The NL East in 2022 featured one of the greatest storylines of all time. The Mets dominated for all but a little over week of the entire regular season. The Atlanta Braves swooped in for a division title “smash and grab” while having the same overall record as the Mets (101-61).
In the blink of an eye over the month of October, the Phillies miraculous run to the World Series quickly took the spotlight off the Braves and Mets and became one of the best moments all season. Miami showed as much improvement and future to look foward to as any 93-loss team in recent or distant memory. And the Washington Nationals began a new era in their franchise, trading superstar Juan Soto for a plethora of talent.
In what many considered as the toughest division in 2022 has undoubtedly gotten even better. So, who wins the gauntlet known as the NL East this year?
Atlanta Braves
The first year of the “Post-Freddie’ era was underway in 2022. If any team were set up to be able to handle a departure the size of Freddie Freeman, Atlanta had it. They would come from behind after being in the Mets rear view mirror all season and win the NL East despite losing star second baseman Ozzie Albies for the thick of the summer. The Phillies playing Cinderella eliminated the Braves in October, yet many still have Atlanta as the favorites to win the NL East in 2023
5 tool star Ronald Acuna Jr will likely top the order along with Albies behind him, or vice versa. Either way, the duo should have the Braves atop the league in runs scored.
The other duo of Matt Olson and third baseman Austin Riley should have the braves atop the league in most power categories as well. Along with free swinging Eddie Rosario and new acquisition at catcher Sean Murphy, Atlanta will feature one of the deepest lineups in baseball.
The departure of Dansby Swanson and it’s effect on the team is yet to be seen. Replacing his shoes can either be 21 year old Vaughn Grissom or Orlando Arcia if manager Brian Snitker prefers his experience to Grissom.
To cap off their already deep lineup will be 2002’s Rookie of the Year, Michael Harris II. His potential and progression will be a focus as he has shown 5 tool potential as well as his fellow outfielder Acuna Jr.
Atlanta’s pitching staff will feature the best trio of young starters in the league in Max Fried, Spencer Strider and Ian Anderson. With all three of them with big strikeout ability combined with already proven big inning loads, They should lead the Braves to many quality starts and wins this season.
Experienced closer Raisel Iglesias will take Kenley Jansen’s spot as the ninth inning man. with familiar faces AJ Minter and Colin McCugh likely logging decent innings in the pen.
Simply put, this team is loaded. Durability and just themselves in general are the only ones stopping them from claiming a 2nd staring division title. The NL East is again a gauntlet. But this should be Atlanta’s to lose.
2023 Projected Finish: 1st Place
Miami Marlins
The first half of 2022 saw the Miami Marlins just five games under .500 at the All-Star break. They would end up going 26-45 in the second half. Tarnishing what was otherwise a promising start considering expectations weren’t sky high.
The biggest positive coming out of it of course was Sandy Alcantara and his fantastic Cy Young award-winning performance. On the offensive end, top prospect Jazz Chisolm Jr. emerged as a player the organization can lean on in the future with his versatile talent and charismatic personality. They’re both young but already ready to lead this team going forward.
To help out Jazz in the lineup, the Marlins struck a deal with Minnesota bringing in reigning batting champion Luis Arraez. The combo of pure hitting Arraez and flash of Jazz Chisolm Jr, the Marlins should be fun to watch in 2023.
Jorge Soler’s light tower power should be a staple of the lineup in the cleanup spot. Experienced Avisail Garcia would find himself in plenty of RBI opportunities, and young outfielder Jesus Sanchez will provide sneaky production. as he gets better.
Sandy Alcantara sould be fooling batters again all year, but perhaps the main question for the Marlins this year is the rest of the rotation, and will it compliment Sandy?
Trading starter Pablo Lopez for Arraez left the Marlins with a bit of a hole to fill in the rotation. Many predict Trevor Rogers to take the reigns as the teams #2, with well-known vet Johnny Cueto most likely the #3 after signing with the club this winter.
Expectations are still low considering the competition in the division. The Marlins however will be a pain for everyone. The top part or their talent they have can match up with anyone, and possessing one of the youngest teams in baseball, they’ll only get better.
2023 Projected Finish: 4th Place
New York Mets
The Mets reigned over the division for much of 2022 before their long time nemesis Atlanta stole the division title away in the final hour. The Padres look them down in October and seemingly overnight the Mets went from top of the mountain to completely off of it.
To add to it all, the Mets would lose long-time ace Jacob DeGrom to free agency and eventually the Texas Rangers this winter. The replacement? not a bad one.
Justin Verlander.
With both Verlander and Max Scherzer possibly heading into their final seasons, the Mets are still firmly in “win now” mode and rightly so.
First baseman Pete Alonso leads a lineup full of potential All-Stars. Brandon Nimmo signed an 8 year, 162-million-dollar deal to stay in Queens alongside Starling Marte int the outfield. A combination that will provide Alonso with the most opportunities for runs to drive in.
Shortstop Francisco Lindor still churned out 107 RBIs despite the relatively slow start to the season. the versatility of Lindor and McNeil and their ability to hit no matter where they are in the lineup will help be the catalysts for the Mets.
The Mets/Braves series throughout the season are going to be crucially important. The rest of the division will be hoping they just beat the hell out of each other. But most likely, whoever wins the regular season series between the two will come away with this division’s title. And they will most certainly earn it.
2023 Projected Finish: 2nd Place
Washington Nationals
The inevitable Juan Soto trade was made last summer. To amplify the deal, they added Josh Bell to it to get the most out of it. In return, adding two of the league’s top prospects, pitcher Mackenzie Gore and middle infielder CJ Abrams, to a Washington team already with a handful of top prospects themselves. The Washington Nationals have officially entered the first year of their rebuilding mode.
Again, with a very strong young foundation, the Nats have started to rebuild, and in the right way it seems. Second baseman Luis Garcia was one of the few bright spots in the lineup for 2022. Heading into this season at just 22 years old. We could all be seeing an introductory show if you will into how good this kid may really be.
Providing plenty of speed on the basepaths and defensive ability, centerfielder Victor Robles will be another young Nats player to expect to see a significant jump in production. Top notch speed and shown flashes of solid hitting, he could see a leadoff role to start the year.
in contrast to the lineup’s young budding lineup, the rotation is veteran led. Nats lifer Stephen Strasburg and lefty Patrick Corbin will lead the rotation for 2023.
While winning is the obvious goal, and we might not see much of it this season, in this particular case it might not be the main goal. Individual progress and developing a team identity will be the main focus here. Not that this team won’t be fun to watch. When this young lineup gets half a season under their belt together, don’t be shocked if they play spoilers to teams in the wild card race in September.
2023 Projected Finish: 5th Place
Philadelphia Phillies
At the end of May 2022, the Phillies were 21-29. By June 11th they were over .500 and never dipped below after. October 28th, they were in the World Series. Every season has their Cinderella story, and the Phillies played just that part.
They would of course bow out to the Astros in six games. The story of the 2022 Phillies however would etch itself in baseball forever. 2023 is a new page though, and with that, the Phillies will try to maintain their form heading into the new season.
Not much departed this lineup, and all the Phillies did was add a little Trea Turner to the squad. Taking one of the best power-hitting lineups and giving them one of, if not the best run scoring catalyst in the league. Trea’s addition should see Phillies fans and fantasy owners alike expecting big, big numbers from the shortstop.
Bryce, Realmuto, Castellanos and Schwarber’s jobs also all become easier with Trea Turner in the fold. Third baseman Alec Bohm could sit behind Turner in the #2 spot providing plenty of average and on-base percentage.
Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler will head a formidable rotation. The Phillies also added hard throwing Tijuan Walker in the offseason. Still having Ranger Suarez in the rotation gives this team multiple styles that can keep hitters off balance throughout various series.
This team may collect the most hits out of any team in the league. Their pitching staff may lead the league in strikeouts. But will they lead the leeague, or division for that matter, in wins? Not that they won’t win. This might be another year in which Philadelphia may have to play Cinderella again. A wild card berth is absolutely within reach. probably expected. But this team will have a target on them in October.
