After a season-long adventure at the top of the division in 2022, the New York Mets ran out of gas in September, leading the Atlanta Braves to claim another division title.
However, it was the Phillies who caught fire in the postseason, ultimately winning the National League pennant.
After several high-profile moves in the offseason, the NL East once again looks to be a fight to the finish.
Let’s look at current betting odds to determine the best bet to win the 2023 NL East division.
NL East Betting Odds 2023
To see the most up-to-date NL East odds from our favorite sportsbooks, adjust the module below and select MLB - National League East - Winner:
2023 NL East MLB betting odds as of Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, at 6 p.m. ET on Caesars Sportsbook.
- Atlanta Braves (+140)
- New York Mets (+145)
- Philadelphia Phillies (+280)
- Miami Marlins (+6000)
- Washington Nationals (+20000)
The NL East is a three-horse race to the finish between the Mets, Braves, and Phillies. The winner may come from the team that happens to stay healthy, but it could be a close battle until the end.
NL East Best Bet 2023
New York Mets Win NL East (+145) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
There are three teams with a reasonable chance of winning the National League East, but the Mets stand out as the favorite to me.
New York lost two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom in free agency and replaced him with three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander. One could argue that this was a decent upgrade, given deGrom’s injury concerns over the past few seasons.
In addition, the Mets added veteran southpaw José Quintana and Japanese forkball specialist Kodai Senga to a rotation that already includes future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer and Carlos Carrasco.
New York’s starting rotation could rival any team in major league baseball and have arguably the best closer in the game in Edwin Díaz.
The Mets will also return the same lineup that scored the fifth-most runs in MLB last season after bringing back centerfielder Brandon Nimmo.
Nimmo will bat leadoff once again for a lineup that includes Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor, Starling Marte, NL batting champion Jeff McNeil, and newcomer Tommy Pham, who could be a valuable fourth outfielder.
See the latest MLB futures odds and picks
- World Series Predictions & Odds
- AL MVP Predictions & Odds
- AL Cy Young Predictions & Odds
- NL MVP Predictions & Odds
- NL Cy Young Predictions & Odds
NL East Contenders 2023
Atlanta Braves (+140) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
Atlanta will need a strong sophomore season from reigning NL Rookie of the Year Michael Harris III and breakout starter Spencer Strider.
Harris will lead a powerful starting lineup that includes Ronald Acuña Jr., Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, and the newly acquired catcher Sean Murphy.
However, the Braves will be without shortstop Dansby Swanson, who joined the Chicago Cubs in free agency. Atlanta will instead look to rookie Vaughn Grissom to hold down the position.
In addition to Strider, the Braves boast a starting rotation led by southpaw Max Fried, Kyle Wright, and veteran Charlie Morton.
However, it remains to be seen what Atlanta may expect from Mike Soroka, who has missed the majority of the last three years with shoulder and elbow injuries.
Philadelphia Phillies (+280) |Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
A major issue that may hold Philadelphia back from winning the division is the absence of star outfielder Bryce Harper. The former MVP will be out until close to midseason after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
However, newly acquired Trea Turner will look to fill the void in a Phillies lineup that includes NL home run leader Kyle Schwarber, Rhys Hoskins, and J.T Realmuto. That said, if Philadelphia is going to contend without Harper, they will need a strong bounce-back effort from Nick Castellanos.
Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler will anchor the Phillies rotation in front of Ranger Suárez, Bailey Falter, and Taijuan Walker. But unfortunately, Philadelphia’s largest weakness is still its bullpen.
They have made several upgrades this offseason with the addition of Craig Kimbrel, Gregory Soto, and Matt Strahm, but nearly every high-leverage arm they have has issues with walks and command.
