The Washington Nationals have established themselves as the kings of the National League East. There is a good chance that won’t change in 2017. The Nationals are the obvious favorites in the division. Meanwhile, the New York Mets are right behind them but there is reason to believe they could disappoint. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves have improved on paper but is it enough to consider them a dark horse playoff contender? Here is a look at how to bet on the National League East this season.
The Favorite: Washington Nationals
Odds To Win National League East: -150
The Nationals have the talent to coast through the season and finish with 95 wins or more. Washington has won three NL East titles over the last five seasons. It’s scary to think that they are an even better team on paper than they were a year ago. Bryce Harper should bounce back after struggling with injuries and inconsistencies last season. Trea Turner has the potential to be a star. The starting rotation is absolutely stacked with Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg leading the way once again. Washington seems overdue for a deep playoff run. The Nationals have World Series potential. At the very least, they should win an NL East title.
The Dark Horse: Atlanta Braves
Odds To Win National League East: +2000
While many experts think the Miami Marlins can surprise, the Braves might be the true dark horse in the NL East. Listed at +2000 odds to win a division title, the reality is that they likely won’t challenge Washington at the top. However, Atlanta could surprise as a playoff contender with a strong blend of veteran and young talent coming together. Freddie Freeman is coming off a monster season. 2015 first overall pick Dansby Swanson arrives as an NL Rookie of the Year favorite. Nick Markakis, Matt Kemp and Brandon Phillips are capable veterans. Bartolo Colon and RA Dickey offer intrigue in the starting rotation. No team will challenge the Nationals’ dominance in the NL East. However, the Braves could surprise as a dark horse Wild Card contender.
The Disappointment: New York Mets
Odds To Win National League East: +190
The Mets certainly have a formidable roster. However, injuries could be an issue and the club didn’t do anything at all really to upgrade in the offseason. Jacob deGrom was held to just 24 starts last year due to injury. Steven Matz was held to 22, while Matt Harvey made just 17 starts. New York lost Bartolo Colon’s 33 starts are gone so the Mets will need their rotation to stay healthy. Noah Syndergaard is a potential Cy Young candidate but will he get enough help? The offense ranked just 11th in the NL in runs scored a year ago so they should be better if they stay healthy. However, the Mets won’t overwhelm opponents with their offense and that will mean leaning heavily on their arms once again. New York definitely has the potential to challenge for an NL Wild Card spot. However, after failing to substantially upgrade their roster in the offseason it wouldn’t be a surprise if they disappointed in 2017.
Best Regular Season Win Total To Bet: Phillies Under 73.5
The Phillies regular season win total has a low bar but this is still a number that’s tough for them to get over. Last year, they won 71 games. This year, they’ll have to do that without Ryan Howard, who was their slugger. Now a lot falls on the shoulders of 24-year-old Maikel Franco. Yes, he has a lot of power but that was with Howard helping protect him. Now he’s in the spotlight. The other concern is that his OBP fell to .306 last season, so maybe he’s not as hot of a prospect as the Phillies think.
The other concern here is the division. The Marlins and Braves will both probably push for .500 and the Mets and the Nationals will push for the playoffs. The Phillies are the doormat that’s going to get stepped all over all season long. 74 wins is a lot to ask of this team. They haven’t improved over last year.
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