It is not shocking that the Braves are the favorites. Their core is coming back whole, sealed away for the time being. The Braves now have more depth thanks to additions like Jarred Kelenic, Aaron Bummer, and Reynaldo Lopez. The Braves’ biggest off-season acquisition was the signing of Chris Sale, a starter for the Boston Red Sox. If Sale can get back to his pre-injury form, he might be a major player. So far, he seems to be in good health.

In 2023, the Phillies were one game away from making it back to the World Series for the second time in a row. They should be even more driven to succeed this season as a result.

The offseason has not seen a decrease in that hunger. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was significantly involved in the Philadelphia Phillies’ market; according to Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Phillies offered him a greater contract than he accepted with the Dodgers. Zack Wheeler inked an agreement, Aaron Nola made a comeback after a brief stint as a free agent, and Bryce Harper now has the position of first baseman. The Phillies’ two biggest offseason additions are utility guy Whit Merrifield and failed prospect Kolby Allard. Not enough to separate from the Braves.

The new manager is Carlos Mendoza. Under Steve Cohen, the Mets abandoned their prior high-spending strategy, not signing any free agents for longer than two years. In addition to Luis Severino, Shintaro Fijinami, Adam Ottavino, Sean Manaea, Harrison Bader, and Adam Ottavino, the Mets were able to bolster their already strong core. As they attempt to reopen their window, these one-year contracts also position the Mets to be major players in the 2024–2025 free agent market.