What Harper Wants
It probably makes sense to separate them at this point, and so we will start with the National League.
The Dodgers seem like the least of the three. While Kershaw is equal to Scherzer as the best two pitchers, Los Angeles does not have the one-through-five the other two teams do. And while I would want the Dodgers young players over the Nationals’, I can trust the experienced Nats’ hitters more this year.
That puts it down to Chicago and Washington. Chicago has a lesser pitching staff than Washington, but they could be better balanced offensively. And they have the best manager in the game.
The difference, though, is likely to be Harper in his walk year. A monster season like he had in 2015—in which he hit .330/.460/.649 with his 42 home runs and 118 runs scored, both leading the league—is possible. And that makes the Nats the top team in the National League.
Thing are a little closer in the American League.