Predicting the 2022 NL East standings
By David Hill
The NL East was a joke heading into the postseason last year. The Atlanta Braves had a worse record than two teams that missed the playoffs, taking advantage of the fact that the rest of the division was mediocre at best as they roared back into contention. Naturally, the Braves went on the win the World Series and end a 26 year championship drought.
But heavy is the head that wears the crown. The rest of the division took the Braves’ title as a challenge as each team looked to improve. The Mets and Phillies captured the headlines, but that does not mean that the other teams sat around quietly. In fact, the Braves may have received more attention for not bringing back Freddie Freeman than any team in the division did for their additions.
Predicting the 2022 NL East standings
Hope springs eternal as the season gets ready to begin. Teams and fans have dreams of the postseason, believing that this is the year they can climb that mountain. The Braves, meanwhile, are hoping to be the first repeat champions in over two decades. It should be a fun division to watch as the season goes on.
Who will take home the crown in the NL East in 2022? Let’s take a look ahead and predict how the division will shake out.
5. Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals finished second in the NL East twice under Dave Martinez and dead last twice. That is not going to change.
The Nationals are clearly eyeing the future, especially after trading Max Scherzer and Trea Turner at the deadline last year. They received some intriguing talent back, and even worked in free agency to upgrade the bullpen and the lineup. Nelson Cruz gives the Nationals another power element that they desperately needed. There are some pieces in place.
But this is still a team that is relying on Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin to front their rotation. Strasburg may not be ready to go until May and Corbin has been a disaster over the past two years. Their depth is lacking overall. If everything comes together, the Nationals could make a run at the division. However, it is far more likely that they end up in the NL East basement once again.