Predictions by Division: NL East

The NL East is one of the most interesting divisions in baseball. You have 1 team that seems to run away with the division title year after year along with a slew of other teams that haven't been serious contenders for years. So, it seems like the Nationals will run away with the NL East title for the 3rd straight year. But what will happen to the other 4 teams?

Well, I'm going to go over that today by continuing my Predictions by Division series by predicting the outcome of the NL East for 2018.

1st Place: Washington Nationals

Despite not making it far in the playoffs no matter how many division titles they win, the Nationals are easily the team to win the division title. Bryce Harper is coming off yet another incredible season, however, he will be a free-agent this offseason, the biggest one MLB has seen in years. This puts the Nationals in a win now position like never before. Trea Turner is another young player ready to help lead the team after coming off his 2nd full season. They also have 3 unbelievable pitchers, including 3-time Cy Young award winner Max Scherzer. And with Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez both coming off seasons in which they received Cy Young award votes, it seems the Nationals have the perfect balance to dominate once again this season.

2nd Place: Philadelphia Phillies

This is a bit of a bold pick, but I believe that the Phillies rebuilding days are numbered after seeing their young talented stars break out last season. Their huge bright spot is Rhys Hoskins, the 25-year old phenom who broke out after being called up last season. The outfielder was able to establish himself as one of the game's best young talents and is expected to do amazing things in his first full season. Philadelphia also went for broke by making 2 huge free-agent signings. The first being Carlos Santana and the most recent one being Jake Arrieta. While these 2 aren't exactly young like the rest of the Phillies' core, they do provide a much-needed veteran presence for the young team. Not to mention that ace Aaron Nola looks ready for another nice performance this year. I don't think the Phillies will get a Wild Card this year, especially with the tough competition in the West. However, they're definitely on the right track to get there soon.

3rd Place: New York Mets

In 2015, the Mets made it to the World Series after sweeping the Cubs in the NLCS. This team looked like a team that could contend for years to come. However, the team suffered injury after injury to their pitching staff and is now desperate for that 1 player to bring them back to the playoffs. That guy could be Amed Rosario, who, I assume, will be playing in his first full season this year. I've heard good things about Amed, but the Mets can't put all their eggs in the basket of a 22-year old. They need the rest of the team to contribute too. Yoenis Cespedes has found his groove since joining the Mets, but the pitching can be problematic. If all 4 (Syndergaard, DeGrom, Harvey, Matz) could stay healthy, this rotation could be the best in baseball. Unfortunately for the Mets, it seems unlikely and therefore, the Mets will have to improvise. Otherwise, they'll be stuck in the same loophole they've been in since the start of the 2016 season. The Mets are good, but they are far from great.

4th Place: Atlanta Braves

This team has a few bright spots that are keeping them from being last in the division. One of those guys' names is Freddie Freeman, who has been a consistent power hitter despite taking a step back in RBI and home runs last season. Freeman is still a superstar entering his 8th season with Atlanta, but given the way the Braves are run, I wouldn't be surprised to see him traded. All hope is not lost for Atlanta as they also have Ronald Acuna, one of the best prospects that baseball has seen in years. Still, Acuna is expected to start the season in the minors, meaning the Braves are a highly unlikely Wild Card contender for this year. I would not be surprised to see Atlanta turn it around next season, but for now, it looks like 2018 will be another year of rebuilding for the Braves.

5th Place: Miami Marlins

In 2017, Marcell Ozuna established himself as one of the best young players in baseball. Giancarlo Stanton hit 59 home runs. Dee Gordon led the league in stolen bases and Christian Yelich was having one of his best seasons yet. This team looked like they could make the playoffs if they added a solid pitcher or 2 like Alex Cobb. That, however, was not what new president/dictator Derek Jeter decided to do. Instead, he blew up the team, traded Stanton for a bag of coal, and started a brand new rebuild for a team that had been rebuilding for over a decade and finally looked ready to contend. J.T. Realmuto and Justin Bour are the only star players left from last season, a testament to how far back this team went. I'm sure they have a ton of prospects, but prospects won't help this team win now. And right now, it doesn't look the Marlins will win for a long, long time.