The calendar has flipped to February and the start of Spring Training is just a matter of days away. While some notable free agents (including nine of MLBTR’s Top 50 MLB Free Agents for the 2024-25 offseason) remain unsigned, most clubs have already done the heavy lifting in terms of preparing their roster for the 2025 season. In the coming days, we’ll be taking a look around the league at which clubs have had the strongest offseason to this point. Today, that focus is on the NL East division. After sending three teams to the playoffs in 2024 while a fourth debuted a number of top prospects, there’s plenty of big expectations headed into 2025 all throughout the division. Which team has done the most to set themselves up for success this winter? Teams are listed in order of their 2024 record.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies entered the offseason in need of some late-inning relief help after Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez both hit free agency at the outset of the winter. The club signed right-hander Jordan Romano to a one-year deal after he was non-tendered by the Blue Jays in November, but the club’s other pitching additions have actually been focused on the starting rotation. The addition of versatile swing man Joe Ross creates some much-needed depth and fills the role Spencer Turnbull played on the 2024 club, but the club’s biggest move this winter was swinging a deal with the Marlins for Jesus Luzardo. Luzardo will fit right into the Phillies’ powerhouse rotation alongside while also lessening the club’s reliance on right-hander Taijuan Walker after a disastrous 2024 campaign.
Things have been very quiet for the club on the positional side of things, however, with the addition of outfielder Max Kepler as their regular left fielder being the only notable addition so far. Kepler should help bolster the club’s outfield depth and push Johan Rojas into a part-time role after a difficult 2024 campaign, but it’s still somewhat surprising to see the club make so few alterations to its lineup in spite of rumors earlier this winter that the club could look to move on from third baseman Alec Bohm or right fielder Nick Castellanos in order to more drastically reshape the lineup.
New York Mets
It’s undeniable that the Mets made the single most significant addition of anyone in the division this winter when they signed Juan Soto to a record-shattering $765MM deal just before the Winter Meetings began. Soto is a transformational player with an MVP-caliber ceiling, and even without other supplemental moves landing him is a feat for the organization to be proud of. With that being said, however, the club’s approach to the rest of its offseason since signing Soto has been surprisingly modest. They reunited with veteran southpaw Sean Manaea in free agency, but opted to replace Jose Quintana and Luis Severino in the rotation by bringing in Manaea’s longtime A’s teammate Frankie Montas as he searches for a bounceback and converting Clay Holmes into a starter after several years of success as a late-inning reliever in the Bronx.
Meanwhile, they made something of a splash in the bullpen by adding lefty set-up man A.J. Minter to the mix behind closer Edwin Diaz while also bolstering the club’s depth with deals for Justin Hagenman, Dylan Covey, and Griffin Canning. Additions to the lineup beyond Soto have been fairly muted as well. The club swung a trade to acquire Jose Siri from the Rays in a move that should help the club weather the loss of Harrison Bader in free agency, while adding Nick Madrigal and Jared Young to the mix has helped improve the club’s bench depth. Noticeably absent from the club’s spending spree this winter, however, is a reunion with fan favorite slugger Pete Alonso. That’s left New York with plenty of questions about the infield corners, where Mark Vientos figures to handle one position with internal youngsters like Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio also in the conversation for playing time.
Atlanta Braves
Despite the club’s history of striking early on the free agent and trade markets, the early part of this winter was extremely quiet for the Braves outside of them moving the salary of slugger Jorge Soler to the Angels on the first day of the offseason. The club watched Max Fried and Charlie Morton depart in free agency from their rotation but have not yet done anything of note to address those departures, instead hoping the return of Spencer Strider from injury as well as depth options like Bryce Elder and Ian Anderson will be able to cover the lost innings. Where Atlanta has made a splash, however, is in the lineup. After losing Ronald Acuna Jr. for most of 2024 amid a season full of disappointing performances up and down the club’s lineup, the club added Jurickson Profar on a three-year deal. Profar supplants Jarred Kelenic as the club’s everyday left fielder, while depth additions Bryan De La Cruz and Carlos D. Rodriguez should help Kelenic cover right field until Acuna returns from injury.
Washington Nationals
The Nationals’ youth movement is in full swing with a number of top prospects having reached the majors, highlighted by an outfield that now includes both James Wood and Dylan Crews. They’ve made a number of short-term moves to supplement their young roster this winter, with the most impactful of those being the trade they worked out to bring in first baseman Nathaniel Lowe from the Rangers in exchange for southpaw Robert Garcia. Lowe will pair with free agent addition Josh Bell to handle first base and DH duties in D.C. while infield Amed Rosario was signed to shore up the club’s depth all around the diamond.
Turning to the pitching staff, the Nationals have reunited with Trevor Williams while adding both Michael Soroka and Shinnosuke Ogasawara to the rotation mix in order to support a group of young arms led by MacKenzie Gore. The club’s surplus of viable starting options should also help keep things steady in a bullpen that saw more subtractions and additions this winter. In addition to Garcia being shipped out in the Lowe trade, the Nats non-tendered longtime closer Kyle Finnegan back in November. More recently, the club added veteran right-hander Jorge Lopez on a one-year deal to fill Finnegan’s role as a veteran presence in the late innings.
Miami Marlins
As one of the few clubs in the majors committed to rebuilding at the moment, the Marlins’ offseason looks very different than the rest of the division. Infielder/outfielder Eric Wagaman is the club’s only major league free agent signing, and he has just 18 games of big league experience under his belt to this point. The club also added Matt Mervis to the first base mix alongside Jonah Bride in a swap with the Cubs for Vidal Brujan. Other moves to this point have been more focused on shipping out major league talent than bringing it in, with Jake Burger heading to the Rangers and Luzardo moving to the club’s division rivals in Philadelphia. Those deals have brought in a number of prospects, however: Miami’s farm system added Starlyn Caba and Emaarion Boyd in the Luzardo deal while Max Acosta, Brayan Mendoza, and Echedry Vargas all came over in the exchange for Burger.
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The additions of Soto, Luzardo, and Profar in New York, Philadelphia, and Atlanta respectively all figure to provide major impact, but all three top clubs in the East have been a bit more measured than expected, outside of those moves. Meanwhile, the Nationals have made a flurry of short-term deals and signings to augment their club but haven’t made the sort of high-impact addition many expected with veteran Patrick Corbin coming off the books this winter. Miami’s approach is different than the other five as a rebuilding club, with a weakened major league roster being the price the Marlins have paid to replenish their farm system. Of the five NL East clubs, which one has had the strongest offseason so far? Have your say in the poll below:
The Mets have made some nice additions, and when you sign one of the best hitters on the planet that gives you a pretty clear edge over everyone else.
Yes but the Mets have no back end of rotation: questions about 1b: 3rd; CF; DH and Catcher. The Mets are missing the proven track record veterans that most teams would surround themselves with especially after spending all that money for Soto. The Mets are strides above the 2024;
Meanwhile; if and the question is if the Braves can stay healthy and have Acuna; And Strider 140 games plus this season that is like adding a cy young pitcher and a mvp to a line up that the Mets went to the last day of the season 2024 to get a post season spot.
I think many people in Mets land going be sorry they didn’t add more pieces
How good was Acuna the last time he came back from knee surgery? Not very. This is his second. He may never be the same again. Strider is a one pitch pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery. His fastball will probably be around 94-95 this year. Don’t expect much from him this year either. Braves fans should be the ones very concerned about this season because they didn’t get more pieces. Your back of the rotation has way more concerns than the Mets.
Spencer Strider didn’t have Tommy John Surgery with a elbow tear, instead he had a internal brace put into place caused by a loose bone fragment. Recovery time is a lot less. He should be back very quickly.
The Mets and Braves tied in 2024 at 89 wins and 73 losses and right down to the last game of the season. As it stands right now the Mets got Soto but as of today haven’t added a lot of other pieces to push the Mets above on paper of what the 2024 team was. You have basically switched Soto for Alonso as our middle of the order bat, than as it stands open up questions at a few offense positions. Along with hoping that Clay Holmes remembers how to be a starter and Frankie Montas who has a career losing record with a career ERA of almost 5 come up in 2025.
Where as the Braves who tied the Mets if they are healthy and have Acuna, Albies, Harris, Murphy, Riley, Strider, all season that even 75-80% of Acuna, Murphy and Strider would be better than the 2024 Braves.
When the Mets got Soto I was very worried that they would spend bring in some more pieces and make the Mets look like a mini dodgers team. To date they have not done that. I think most teams don’t fear the Mets as they are today
Great you lost two starting pitchers and multiple bullpen pieces you are expecting players to get better this year that probably won’t. Murphy just isn’t very good. I don’t know why Braves fans still throw his name around. Your injury problems aren’t going away. The Braves will be lucky to make the playoffs this year as they were lucky last year when the Mets handed them the last game of the season to get in.
Vientos for a full year vs fiddling with Baty at 3B…
Alot is going to ride on:
Nimmo/McNeil having bounceback seasons.
Winker
Can whoever plays 1B, actually be a good defender.
Sir the question is who had the better offseason. Why you get so triggered if you think the braves are the team to beat?
The mets had the best offseason it’s not even remotely close, whether they’re the best team in the NL east remains to be seen but that wasn’t the question
@Mets
Aren’t the Mets pretty much in the same boat with their questionable SP staff with either health or other issues?
Benjamin101677
and who replaced fried and morton and d’arnauld and minter. Profar seems to have not done well when not on the padres. Also what happens when Sale turns back into inury prone sale. The last time he pitched 25 starts or more in consecutive years was before covid and last i checked he wasnt a young kid. Also strider will probably be on an innings limit after major injury. Sounds like the braves have the same issues if not more but also are limited in funds as they are
Also they said he will be back maybe a month into the season at this point and it sounds like he will dh to start. So do you make the defense even worse in the of or do you bench Ozuna?
I don’t think the Mets have a top 3 rotation in baseball either.
Murphy is an incredible defender. He’s valuable if he bats .205, which he won’t.
So good that he didn’t start most of the time last year.
@Sourhaze exactly, it’s who had the bettter offfseason, and based on their team needs I don’t think the Mets are as slam dunk of a pick for “offseason winner” as you’re making it out to be.
If the Phillies had brought in a legit closer I’d have picked them for filling their fifth starter need in a stacked rotation with a potential #2 pitcher. They needed a 4th OF and, while his left handed bat isn’t an ideal fit in their lineup, Kepler is a great low risk move for a team that finished I think 14th against RHP last year but 2nd against LHP. Romano could prove to be the bargain of the offseason if he returns to 2023 form after seeing the price for RP this offseason, but it has the benefit of being low risk and not risk blowing up on them like Tanner Scott’s insane deal.
Let’s say for argument’s sake that the Clay Holmes experiment works out like Jordan Hicks, which is to say not bad but also not great and more importantly a lack of quality IP as a starter. Then what? Sproat? Tong? Idk it might be me but the Soto signing feels like the guy who buys the 96” OLED tv and mounts it to the wall then has the wires just running to the outlet. Great, wonderful piece of tech there, best money can buy. But…why tf didn’t you spend the last bit to make it look classy? If that was your plan, maybe you should have scaled back on the TV size so you could have afforded the rest of the setup like the Yankees did?
I still voted NYM, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the NY media is tearing that team to shreds come June.
The Braves will be lucky to get in the playoffs? You’ve heard of the wild card, correct? It’s basically a foregone conclusion fella.
Soto is worth about 5 wins more than Alonso, so that’s not an even swap.
They went in on a tie breaker last year. What’s the foregone conclusion fella?
Braves made the playoffs with castoffs last season. I like their chances this year
The question was who had the best off-season tho
Benjamin101677:
If the Mets have questions at all those positions, everyone else does too. Everyone has questions all over their team. But not all of those questions are going be answered in a negative way. I mean, why is Vientos a question at 3rd base? First base is a question right now but it seems like they’re going to re-sign Alonso so that answers that question. I don’t really consider Alvarez to be much of a question at catcher. Even not at his best he’s doing more than most catchers. And can the Braves rely on those things to happen? We will see.
Benjamin
That’s a superficial take if I ever heard one.
If you had to critique the Mets SP it’s the FRONT end not the back. We have like 7 guys who can fill the #4 or #5 starter spot
We don’t have a question with DH, we have Winker v RHP and whoever is getting a rest day vs LHP.
We don’t have a question at both 1st AND 3rd if one of them is clearly going to be Vientos
We don’t have a question in CF we have Siri and Taylor who are +OAA CF guys and we’ll play whomever has the hot hand. I’m not worried because that’s the weakest position in the league at least we’re covered defensively and none of those guys are here beyond 2025 nor do they block any younger guys.
“Mets are missing the proven track record veterans that most teams would surround themselves with”
That’s just ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous and complete nonsense.
“I think many people in Mets land going be sorry they didn’t add more pieces”
It’s a fact that we were a playoff team and the best team in baseball for over 1/2 of 2024. I think it’s also a fact we’ve improved overall. So we’re still going to be competitive and we’re not handicapped by crap deals that dopes want us to sign like Pete, Bregman or some SP for 6+ years when they’re already 30.
@Piazza
Not sure you can call paying Nregman or Alonzo “crap deals” when you have a guy signed for 15 years thru age 40? I’m not at all saying he will fall off a cloud at age 30 but it’s still just a much a risk of not more than those you mentioned. Plus the FOR is weak.
@knicksfan
so far history will disagree with you as far as i can see because the last couple guys to sign those type of big deals around that age (Machado and Harper) are past 30 and still doing pretty good. lindor seems to be doing pretty well and Seager too i guess we could go back to Arod too.
35 is a different story. and from there probably underwater
Knicks
Yeah there are no guarantees but I’d take Sotos player profile over Pete’s or Bregmans as far as longevity goes.
Furthermore it’s entirely possible they’ve already begun to regress so signing to a half a decade of decline is definitely something to avoid
That wasn’t the question. the question was what NL East team had the best off season. That was very clearly the Mets. The Braves and their own players healing have nothing to do with the off season.
This one is kind of easy as I can’t remember anything in the NL East other than Soto signing either the Mets.
Soto is a good hitter but it’s a bit of an overreach to call him one of the best hitters on the planet. Soto has only batted over 300 one full season and for 47 games in 2020. The last three seasons Soto has batted 242, 275, 288. That’s not being one of the best hitters on the planet. Soto is probably the best base on balls on the planet.
You’re using batting average? That’s one of the worst stats to evaluate hitters this day and age.
Yes, I’m using batting AVG and still a big believer in batting AVG. You don’t see players with low batting averages winning MVP. Most players with an elite OPS hit for AVG. I don’t really care about the advanced saber nerd stats that tells me that a 220 hitter is a good hitter.
Okay then at least use his career .285 average then some random years to prove a point ?
Farhan Fangraphs says Soto ranks #12 for wRC+ career minimum 4000 plate appearances. Though, Judge and Trout are ahead of him; so they’re a bargain!
“Using batting average…Worst stats to evaluate”..So scouts, GMs, managers and players were completely clueless about hitters and hitting before sabermetrics and analytics?
HOFER Johnny Bench recently said he still considers batting average to be the best single indicator of the quality and skill level of a given hitter.
He did go on to say he also considers total bases and “on base rate” vitally important as well. I think HOFERS know just a bit more about baseball than you(or I)do.
Just anecdotally, why would the percentage of times a batter actually gets a hit not be important when evaluating hitters? On it’s face, what you say sounds rather ridiculous.
The last three seasons are not random years. I mentioned that he hit 288 this last season. I just think Soto is overrated and let’s see if he hits over 40 homers again away from Yankee Stadium.
Soto. Helluva career slash line. Plus he shows up in the playoffs. Absolutely one of the best hitters on the planet. Wish he was an Oriole.
@Mlbfan I said in this day and age using batting average is kind of useless, they didn’t have all the other advanced metrics back then.
Oh Johnny Bench and old timer uses BA so it must be superior. Is that why most teams around the league use the advanced stats In referring to over BA? If that’s the case let’s just put Arráez as the best hitter in baseball ATM.
Also he picked 3 years instead of his whole career which in itself it’s pretty useless. When talking a hitter you use the whole resume not a stretch that suits your bias.
Well apparently to you and mlbfan Soto is a better hitter than Ohtani cause Ohtani career BA is .282 vs Soto .285 See how BA is kind of worthless ?
Batting is not worthless just because some fan doesn’t like it.
so what your saying teams should dump ohtani and soto and judge and pick up jose iglesias who batted 337 last season. 80 million dollar player there OMG no wonder he is not signed yet. No one can afford him and he plays defense well at multiple positions including short we might be pulling triple digits aav.
Show me where I said that? Are you upset because I value batting average?
@dig
“Yes, I’m using batting AVG and still a big believer in batting AVG. You don’t see players with low batting averages winning MVP. ”
Jose had a better batting average than all 3 of them and lindor on top of that so why didnt he get mvp or even receive a single vote?
I don’t understand your argument. Jose played 80 games and Lindor had a higher batting average than who? All’s I said was that I still value batting average and you’re having a conniption fit.
They’ll find a way to screw it up.
Okay what kind of homer picked the Marlins.
There’s always one.
At least 34 of them.
It’s amazing how productive doing nothing can be.
Tolkien in his works called them “trolls”. Nasty creatures.
Tolkien didn’t invent trolls, dude.
Maybe some MLBTR readers work in finance and appreciate seeing the bottom line get padded
I did cause the other 4 are not beating the dodgers or pirates anyway soo marlins had the best by doing nothing That wins something for today
To soon. Wait till March 27.
I hate to say it, but the Mets, as of now. Phillies or Braves could easily take it though with a trade.
Braves just need to be healthy all season and could be a major factor
Have the Braves and Phillies done anything?
Phillies bolstered an already stout rotation with Luzardo. If he returns healthy and produces, they’ve got the best rotation in the national league and it’s not even close.
The Mets made the big splash but their rotation is less to be desired
You’re out of your mind thinking the Phillies pitching is that good. Wheeler is a top five pitcher and the rest are all middle of the rotation starters.
Nearly every reputable outlet that covers MLB has the Phillies with a Top 3 starting rotation.
@metsin4 Wheeler was indeed a top five pitcher, maybe top two or three, last year. He is leagues better than anyone on the Mets. A bonafide ace. Nola is still a solid number two, Suarez and Sanchez are indeed middle of the rotation starters, but they are solid middle of the rotation starters which exactly what you’d want, and now they have Luzardo as a number five who is just a year removed from being a possible number 1 or 2. Their rotation is that good.
Hater take
Senga when healthy is in Wheelers realm. Nola has a 4.50 ERA every other year and this year is that year. He’s not a number 2. Luzardo was never a number 1-2 . He was always talked about having the talent to be a number 1-2 but he is far from that now.
My dude, Senga is not in Wheelers stratosphere. Can he be an ace? Possibly yes, but he’s not upper echelon or at least has not shown it yet. Right now I don’t separate him a Nola much, if at all. Also, Luzardo’s 2023 was as good if not better than Senga’s so give these guys some credit. You’re looking at them through hateful Mets glasses, which may be the foggiest in the league.
Sanchez is better than Senfa. He’s just not a household name, but look at his numbers. Phillies rotation is sick. They lost a ton of games out of their 5th spot last year. Thid year, their #5 has ace potential.
And you’re out of your mind if you think Aaron Nola is a “middle of the rotation starter”. You can’t judge based solely on ERA. And to think Kodei Senga is in the same realm as Zach Wheeler is laughable. Might want to lose the homer goggles my guy
Mets in 4
Speaking as a Met fan: your lack of knowledge about the Phillies starting pitching is an embarrassment to our fan base. You’re trolling, woefully uninformed or both.
Let me put it to you this way. The Phillies 5th starter has the potential to be better than the Mets #2
Hats off to the Mets for signing Soto. A generational talent. But it’s proven time and time again that pitching wins
Pitching wins. Then why did the Mets beat them in the postseason if the Phillies pitching was so unbelievable? That’s right they had an unbelievable career first half and then reality set in and were average.
Sánchez wasn’t even as good as Peterson last year.
1 series. Phillies beat the Braves in 23 and 22, and I don’t think they were a better team either year. Playoffs are wonky.
It wasn’t one series though. The Phillies were great the first half of the season and getting career years from almost everyone. They came back to reality the second half and were exactly what they were the two previous seasons at the end.
You do realize the Phillies were 11th in pitching last year and the Mets 13. I’m very aware of what the Phillies have.
Sanchez not as good as Peterson? I can’t.
Enjoy the rest of your night.
The Phillies ranking was skewed by having the worst production out of their 5th spot all year. That 5th starter has been replaced by Luzardo who has #2 potential. Massive improvement.
We will see but I think your other starters will have worse years. I hope the Mets, Braves and Phillies all win 95+ games and one beats the Dodgers . I enjoy good teams battling it out.
At least we can agree on taking down the dodgers.
I don’t necessarily disagree with any of this, but if you google the 5th starter production for the Phils last year, I guarantee you’ll be shocked. It was essentially an automatic loss every time.
To say that Senga is not in the same stratosphere would be a lie. He was literally right behind him in cy young votings had an better era+ about the same strikeouts in around 30 less innings. Where he really needs to work on is his walks. Is wheeler better over longer period of time yes but senga is not far off.
If Luzardo has number 2 potential the peterson would be there two as his last “potential 2” was lesser than petersons last year. I dont think peterson is a number 2 but maybe low 3 or high 4. Also if i recall Luzardo is injury prone so you may only get a small portion of this “2”
nola is better than manea suarez is better than the rest there and i forget the other pitcher on the phillies but they are probably better than the rest. Megill i feel is going to break out if given a real chance but i think at best a 3 but prob 4 or 5.
So overall the phillies pitchers are better the mets but wheeler and luzardo arent that far off from senga and peterson. The rest of the staff the phillies beat the mets.
He may be better than anyone on the Mets. But he didn’t beat the Mets once last year.
True story.
You’re saying he’s not far off from Wheeler based off of 1 season in the big leagues. Wheeler has been a workhorse for years and is considered one of the best in the game. Let’s pump the breaks on saying he’s “not far off”
Prior to his injury in 2024, Luzardo has only been on the injured list twice since his debut in 2019. I wouldn’t call that being “injury prone”
Paul Skenes has pitched less than one season and I think he’s the best pitcher in baseball. Verlander and Scherzer are going to the hall of fame but neither is better then Senga at this point.
Of course because Verlander and Scherzer are over 40 and in their twilights. In other news, water is wet!
“potential” lmao
Mets are getting Senga back tho and if Clay Holmes can be a decent back end starter the Mets rotation would be pretty nice barring any major injuries.
They don’t have to do much
No they needed to do a lot. They both lost significant pieces.
Phillies are better than last year. They just replaced Walker with a top of the rotation type of starter.
The Phillies are not better than last year. Not even close. Almost every projection has them winning 85-90 games which is realistic.
I’m not talking about their record. The Phillies are a better team than they were last year, but the Braves will certainly be better and the Mets are also excellent. So of course their record could be worse, but I I’d take the over on 85 for the Phils.
The Braves added Jackson Profar and than have been getting healthy. Don’t forget the Braves were without Acuna, Albies, Harris, Murphy, Riley and Strider and some point in 2024 season. All those mentioned missed at least 60 games each. Even if the “stars and super stars” for the Braves are only 80% the Braves team with all those injuries ended the season with the same record as the Mets
Murphy didn’t miss 60 games. He was just benched for being bad most of the time.
Murphy strained his oblique first game of the season. He missed close to 2 months because of it. Now his performance after he got back is whole other terrible story line lol….But I agree with you, I’m not expecting the Braves to win division nor big stats from Acuna or Strider. Clearly a reset year with them completely ignoring Free agency minus Profar. Wild Card hopefuls.
The last several years the teams that “won the off season” did not win the season.
What are you talking about? The Dodgers won last year and the Rangers won the year before.
“What are you talking about”..The Rangers didn’t win the WS the same year they signed Seagar/Semien. And I believe the Yankees and their big multi player trade to acquire Juan Soto(among many other moves) was the winner of last off-season.
And then there’s the Mets who acquired Verlander/Scherzer a couple years ago only to implode. That’s what I’m talking about.
The Dodgers signed Ohtani, Yamaamato and Hernandez among others. The Yankees weren’t even close. The Rangers spent a lot of money in 2023 including degrom.
Well, Jed Hoyer of the Cubs is spending intelligently. So, the Mets are effed.
How can anyone not say the Mets.
What have the Mets done other than Soto to make the 2025 way better than the 2024 team? The 2024 team tied Atlanta with the numbers of wins; while Atlanta was missing Acuna, Albies, Harris, Murphy, Riley and Strider for at least 60 games with Acuna and Strider missing over 120 games.
“What have the Mets done”…When you sign a player to a record $765M(almost doubling the previous record)contract you automatically “win” the off-season for whatever that’s worth.
Wait a minute MLB fan, didn’t you just say the Yankees won last off season with the Soto trade? Wouldn’t Ohtani’s record setting contract automatically win the dodgers last off season? I think that alone would have but they added Yamamoto and teoscar and then won the world series against those now soto-less Yankees. I think going into the season last year it was pretty clear the dodgers won the off season. With hindsight, it is not debatable that they did.
The Mets were 2 games away from the World Series. Where did those Braves finish again? If you don’t know all of the Mets relevant moves this off season, you may not be qualified to answer the poll.
I don’t think they’re as good as last year. Soto is great, but they lost a lot of pieces. When they sign Alonso, which seems inevitable, then my opinion will change, but the Phillies and Braves have a stronger rotation.
The Phillies have a better rotation. The Braves though? With no Strider to start the year and not sure what you’re getting out of him coming off elbow surgery? At best, Mets and Braves are a push when it comes to the rotation. You could certainly put the Mets ahead though given the huge question marks in the Braves rotation.
Projection systems have the Braves as having the 3rd best rotation in MLB after the Dodgers and Phils. Mets nowhere in sight.
think the expected top 3 teams aren’t done with moves. That can change much
I picked the mets duh
Max Kepler was a bigger and more expensive addition than last winter’s Whit Merrifield ($10 million vs $8 million) so I guess there’s nothing for Phillies fans to be upset about.
Luzardo is a huge get. People sleeping on that move.
Braves-they will make a good trade for a pitcher and not need to grab headlines/spend a fortune on new FAs since they have a lot of in-house talent.
Plus the Braves have 5 stars that were missing at lets 60 plus games each last year that should be healthy so they didn’t need to add a lot
soto is a monumental superstar
every other signing by mets makes absolutely positively no sense at all whatsoever
but stearns proved everyone wrong in 2024
that buys him some trust
I don’t doubt that Soto is an amazing player; and with the money spent on him they Mets should be in a win now mode. My question is who is going protect Soto in the line up? My guess is Lindor is lead off hitter, and Soto is more middle of line up 3rd, maybe 4th. As it stands today Soto won’t have a proven multiple season prover behind him in the line up. For the Soto to have an impact in my opinion the Mets are going have to have a player step up huge him and drive in 3 run home runs when they pitch around Soto. I think the Mets really missed today by not having a huge bat signed
alonso could be that guy but mets are being stubborn
they also gave frankie montas the same deal as jack flaherty. in fact, in all likelihood, mets committed more years to montas than tigers did to jack. they signed holmes and want to convert him to a SP. tons of RPs available and they signed nobody of note except maybe minter.
again, stearns did a phenomenal job in his 1st year as GM
but its hard to ignore the baffling moves he’s made in year 2
How did y’all not vote for the Marlins?
The Luzardo acquisition by the Phillies gives them an edge in what has been an unsensational offseason for the NL East. Certainly credit the Mets and their historical signing of Soto, but with little to compliment that signing, including a starting rotation that appears o be a substantial step down from the 2024 version. I give it to the Phillies then, at a slight edge over the Mets.
Mets had the better off season…but the Phillies and Braves are still clearly better.
Easily the Mets, because as much as folks say–hey, me included–without Soto their offseason isn’t so good. But they DID sign Soto so yeah you have to give them credit there. I don’t love their other moves and I sorta question if they are any better than 2024, Soto included, but for sure they, thus far, have won the NL East offseason.
Eh, Soto is a great pickup (effetively replacing Alonso), but otherwise I’m not sure the Mets are much better. I think the rotation won’t be as good, even with a healthy Senga (no gurantee), and everything else feels like a wash. One great player only does so much.
1) Alonso is back too
2) Soto is in a different stratosphere than Alonso as far as an impact goes
This is the first time in a long time that I’m not picking the Braves. I just think the Phillies rotation will carry them to the division crown with the Mets and Braves very close behind them and possibly eliminating the Phillies in the playoffs.
If the Braves can stay healthy, they still have the most talent in the East. They were destroyed by injuries last year.
I don’t disagree, but I love the Phillies rotation. Braves and Mets have stronger lineups though.
Phillies rotation is really good, but again, assuming health, a rotation of Sale/Strider/Lopez/Schwellenbach matches up nicely. And I still the Braves add another starter. But the Braves bullpen is…iffy
Wouldn’t be shocked to see Braves, Mets or Phils win the division. All great teams.
So the correct answer is Marlins, right? Right?
If you want it to be, it is so.
I can tell that writers on this site (without trying to call them out or be mean) don’t pay all that much attention to the Braves. Every article so far about their rotation always mentions bryce elder as the apparent to take over a rotation spot, but if they paid attention that isn’t the case at all. Grant Holmes has the upper hand along with Ian Anderson over claiming the 4th and 5th rotation spots while youngsters Aj Smith Shawver and Hursten Waldrep have overtaken Bryce on the depth chart. I think having bryce around is a good thing, he brings experienced depth to our rotation if injuries or under performance occur, but he’s just that, an experienced depth arm nothing more nothing less. Now if he pitches like he did at the beginning of 2023 in his limited opportunities, if he even gets some, he will possibly be reintegrated into the braves plans, but as of now that is not and will not be the case. Now if we trade one of the young guys he will be bumped up in the depth chart, but even then we will most likely aquire a starting pitcher if a trade does come to fruition, which will still relegate him to a depth role. Not to mention when strider comes back reclaiming his spot in the rotation, will knock elder even further down. I think if we make a trade it would make sense to include elder as he just simply doesn’t seem to have a spot anymore, and his stuff plays as more of a backend starter and not a bullpen piece.
We needed a poll for this?
Phillies neutralized themselves, but the Mets made themselves better, despite losing Alonso, who really isn’t great anyway, and definitely replaceable. The Braves got worse this offseason, as Profar isn’t that big of an acquisition, and the Marlins got worse. The Nationals arguably got a bit better. It’s gonna be Mets, Phillies, Braves, Nationals, and Miami, with only the Mets and Phillies making the postseason, and the Mets once again making it to and losing to the Dodgers in the NLCS.
The Phillies had the worst production out of their 5th spot last year. They replaced that with a starter who has #2 potential. How is that neutralizing? And Alonso being easily replaceable is a silly comment. 30+ homers doesn’t grow on trees. Mets are very good. No disrespect there, but saying the Phillies didn’t improve is nuts.
To the 3 percent pumping the marlins today. Jesus Sanchez and Xavier Edwards salute you hahaha
I’m voting Marlins simply out of spite for this ridiculous question.
The Braves are better just by having guys get healthy. And Profar is a significant upgrade in vet who they had play left last year. I think you’re forgetting how good that Braves team could’ve been last year if they weren’t absolutely destroyed by injuries.
While I voted Mets, I could see an argument that while 4 NLE teams disappointed a little, the Marlins did exactly what was expected. Considering the timing of the Luzardo trade was not good, the return was better than I would have expected without being able to see him pitch.
The section on the Mets should have mentioned Acuna who is every bit as likely as Mauricio and Baty to get substantial playing time.
Mets haven’t done anything outside of Soto. They just said “He’s good enough! Let’s just add some mediocre pitchers now!”
In addition to Soto they intentionally stayed flexible by not being hampered by long deals that ensnare teams for the back end of aging players in decline all while they’ve changed over like 80% of the rotation, signed 2 bullpen arms, signed one of the top international FAs plus several AAA/AA guys to raise the caliber of the organization overall at all levels and Pete is still TBD but sure you can think they sat on their hands and drank hot cocoa all winter if it suits you.
The Mets did a lot, but it’s fair to say outside of Soto the other moves weren’t necessarily upgrades over last year. That being said, I like their bullpen a lot. I think that’s going to work out. I also think they sign Alonso. And a lineup featuring Lindor, Soto, Vientos and Lindor is very scary.
*Alonso, not Lindor twice. Although that would be scary too.
Clearly Marlins by far.
324 people here have a strange sense of humor voting for the Marlins/Nationals
Mets without a doubt.
Let’s do a poll for the NL Central and West next.
If the Mets lose Pete Alonzo, then the signing of Juan Soto makes it just a small upgrade. Definitely an upgrade don’t get me wrong, but the combination of adding and subtracting doesn’t help the Mets as much as it could have. Meanwhile, nobody in baseball can touch the Phillies rotation or back into the bullpen. I think all three teams are gonna end the season within two or three games of each other.
The Mets won the offseason so far, but that’s because they had the most to do of the 3 teams competing for the division.
They brought back guys they needed to (manaea, stanek, even winker to a lesser extent) and obviously brought in Soto, while minter was a huge get.
The Phillies still have a better rotation and arguably better lineup. The Braves lineup needs to stay healthy, although, on the pitching side, counting on sale to replicate his season will be tough. They haven’t replaced fried and even Morton yet. The internal options aren’t improvements on fried.
I also don’t get this talk about luzardo being a potential stud. He’s had one good/one healthy season pitching in a low pressure environment. I don’t know if I can rely on him outproducing last year’s 5 starters.
That all being said, I still think the division goes Phillies Braves Mets
Walker was so bad last year. Luzardo is a massive upgrade.
Has the potential to be a massive upgrade
A lot of ifs with luzardo
On paper give me luzardo all day, but will he actually pitch every 5th day
It’s like degrom…best pitcher…when he pitches. If he only gives you 30 innings you still need that 150 or so from somewhere else
The thing is, Luzardo doesn’t need to be relied upon as a #1 or #2 like he was previously. He is now a #5. It’s a massive upgrade on the Walker/random minor leaguer combo the Phillies were using last year. It also helps the bullpen rest up. And if Luzardo ends up getting hurt again, the Phillies go right back to Walker, who can’t possibly be worse than he was last year.
Luxardo is an upgrade….if healthy.
He hasn’t proven he can stay healthy. He’s also had 1 good year, maybe 2.
If he misses time, those 150 or so innings will go back to the same group as last year potentially.
I’m not saying it wasn’t a good pickup, but luzardo has a ton to prove
Montas stinks but also had 1 good year. Yes he’s older, but I hated that pickup for the Mets. Just trying to be fair
He’s really only had 1 significant injury. Unlike Senga in NY, who already has a pretty long medical record.
There are injury question marks with everybody. A healthy pitcher is going to be injured next year. Luzardo/Painter/Walker is going to be light years better than Walker/a bunch of mediocre fellas. Even if Luzardo gets injured again.
A lot needs to go right with the Mets starting pitching. On paper it’s a putrid rotation and to think that you’re relying on a lot of things to break right with a 300 mm payroll is nuts. The Mets didn’t do a whole lot to get better so far but baseball is the most unpredictable sport. Gun to my head I’d say Atlanta is the team to beat still
The Mets rotation is very deep. They just don’t really have a lockdown ace at the top. And seeing Senga get knocked around in the playoffs makes you wonder if he can replicate his earlier success for a full season. You also have to wonder if Manaea can replicate his career year. I think he can.
So, I don’t think the Mets rotation is putrid at all. They have a very solid backend. They just don’t have that explosive top end starter.
Yes but when you’re spending 300 million you need that horse at the top of your rotation. It’s a deep rotation amassed with 3rd and 4th starters. Senga cannot be counted on to go 180IP
This I agree with. I fully expect a move at the deadline. They’re purposely remaining flexible with that in mind.
You can’t count on Senga (who should be fully healthy) but you can count on Strider coming off of his second UCL surgery?
Not deep. One question mark after another.
We all said that last year, and the Mets staff did really well. They have a good coaching staff and program over there. Their ballpark is also a pitcher’s haven. At least one of the question marks will really work out. A few may not, but I still think their staff is going to finish way above average. I’d be shocked if they don’t make the playoffs.