The National League East is absolutely loaded entering Major League Baseball’s 2021 campaign, and the betting prices placed by oddsmakers reflect just that.
Only the NL Central has tighter odds when considering where the top four teams are projected to finish in each division. Now, everyone is left wondering whether the field can ensure the three-time defending champion Atlanta Braves see their run come to an end.
The Braves, to no surprise, are favored to repeat as division champions but the New York Mets aren’t far behind after new ownership prompted offseason spending. The 2019 World Series champion Washington Nationals are third among the five-team division, in front of both the Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins. Of note, the Phillies last won the division in 2011 while the Marlins have finished last each of the last two seasons.
Here are the odds to win the NL East, per DraftKings SportsBook:
Atlanta Braves +120
New York Mets +140
Washington Nationals +600
Philadelphia Phillies +875
Miami Marlins +2500
So, which team presents a bet with good value when looking at NL East odds?
New York Mets +140
New York went out this offseason and put together a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Indians for shortstop Francisco Lindor and right-hander Carlos Carrasco. The pair join a Mets team which already featured a deep offensive lineup and one of the best starting rotations in baseball.
Lindor will join a top of the order that includes Michael Conforto, Dominic Smith and Pete Alonso. Smith received NL MVP votes in 2020 while Alonso had a down pandemic-shortened campaign, but looks poised to bounce back just two seasons after breaking the rookie home run record. Former Red Sox outfielder Kevin Pillar agreed to a deal with New York this offseason, too.
That offense will be complemented by a pitching staff which is headlined by Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman, David Peterson and Carrasco. deGrom, who fell short of his third straight Cy Young in 2020, is still considered the best pitcher in baseball. Stroman (3.76 ERA in 146 career games), Carrasco (2.91 ERA in 12 games in 2020), and Peterson (3.44 ERA in 10 games as a rookie) should provide plenty of help on the hill. Oh yeah, the Mets’ rotation has a chance to become even stronger once Noah Syndergaard returns from injury.
