NL East preview: 1. Atlanta Braves
The Braves have dominated this division for the last half-decade, looking for a sixth straight division title coming into the 2023 season. Ronald Acuña Jr. had a down year last season, and will hope to throw his name back into the MVP conversation with a bounce back year.
Acuña Jr. isn’t the only potential MVP in this lineup, with Austin Riley and Michael Harris looking to put up stellar numbers again this year. After another MVP caliber slash, Riley has cemented himself as one of the best hitters in our game. Maybe I’m reaching with Harris, but he’s arguably the most promising young superstar in our game. He reminds me a lot of when Jason Heyward first came into the big leagues with the Braves. A true five tool player, Harris’ ability to hit for power and contact, along with elite speed and defense makes him a special player to watch. After acquiring Sean Murphy in the offseason, Atlanta now boasts the best catching tandem in the league. Murphy along with Travis d’Arnaud, will bring elite defense and strong offensive production, making this lineup even more dangerous. After a slow start, Matt Olson found his groove, returning to form and posting his third consecutive season with 30-plus home runs. With Vaughn Grissom optioned to Triple-A, it looks as if Orlando Arcia will get the nod at shortstop. Arcia had a strong showing in last year’s postseason, going 3-for-10 with a home run against the Phillies. Ozzie Albies will join Arcia in the middle infield, trying to bounce back after his worst statistical season offensively. Eddie Rosario will start in left, still having trouble shaking his offensive struggles. Rosario hit .212 last season and has just three hits in spring training.
Max Fried will get the ball on Opening Day after posting another stellar regular season stat-line of a 2.48 ERA with 170 strikeouts over 185 innings. Fried surprisingly pitched poorly in his lone postseason start, surrendering four earned runs against the Phillies. He’s due for a contract extension soon, probably looking for a multi-year deal around $25 million AAV. If Fried departs, Spencer Strider could be the new ace of the staff. Strider, along with Brewers starter Corbin Burnes, were my two best picks for the NL Cy Young Award. As long as he can stay healthy, Strider’s high strikeout rate along with his elite efficiency makes him an awesome pick for the NL Cy Young. Last season, Kyle Wright proved to be a valuable piece of the rotation, posting a 3.19 (3.58 FIP) over 180 innings last season. Charlie Morton will enter his 16th season, providing a strong clubhouse presence for the young arms on this staff. With Ian Anderson and Bryce Elder optioned to Triple-A, it looks as if either Jared Shuster or Dylan Dodd will take the number five starting role. I think just about everyone is rooting for Mike Soroka to pitch this season. Soroka hasn’t pitched since 2020 and, after two Achilles tears, it looks as if the 25-year-old will rejoin the roster at some point this season.
The bullpen remains elite as usual, with AJ Minter, Raisel Iglesias, and Colin McHugh making up the elite arms in this pen. After a rocky start on a new contract extension with the Angels, Raisel Iglesias found his stride in Atlanta, likely taking on the closing duties this season once he returns from injury.
Once again, Atlanta comes into this season with a talented roster, and has proven year after year this is their division. Until someone overtakes them, how can you not like the Braves to bring home another NL East title?