Camila Sosa
The 2022 Major League Baseball season is about to begin and the National League East Division aims to be one of the most controversial seasons of the campaign. Therefore, here follows a list with the main reason why each of the teams that conforms the East Division should be content.
Atlanta Braves: The Return of Ronald Acuña Jr.
The reigning champions will no longer have Freddie Freeman to fight for the East Division, but they will count on the return of Acuña Jr. to the team. The young outfielder has not played since July last year after suffering a torn ligament in his right knee.
The Rookie of the Year of the 2018 campaign was on track for another memorable performance before he got injured, as in 82 games he dispatched 24 home runs, with 52 walks and 17 steals. Without Freeman on the team, the Braves need a new figure and Acuña Jr. has every argument to be the one once he returns in mid-May.
Philadelphia Phillies: High-Caliber Offense
While several teams in the East Division bolstered their pitching, the Phillies took steps to make opposing pitchers very afraid of their offense in the 2022 season. In addition to current National League MVP Bryce Harper, Philadelphia management hired Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber in the preseason.
Last season, the three of them dispatched 101 home runs. So, in a hitter-friendly stadium like Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies’ overall performance will be worthy of respect. It is worth adding that, in addition to these three names, manager Joe Girardi’s attack will have Rhys Hoskins and J.T. Realmuto (33 and 22 home runs in 2021, respectively).
Miami Marlins: Sandy Alcántara’s Season
Although the Marlins hired a couple of important figures such as Cuban Jorge Soler and Venezuelan Avisaíl García, the real star of this team is Sandy Alcántara. The Dominican is the ace of the rotation and is among the best starters in the league in recent seasons.
While his 18-31 record since 2019 isn’t very flashy, let’s remember that Alcántara plays for one of the least winning teams on the circuit and won’t fight for long in the East Division. That is why, when we check other data, we can see the quality of the right-hander who last season led the National in starts (33) and left an ERA of 3.19 with 201 strikeouts in 205.2 innings of work.
New York Mets: Elite Rotation
The Mets’ rotation for the 2022 campaign is not only considered the best in the National League East Division, but the best in all of major league baseball. And how could it not be if the first two names that make it up, Jacob DeGrom and Max Scherzer, add between them five Cy Young awards and 4,525 strikeouts.
In addition to the fact that the rivals will have to see in consecutive days two of the most dominant pitchers of the last decade, the Mets acquired Chris Bassitt, from the Oakland Athletics, and they will have for the fourth and fifth position Taijuan Walkers and the Venezuelan Carlos Carrasco respectively.
Washington Nationals: The Development of Juan Soto
Although the Washington Nationals are not the favorites to fight for the East Division of the National, in their ranks they have one of the most spectacular players in the entire circuit: Juan Soto. The talent of the Dominican when he is in the batting box is undeniable and all his turns are a delight for fans.
With the passing of the seasons Soto has become a better hitter and, for 2022, he will have at his side Nelson Cruz, a slugger who could help the 23-year-old see better pitches and make his production much more special than it already is. For instance, since 2019, Soto has taken 1,198 at-bats for one of baseball’s best lines .304/.440/.501, with 76 home runs, 242 RBIs and 294 walks, which is just astonishing.
