Atlanta Braves: Who will win the National League East in 2023?

We have covered how good we think the Atlanta Braves are going to be in 2023 quite a bit of late. The projection systems of note have them among the best teams in the league on paper, our staff is predicting big things in the win column from the Braves if you read the post from earlier this morning, and all and and, despite the loss of Dansby Swanson, the Braves look primed to do some real damage next season especially if they can stay healthy.

However, we cannot evaluate these things in a vacuum because the rest of the teams in the National League East have to do their part and lose less games than the Braves. The Phillies are doing their best to make that has hard as humanly possible with a strong roster coming off a deep playoff run that just added Trea Turner and the Mets are spending tons of money to make things difficult yet again this coming season (not signing Carlos Correa is helpful to the Braves in the short-term at least).

We now know mostly what everyone is going to look like going into spring training in 2023, so I asked the staff to make their picks regarding the National League East. We aren't just talking who is going to win here...we took shots at predicting how the entire division is going to shake out. Enjoy!

What will the final standings in the National League East in 2023 be?

Eric: I think it is going to be another really close division race. I do think the Braves edge the Mets yet again. I think the Phillies will also be very good, but losing Bryce Harper (and some questions about their defense and some roster holes) seems likely to hurt them a bit. The Marlins have improved this offseason (despite their desire to sign only second basemen) and have the pitching to play spoiler against anyone. The Nationals are going to be awful.

Sam: I do believe the Mets will deal with more injuries to key players, so I will go with the Braves, Mets, Phillies, Marlins, Nationals.

Fred: I think the division is tight enough that it may come down to a tiebreaker. I hate to agree with Sam so often , but I’ll say Braves, Mets, and Phillies.

Chase: I do believe the NL East will once again be one of the strongest divisions in baseball, with three teams that could make a run to the fall classic. I think the Braves edge out the Mets, then the Phillies when it’s all said and done. The Marlins will be better and tough to play, especially for opposing lineups, but they’ll once again finish fourth. The Nats are going to play an entire season without Juan Soto and will finish with not only the worst record in the division, but the worst record in the NL.

Mitchell: With everything the Mets did this offseason, I don’t think they’ve actually improved their team from 2022 (this is certainly helped with the Correa deal falling apart). Additionally, as much as I’m dreading Trea Turner’s return to the NL East, I think having Harper out for close to half the season will hurt them over the course of the season. With that said, I think the Braves will come out on top, with the Mets, and Phillies close behind. I predict the Marlins won’t be as bad as people think, falling just shy of .500, and the Nationals will be one of the biggest embarrassments of a team in the 21st century. 

Trent: There are obviously three teams at the top of the NL East. How the Phillies perform without Harper will impact if they contend for the division crown or if they slide into a wild card spot. With that being said, I think the division ends with the Braves at the top, followed closely by the Mets, and then the Phillies in the third spot and in the Wild Card. I think the Marlins will be better but I currently have them in 4th. The Nationals are aiming to finish 5th with the massive rebuild they are undergoing.

Davis: Though not the most ambitious, my prediction is going to follow suit with the rest of the team. While the new Mets pitching staff certainly intimidates me, I’m not sure it’s the most reliable - Max Scherzer is due for another oblique injury in his old age, Verlander is on the wrong side of 40 and just put together his first fully healthy season in forever, Kodai Senga is unproven, and the Braves have the advantage when it comes to the bullpen. Their lineup, which was one-hit in a win-or-go-home scenario, hasn’t changed much either. The Phillies will greatly miss Harper for much of the season. The Marlins have made some interesting moves this offseason, so they could have a solid fourth-place season. The Nationals are, well, exactly who we think they are. So I’ll go Braves, Mets, Phillies, Marlins, Nationals.

Colin: Like I previously mentioned, I think the NL East will be a bloodbath with the Mets and Phillies making some big moves in free agency during the offseason. With the talent the Braves have, I think it is entirely possible that they could end the season winning their sixth consecutive NL East title. However, I fully expect it to be a tight race just like it was in 2022, with the Mets and Phillies battling for second place, with the Marlins in fourth and the now Juan Soto-less Nationals finishing dead last.

Matt: Braves, Mets, Phillies, Marlins, Nationals. The Braves will narrowly edge out the Mets for the division once again, while the NL East will send three teams to the postseason once again - Braves, Mets, and Phillies. The Marlins should be improved however, and possibly contend for a Wild Card spot.