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Braves, Nationals, Mets, Marlins, Phillies: The good, bad and injured in the NL East

By Beau Adams |
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 07: Marcell Ozuna #20 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after hitting a double in the eighth inning against the New York Mets at Truist Park on June 07, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 07: Marcell Ozuna #20 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after hitting a double in the eighth inning against the New York Mets at Truist Park on June 07, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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June is here, and the MLB is heading into the dog days of summer. This is the time of year when baseball gets intricate. Teams have established themselves and shown who is who. Now in June, they start to make adjustments, buyers and sellers become evident, and the top teams (including those in the NL East) will get targets painted on their backs.

The good becomes significant, the bad have to adjust, and the injuries throw wrenches into the plan constantly. Spring predictions had three teams from the NL East making the postseason. So let’s look at the good, the bad, and the injured in the MLB’s toughest division, the National League East, so far in June.

NL East — The Good

The Atlanta Braves (37-24) have the best record in the National League. They are winning thoroughly with a +54 run differential. Ronald Acuna is the leading NL MVP candidate with a .329 average, and he’s on pace for a 30/30 season. Sean Murphy is trending to be a Gold Glove winner, and with a wRC+ of 153, a Silver Slugger as well. It could be the best season we have ever seen from a catcher.

Slugger Matt Olson has belted 17 homers and leads a five-member wrecking crew of Acuna, Murphy, Ozzie Albies, and Austin Riley, who have combined for 63 homers. That puts them on pace for an astonishing 170 homers.

Add in their two-headed punch of 24-year-old righties Bryce Elder and Spencer Strider, combining for 177 strikeouts so far this season, and you have a real World Series contender.

Surprise NL East good

Some surprising good in the NL East is a team that was not predicted to make the postseason, the Miami Marlins (35-28). The Marlins are holding a Wild Card spot with a .568 winning percentage and are just three games behind the Braves for the NL East lead.

We can’t discuss how good the Marlins are without mentioning Luis Arraez. He is currently batting .403 thru 214 at-bats. A .400 season is something we have not seen in Major League Baseball since 1941, when Ted Williams hit .406 in 456 at-bats. There are still many games to be played, but Miami only gets hotter in the summer; Arraez chasing .400 is something to keep an eye on.

Then there is the New York Mets (30-32), with a .481 winning percentage, they are not good. At third place in the NL East, they are not bad. They are just the Mets, the team with by far the highest cost per win in the MLB. It’s too early to say who or what the Mets are this year, we will check back in July.

May 16, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) awaits his turn at bat against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
May 16, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) awaits his turn at bat against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports /

The Bad

The Philidelphia Phillies (29-32) are bad. Last year’s National League champion was a heavy favorite to contend after signing mega free agent start Trea Turner. However, Turner has been a high-dollar disappointment. His .240 batting average is a career-low, and is only on pace for 17 homers in 2023.

Kyle Schwarber is dropping bombs, 16 home runs on the season, but he is hitting an abysmal .173, struck out 77 times, and left 93 runners on base. Combine these issues with Harper’s injury to start the season, and the Phillies are bad.

NL East even worse

The Washington Nationals (25-36) are even worse and in last place in the NL East. In the National League, they are in the bottom five in RBI and runs. They are last in the NL in walks and home runs. The only team with a lower winning percentage is the St. Louis Cardinals (.403).

Not only are they not hitting homers, but they are also giving up an NL most of 83. That means they are giving up 1.7 home run to each one they hit. That’s the worst in the MLB, for the worst team in the NL East.

On the mound, they are just as bad; they are in the bottom five of the NL in wins, ERA, WHIP, walks, and average against. There is no doubt the Nationals are sellers now, and sadly, their only trade chips are Jeimer Candelario, Victor Robles, and Chad Kuhl. That’s not going to fetch very much at the trade deadline.

May 6, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Washington Nationals base runner Victor Robles attempts to steal second base against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the third inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
May 6, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Washington Nationals base runner Victor Robles attempts to steal second base against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the third inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

The injured

The Atlanta Braves have not been hit too hard with injuries this season. Max Fried hit the IL on Monday, June 5, with a forearm issue, and he is expected to be out until at least Jul 14. This is Fried’s third trip to the IL, and he has only made five starts this season. However, he has been fantastic in these starts. Fried is 2-1 on the season with 25 strikeouts and just six walks in 26 innings pitched.

On May 16, the Miami Marlins placed Jazz Chisholm Jr. on the 10-day injured list retroactive to May 14. He has a right turf toe issue, and he is expected to return on June 19 … finally.

Avisaíl García was sent on a rehab assignment to Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and is expected back this week.

25-year-old Edward Cabrera left Wednesday’s game with an undisclosed issue. He will miss his next start, he has been a strikeout machine for Miami this year with 80 strikeouts to 63 innings pitched.

Former 20-game-winner Johnny Cueto could return to the Marlins on June 20. Cueto went down with a bicep issue one inning into his first start of the season.

For the Nationals, Victor Robles should be returning to the team early next week. He has been out since May 7 with back spasms. He was hitting .292 on the season before his injury.

Next. Could Luis Arraez grab rare back-to-back batting titles?. dark

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