Another Look At The NL East

The NL East Race looks like an interesting one, because no team has run away with the division. It looked like the Braves and Nationals would run away with an interesting finish, but the Braves haven't been unbeatable, and the Nationals have underperformed to this point. This opens up an opportunity for the Phillies and maybe the Mets to have a SHOT to win the East. If you look at the standings today, you would see this:

1. Braves      28-18 0 Games Behind
2. Nationals 25-23 4 Games Behind
3. Phillies      23-25 6 Games Behind
4. Mets         17-27 10 Games Behind
5. Marlins      13-35 16 Games Behind

Obviously, since it's only late May, the Braves, Nationals, and Phillies obviously have a chance to win the division. Also, if the Mets got hot, they could make a push through June and July. But, the Marlins are not contenders in the division or for a playoff spot.

The Braves and Nationals will still be the favorites to win the NL East, but you cannot count out the Phillies or Mets. If the Phillies gain some consistency, they could easily have a chance to win the division. If the Mets get hot, it could be them, but they need a lot to overcome the three teams ahead of them.

The division at this point is still interesting, and it hopefully will stay this way throughout the rest of the year. This may be the division that gets decided in September.

But, right now? The teams have to keep playing well.