2024 was the first time in seven years the Braves didn’t run away with the NL East. However, they still made the postseason after winning 89 games, and that was with practically their entire team missing significant time.

Spencer Strider went down for the season with a UCL injury following just his second start. A little over a month later, Ronald Acuña Jr. joined him following a second torn ACL. Along the way, Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, Sean Murphy, Michael Harris II, Max Fried, and others all spent at least a month on the IL. Hell, even at the end of the season, the injury bug struck about the only player that stayed healthy — Chris Sale — keeping him sidelined for Atlanta’s Wild Card series in San Diego.

The fact that the Braves even made the postseason with so many injuries is a testament to their depth, which can only be matched by the machine out west in Los Angeles. As long as Atlanta can avoid catastrophe, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be sitting back on top of the NL East, where they rightfully belong.

5. Miami Marlins (63-99)

After a playoff appearance in 2023, the Marlins went back to the cellar in 2024, losing 100 games, and their offseason didn’t do anything to make them much better. They do have a more formidable rotation than some might realize with Sandy Alcantara returning to the mound, but it’s very possible he’s shipped out of town before the trade deadline. The Marlins’ offense simply isn’t good enough to win many games. It might be the worst in baseball, leading to another season of losses and empty stadiums in South Beach.

4. Washington Nationals (75-87)

Unlike the Marlins, the Nationals feature a fun team with a lot of potential breakout players on offense, led by James Wood. They feel like a club that could experience a surge out of nowhere in the near future and bust down the door into the playoffs, even in a highly competitive NL East. However, their pitching leaves a lot to be desired entering the season. I still believe in a guy like MacKenzie Gore‘s stuff, who could be in for a huge year, but there are not enough arms for this team to make the postseason this season, even if they could flirt with a .500 record if things go right.

3. New York Mets (85-77)

The Mets had an incredibly weird offseason for a team that’s believed to have a limitless payroll. They went all in on Juan Soto and won the sweepstakes, handing him an absurd contract worth nearly $800 million in total. But then they went cheap on pitching, and now they are already dealing with multiple injuries in their rotation. I thought for sure New York would land one of Max Fried or Corbin Burnes on top of Soto. That would have been something that might have put them over the top, but as currently constructed, this is a fringe playoff team that’s going to disappoint a lot of people in Queens.

2. Philadelphia Phillies (90-72)

The Phillies have some lineup concerns, and if one of their key contributors misses some time, they could prove problematic. However, this rotation is as good as any in baseball following the addition of Jesus Luzardo this offseason. That alone should be more than enough to secure them a spot in the postseason, but the NL East is a race for second behind the Braves.

1. Atlanta Braves (102-60)

The only thing that can stop the Braves is health. This roster is miles better than any in the division, and that’s not a knock on the NL East, one of the better divisions in baseball. It’s a testament to the Braves, who might have the best roster in baseball when they’re healthy. The addition of Jurickson Profar adds even more depth to the lineup, and the rotation is set to be elite again, especially when Spencer Strider returns. There are some concerns about the bullpen entering the season, but by the end of the year, I expect those to be patched up. Atlanta will cruise to their seventh division title in the last eight years, providing 7-8 All-Stars don’t go down with significant injuries as they did a year ago.

—

Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire