MLB NL East Odds: Braves Hold Firm Grip
First Place Braves Eyeing Sixth-Straight NL East Championship
The Atlanta Braves remain the class of the National League East. Sound familiar? Atlanta has won five straight division titles. At least at the moment, nobody seems capable of stopping them anytime soon.
With Memorial Day now behind us, let’s take a closer look at how if at all, the MLB NL East odds have shifted over the season’s first two months.
Atlanta Braves (-550)
Through 54 games, the Braves are right where most expected them to be. The Braves (a +105 NL East favorite in March) have built a comfortable 4.0 game lead atop the division, positioning themselves once again as the team to beat.
Outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. has been a catalyst for Atlanta. The 25-year-old superstar leads the majors with 48 runs scored. He also ranks second in stolen bases (22), third in hits (70), and fifth in OPS (.969). Because of that, Acuna Jr. is now the heavy favorite for NL Most Valuable Player at +110. Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is a distant second at +1200.
Despite injuries to Max Fried (forearm) and Kyle Wright (shoulder), Atlanta’s rotation has remained formidable behind right-hander Spencer Strider, the majors’ strikeout leader (106 in 63.2 innings).
New York Mets (+600)
Five games back of Atlanta, the Mets (27-27) have seen their MLB NL East odds drop from +165 to +600. Outside of Alonso, who leads the majors with 20 home runs, the lineup has largely underperformed. The pitching’s been underwhelming too; prompting questions about just how much future Hall of Famers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander have left in the tank. All in all, owner Steve Cohen has to be disappointed after raising payroll to an MLB-record $346 million.
In more positive news, 21-year-old catcher Francisco Alvarez looks like a future star. Since being promoted from Triple-A, Alvarez has homered eight times in 104 at-bats. His OPS is a robust .885.
Philadelphia Phillies (+1200)
It’s been another slow start for the Phillies, who are sitting in fourth place at 25-28. In the process, Philadelphia’s MLB NL East odds have plummeted from +300 to +1200. The good news? As last year’s World Series run proved, there’s still plenty of time for the Phillies to regain their mojo and get back on track.
Shortstop Trea Turner has disappointed. Perhaps feeling the pressure of his $300 million contract, the two-time All-Star is hitting .243 with a career-low .288 on-base percentage. Meanwhile, reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper is just getting back up to speed after missing all of April recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Miami Marlins (+3300)
The Marlins (not the Mets) are closest to Atlanta in the MLB divisional standings. At 28-26, Miami is 4.0 games back. Despite that, oddsmakers aren’t buying the Marlins as a legitimate contender. Their NL East odds have improved only slightly, from +4000 to +3300.
Second baseman Luis Arraez (.376 average) and designated hitter Jorge Soler (17 home runs) have been impressive. However, with a run differential of minus-41, the Marlins seem due for a steep regression.
Washington Nationals (+30000)
The Nationals are just 23-31, yet they’ve produced the fourth-best record (32-21) in baseball against the spread. Outside of that, there hasn’t been much to lean on if you’re a Nationals fan. The club is even more of a longshot now than it was in March (+15000).
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