Repeating as National League East champions is going to be a challenge for the Phillies.
It is expected to be a tight three-team race between the Phillies, Atlanta Braves and New York Mets.
The Mets made the biggest splash of the offseason, signing superstar slugger Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract. They also shored up the rotation by signing Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas. Both will begin the season on the injured list. Former New York Yankees reliever Clay Holmes was also signed to be a starter, and the early returns so far are pretty good. After a months-long stare down, first baseman Pete Alonso was re-signed to a short-term deal. New York had the most holes to fill out of the three NL East contenders this offseason, and were therefore the most active.
Can they recapture the “OMG” magic they had last season or will they take a step back? Much of that depends on if the rotation can hold up. Montas is expected to miss significant time, Holmes’ innings will be limited by virtue of him being a reliever for nearly his entire career and the Mets aren’t sure what they are getting out of Kodai Senga, who made only one start during the regular season last year.
Atlanta could have similar rotation issues. The Braves match the Phillies in terms of quality at the top, with Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez and Spencer Schwellenbach returning from last season. Spencer Strider, who missed just about all of last season after undergoing an internal brace procedure to repair his right elbow, is expected back at the end of the April.
The immediate depth behind the top four is suspect. AJ Smith-Shawver is the best of the bunch, but he could start the season in Triple-A with Grant Holmes and Ian Anderson both out of minor league options. Once again, the key will be staying healthy in the rotation.
Health is also important for Atlanta on the position player side. Austin Riley, Sean Murphy, Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II and Ronald Acuña Jr. all played in less than 120 games in 2024 due to various injuries. Murphy, who has a cracked rib after getting hit by a pitch, will start the season on the IL. Acuña, who had his second ACL surgery last year, isn’t expected back until May. They had another injury scare recently when their biggest free-agent acquisition of the offseason Jurickson Profar jammed his wrist while trying to make a catch in the outfield during a Grapefruit League game. He is expected to be OK.
It took an incredible amount of injuries to dethrone the Braves last year. They should be the favorites again to win the division.
Out of the Mets and Braves, who is the Phillies’ biggest threat in the NL East? Vote in our fan poll down below.
Who is the bigger threat to the Phillies in the NL East?
- Atlanta Braves (69%, 286 Votes)
- New York Mets (31%, 126 Votes)
Total Voters: 412
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Tom Dockery
March 12, 2025 at 4:26 pm
I voted for the Braves because it seems unlikely that they will be hit as hard by injuries two seasons in a row and that the Mets will pitch as well as they did last season.I would prefer it to be the Mets as I live in North Jersey and the rivalry talk on the WFAN would be much more heated than it would be with the Braves.In addition,I’m going to the game at Citi Field on WED.April 23.I’ll also be at Yankee Stadium in July as the Fightins’ play NYC’s other team.
Matt
March 13, 2025 at 7:33 pm
The Braves did lose a significant chunk of their starting pitching, including Max Fried and Charlie Morton. We’ll have to wait and see if Chris Sale’s 2024 season was a fluke, or if he really is back.
Ken Bland
March 17, 2025 at 1:28 pm
Should have had a 3rd option, that being “either”.
Or, if you don’t like that, try, “doesn’t matter.”
Away back in 1976, I thought it was beyond celebratory when the Phils won the division for the first time. Ain’t exactly mundane all these years later, but with the Dodgers roster, sad to say, this year does not matter.