long season. They have time to overcome this dreadful start (they’ve won consecutive games since the losing streak). Several players should perform better, such as Bichette (.545 OPS). Youngster Nolan McLean has been excellent with a 2.67 ERA in five starts. Clay Holmes owns a 2.10 ERA through his own five outings. The Mets, whom some believed were division favorites entering the year, can correct course, but they’ve already created a massive deficit in the NL East. If they end up trade-deadline sellers, they’ll have veterans who should appeal to plenty of contenders.

Philadelphia Phillies (8-17, 9½ games behind the Braves)

While the Mets stumbling can’t be that surprising simply because of history, the Phillies’ start has been immensely disappointing. They’ve lost nine in a row, dropping even below New York. They were swept at home by the Braves and looked outmatched throughout the series.

Like the Mets, there’s plenty of time to get back on track. But like Mendoza, Phillies manager Rob Thomson is facing scrutiny. The Phillies are faced with the cold reality that their core roster is aging, and there’s a chance they missed their window to win a World Series. That’d be the case even if the team was performing decently. The nosedive has only heightened concerns among a fan base that must now rank among baseball’s most displeased.

The lineup isn’t imposing right now, especially with Trea Turner posting a .622 OPS. But it’s more about the depth behind Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Turner. The Phillies need to find offensive answers. Pitching-wise, Cristopher Sanchez (2.94 ERA) has been marvelous, but the team needs Aaron Nola and Jesús Luzardo, posting ERAs above 5.00 and 6.00, respectively, to stabilize. Ace Zack Wheeler returns this weekend against the Braves, and it’s paramount that he’s still a top-tier starter.

Almost everybody outside the most negative Phillies fans expects this team to wake up. But it’s not guaranteed. And there will be a lot of heat on the entire organization until it happens. The Braves could deliver another huge blow to the Phillies by winning the series this weekend.