MLB Season Preview – NL East Division

Baseball season is here. April 7th is Opening Day and we’re here to help you win your fantasy baseball leagues. The National League East division is once again, loaded with All-Stars in 2022. With all teams in the division adding at least one player from last year’s All-Star game, this division will look to be very competitive. Let’s get started with our MLB Season Preview – NL East Division.

Atlanta Braves 93-69

The Braves will look to defend their World Series title this season without the longtime face of the franchise star Freddie Freeman. The void at first base will be filled by former Oakland A’s star Matt Olson. Olson was an All-Star in 2021, yielding a 153 OPS+. Only a select few players could be debated to be an upgrade over Freddie Freeman and Matt Olson could be one of those players. Olson is going into his age 28 season and had a better statistical season than Freeman in 2021. While Olson is a major addition, the biggest addition to this Braves team comes from within. Superstar outfielder, Ronald Acuna Jr. will be targeting a May return from his ACL injury last July. Acuna Jr. was on a tear last season, in only 82 games, Acuna Jr. hit 24 home runs and knocked in 52 RBIs with a 155 OPS+. The Braves also re-signed playoff hero Eddie Rosario to a 2-year deal to provide another good bat. The Braves will also be getting Marcel Ozuna back in the lineup this season. The Braves have a deep lineup, good rotation, and good bullpen, they look to repeat as division champs in 2022. 

New York Mets 91-71

The New York Mets were a major disappointment last season. After leading the division for most of the season, the Mets had a 78% chance of making the playoffs on July 14th according to FanGraphs, the Mets then proceeded to give up their lead on first place and ended the season in third place. The Mets have had a very active offseason adding four key players. The most notable is three-time Cy-Young award winner, Max Scherzer. Scherzer and deGrom will be one of the best 1-2 punches in MLB history. Other Mets additions are outfielder Starling Marte, third baseman Eduardo Escobar, and outfielder Mark Canha. These additions will help strengthen the lineup. The Mets bullpen was decent last year with the ninth-lowest ERA at 3.90. If the bullpen can repeat its success from last season and deGrom and other key starters stay healthy, watch out for this Mets team as they are one of the most talented teams in the league. 

Philadelphia Phillies 90-72

The Phillies are still looking to end their decade-long post-season drought. The additions of outfield sluggers Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos will make this Phillies lineup one of the most dangerous in baseball. The Phillies do have their share of question marks in the lineup though. Who will play third base and shortstop? Will Alec Bohm return to his rookie year form and live up to being the third overall selection? Will Bryson Stott be the everyday shortstop or third baseman? Will Didi Gregorius bounce back after a down 2021 season? Who the heck is going to play centerfield? A lot of question marks still unanswered with a week to go until the regular season starts.  The rotation looks really solid again, headlined by Zach Wheeler and Aaron Nola. Ranger Suarez could be due for a breakout season after his tremendous end to the season.

The Phillies biggest weakness last season was the lack of reliable options in the bullpen. While they still aren’t the strongest, the Phillies added Corey Knebel, Brad Hand, and Jeurys Familia. Knebel will take over the closing duties at the start of the season. The Phillies will also be getting back a full season of reliever, Seranthony Dominguez. Dominguez was great in 2018 and looked solid in 2019, before he got shut down with Tommy John surgery and missing all of the 2020 and 2021 seasons. If this bullpen can be average it would be a huge benefit for this team’s playoff chances. 

Miami Marlins 77-85

After going 67-95 last season, there is potential for a good season in Miami this year. A few solid additions to the lineup such as, World Series MVP Jorge Soler, recent All-Star Joey Wendle, outfielder Avisail Garcia, and catcher Jacob Stallings, will help give the team some offense. The Marlins will have a very solid rotation returning in 2021 led by Sandy Alcantara. With a lot of prospects most likely coming to the big leagues this season such as Sixto Sanchez, Max Meyer, and JJ Bleday, the Marlins look to be in for an exciting season. 

Washington Nationals 68-94

The Nationals were in full seller mode last season as they dealt away superstars Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Dodgers for some highly touted prospects and then traded 2021 All-Star Kyle Schwarber to the Red Sox. This will most likely be a long season for the Nationals fans. Even though the Nationals won’t be winning that much in 2022, the fans still have a reason to watch their team in 2022 due to young key prospects for the future getting the chance to play such as catcher Keibert Ruiz and pitcher Josiah Gray. Nationals fans will also get to see superstar Juan Soto chase for the NL MVP award this season. The National picked up some intriguing veterans in the offseason such as DH Nelson Cruz, and infielders Cesar Hernandez and Maikel Franco. Don’t be surprised when the team flips some of these veterans to contending teams for future prospects. The Nationals are in rebuilding mode and it will show on the field this season. 

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