NL East season preview: Will the Phillies repeat as divis...

What’s Happening

Real talk: The Nationals and Marlins are entering rebuilding years but should take steps forward in 2026.

Story by NL East season preview: Will the Phillies repeat as division champs? Can the Braves and Mets rebound to make this a three-team race? (shocking, we know)

The Braves were the most not it club in the National League, and the Mets broke their the fandom’ hearts the stretch.

The Details

The Nationals realized that their long, painful rebuild was not close to its conclusion, and while the Marlins clutched more games than expected, their run differential told a different story. Only the Phillies met expectations, even though their season wrapped up with a frustrating October defeat at the hands of the Dodgers.

But this division should rise again in 2026, with the Braves poised to bounce back, the Mets revamped after a busy winter and the Phillies running it back with a contending core. The Nationals are still in rebuilding mode, and the Marlins could surprise but have a ways to go before they can be considered contenders.

Why This Matters

: AL East preview | AL Central preview | AL West preview Philadelphia Phillies Projected record ( per FanGraphs, as of March 9) : 88-74, 71. 7% odds to make the playoffs, 26. 3% odds to win the division What happened last season?

The sports world never stops delivering these kinds of storylines.

Key Takeaways

• The club finished eighth in baseball in both runs scored and runs allowed.
• Unfortunately, they faced the mighty Dodgers in the NLDS, which resulted in a four-game exit from the postseason.

The Bottom Line

Unfortunately, they faced the mighty Dodgers in the NLDS, which resulted in a four-game exit from the postseason. Within the team effort, there were some special performances, as Kyle Schwarber and Cristopher Sánchez finished second in NL MVP and Cy Young voting, respectively.

How do you feel about this development?