NL East Winner Odds, Predictions & Picks 2023

As of the final week of August, the futures odds to win the NL East have been taken off the board at all major sportsbooks. The Atlanta Braves have run away with this division and will finish this season as the champions of this division. With the New York Mets being a massive disappointment, and the Phillies and Marlins failing to step up, there was very little competition for the Braves in 2023.

Be sure to check back here ahead of the 2024 MLB season for the odds of winning this division for next season. And in the meantime, be sure to check out the odds to win the National League and the World Series, as the Braves will be featured prominently in both as the postseason comes along.

Be sure to also check out our reviews of the best MLB betting sites you can register with today.

NL East Winner Odds

Odds for the NL East Winner are no longer available.

NL East Winner - Atlanta Braves

The fact that there are still NL East futures odds on the board is a bit surprising, as the Atlanta Braves hold a commanding lead in the standings. They are over 10 games up on every team in this division, and their odds to lock up this division certainly reflect that. While there is no value left on betting the Braves or any other team to win this division, there could still be value in betting the Braves to win the National League pennant or World Series.

Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves are closing in on 40 games over .500 as the month of August nears its end. They have the best run differential in all of baseball, and they are running away with the NL East championship. At this point, it would be difficult to see the Braves ending up in a tight race for this division in the final month of the season, as they are so far ahead of everyone that there isn’t enough time for anyone to mount a comeback.

For Atlanta, the key to this season going forward is going to be simply staying healthy and continuing to do what they do best. As long as Atlanta does not change anything, they should have no problem winning this division, and heading into the postseason with a ton of momentum. But if they let their collective foot off the gas due to their huge lead, they could suffer in the postseason.

Philadelphia Phillies 

The NL East chase is all but over for the Philadelphia Phillies, as they trail the Atlanta Braves by over 10 games in the standings. However, the season is still looking promising for Philadelphia, as they are in the top spot in the NL Wild Card race as of mid-August. As long as the Phillies focus on playing solid baseball the rest of the way, they could get into the playoffs via Wild Card once again, which they proved last year could be a viable path to the World Series.

Something to keep an eye on for the Phillies down the stretch of the regular season will be the health of their pitching staff. While this group has the level of talent necessary to make a deep October run, they did just place Ranger Suarez on the IL due to a strained hamstring. They will need all of their top-level arms to be healthy and ready to go for the final sprint in September to secure a Wild Card berth.

Miami Marlins

Another NL East team with Wild Card aspirations is the Miami Marlins, who are also too far back of the Braves to contend for a division title at this point. But they are beginning to fade in the race for a Wild Card berth, as they let go of the third Wild Card spot and are now looking up at the top-three teams in the Wild Card race. They still have plenty of time to turn things around and make the playoffs, but the Marlins will not want to have to chase teams down in September.

Down the stretch, the Marlins need more from Sandy Alcantara and the rest of their starting rotation. Last year’s unanimous Cy Young winner has just a 4-10 record so far this season. If he does not pitch like he did a season ago, the Marlins could fall short of their goal of getting back to the postseason.

New York Mets

Given all the money the Mets spent in the offseason last year, it is worth asking if this Mets team is one of the most disappointing in the recent history of Major League Baseball. Despite having accomplished nothing in the recent past, they were considered a favorite to win the National League before the start of the season. If nothing else, this Mets team just proves that money cannot buy wins on the diamond consistently.

The Mets are now over 20 games back of the Braves in the NL East, and they are just waiting to be mathematically eliminated from postseason contention. Their focus will now turn to trying to rebuild their roster to contend for a championship in the future. However, just throwing money at the most attractive options in free agency may not be the brilliant plan that owner Steve Cohen thought it was before the 2023 season.

Washington Nationals

This may sound crazy, but the Washington Nationals deserve a ton of credit for the way they have played baseball in the second half of this season. They are still well below .500 on the year, but they look like they will comfortably avoid the 100-loss mark this season. They could even avoid 90 losses on the year if they continue to play respectable baseball over the next five weeks or so.

While their playoff hopes are slim to none, the Nationals could avoid last place in the NL East, which would be an accomplishment given their expectations early in the year. They are neck and neck with the New York Mets at the bottom of this division. Finishing fourth would not mean anything in the race for the postseason, but would give the Nationals something positive to hang their hats on going into the offseason.

How to Place a Futures Bet on the NL East Division

You can bet on the NL East Division winner on all major sportsbooks. The process is fairly simple. First, you have to log in to the sportsbook. Afterward, you will go to the MLB and click on the Team Futures section or a section with a similar name. You will find the Division Winner odds there and can make your pick. 

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