Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
It’s no surprise at this point, but over the last week only two of the five teams in the NL East are in the same position they were seven days ago. The Mets in first and the Nationals in last bookend an ever-revolving middle three teams.
The Phillies have been more Mr. Hyde than Dr. Jekyll lately, falling from second to fourth place, but have the same amount of wins as the two teams ahead of them and more two more than the first-place Mets.
Speaking of the Mets; what in the world is going on in Queens? New York has 17 players on the Injured List, including four center fielders. Caught in the middle of a 17-game stretch, the Mets are desperately clinging to first place in the division, but the door is wide open for any team competent enough to walk through.
1. New York Mets (22-20)
Last 10: 4-6
Who’s Hot: Tomas Nido
Now in his fifth year, Nido has never been more than a backup catcher bouncing between triple-a and the majors. Getting a chance as the starter due to a slumping James McCann, Nido has slashed .300/.349/.575 with three homers and nine RBI in the month of May. His two-run homer was the difference in the Mets 3-1 win over the Rockies Tuesday, snapping a three-game losing streak.
Who’s Not: Cameron Maybin
The Mets need something out of Maybin after trading for him last week due to their rash of injuries. The veteran is still a versatile and capable outfielder, but is 0-for-21 with 11 strikeouts in six games since joining the club.
Injury Report
Here’s a brief synopsis of the dire injury situation the Mets have found themselves in:
Starting pitchers: Taijuan Walker, Noah Syndergaard, Carlos Carrasco, Jordan Yamamoto
Relievers: Seth Lugo, Tommy Hunter, Dellin Betances
Starting position players: Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto, Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, J.D. Davis
Bench players: Luis Guillorme, Kevin Pillar, Albert Almora Jr., Johneshwy Fargas, Jose Martinez
Outlook
Getting Jacob deGrom back – who was activated off the IL on Tuesday and threw five innings of one-run ball, striking out nine – will surely be a boost, but the Mets basically have to hope they can tread water throughout the month of June without any of the other NL East teams getting too hot.
If they can survive until July without any substantial losing streaks, the Mets should be in good shape at the halfway point considering the circumstances – but that’s a big if.
2. Atlanta Braves (24-25, 1.5 GB)
Last 10: 6-4
Who’s Hot: Dansby Swanson
The former No. 1 overall pick is raking over his last seven games, slashing .462/.481/1.000 with three homers and five RBI. The shortstop’s hot streak has added another dimension to a lineup already boasting Ronald Acuna Jr., Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies and the surging Austin Riley.
Who’s Not: William Contreras
The rookie catcher has shown flashes, and his .816 OPS is certainly impressive, but the 23-year-old is slashing just .150/.280/.300 over his last seven games, with 10 strikeouts in 20 at bats.
Injury Report
The Braves lost a key bat when Marcell Ozuna injured his hand sliding into third on Tuesday. The big righty fractured two fingers and will miss at least six weeks while they heal.
Outlook
Losing Ozuna on top of already-injured starting catcher Travis d’Arnaud hurts, but the Braves are in a pretty enviable place, all things considered. Sitting in second place just a game behind New York, Atlanta faces the depleted Mets in a three-game set over the weekend with every opportunity to grab the top spot.
2. Miami Marlins (24-25, 1.5 GB)
Last 10: 7-3
Who’s Hot: Garrett Cooper
The 30-year-old is scorching hot over the last week, slashing a mind-blowing .500/.556/1.042. His exclamation point came in the form of a two-run walk-off homer against the Mets on Saturday.
Who’s Not: Jesus Aguilar
After a fiery start to the year, Aguilar has cooled immensely of late. The first baseman is hitting just .192 and slugging .231 over his last seven games, but could be showing signs of life, going 4-for-12 over his last three games against the Phillies.
Injury Report
Third baseman Brian Anderson was placed on the IL with a shoulder injury and will miss several weeks. Jazz Chisholm Jr., who returned from the IL last week, is day-to-day with a mild ankle sprain.
Outlook
Don’t look now, but here come the Marlins. No other team in the division has created any sort of cushion, while the already pesky Marlins are starting to get healthy. Catcher Jorge Alfaro was activated from the IL this week, and center fielder Starling Marte is set to begin a rehab assignment.
Add in starters Sixto Sanchez and Elieser Hernandez, who will at some point join an already impressive young rotation, and the Marlins could suddenly become a division contender.
4. Philadelphia Phillies (24-26, 2 GB)
Last 10: 3-7
Who’s Hot: Rhys Hoskins
The Phillies desperately need Hoskins to be at his best with injuries to several key pieces, and the first baseman is delivering. Over his last 15 games, Hoskins is slashing .346/.462/.519 and his two-run homer on Tuesday gave the Phils a much-needed 2-0 win in Miami.
Who’s Not: Brandon Kintzler
The Phillies signed the veteran Kintzler hoping he would add stability to a historically bad 2020 bullpen. That hasn’t been the case though as the righty is sporting an 8.22 ERA over the first two months of the year. In his last outing Monday, Kintzler went just 0.1 innings and allowed four runs.
Injury Report
Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto were both placed on the IL this past week after sitting a few days with the hope they’d be able to avoid the shelf longer-term. Realmuto is eligible to return Saturday, but the team is unsure if he’ll need more time as he recovers from a bone bruise on his left hand.
Outlook
Losers of six of their last eight six has dropped the Phillies from second to fourth in the division. Still, Philly is just two games out of first, and can get right back in the mix of things with even a modest winning streak. That’s easier said than done without Harper, Realmuto and Didi Gregorius, but if the NL East has shown anything through two months, it’s that mediocrity is good enough.
5. Washington Nationals (20-24, 3 GB)
Last 10: 5-5
Who’s Hot: Ryan Zimmerman
Mr. National is showing he still has something left in the tank. In a limited role, the 36-year-old is hitting .313 with five homers and 14 RBI on the year. Over his last seven games Zimmerman boasts an OPS of .918 and his three-run homer on Saturday broke a 6-6 tie in the fourth inning of an eventual 12-9 win over the Orioles. In that game, Zimmerman became the franchise’s (Nationals and Expos) all-time leader in runs scored with 948, passing Hall of Famer Tim Raines.
Who’s Not: Jon Lester
The veteran lefty has had a May to forget so far, pitching to a 6.64 ERA over four starts. In his last two, Lester has allowed 11 runs and four homers in 9.1 innings of work.
Injury Report
Center fielder Victor Robles was placed on the IL Sunday after spraining his ankle last week. There’s no timetable for his return.
Outlook
Even at four games under .500, the struggling Nationals still aren’t out of the underperforming division. They’re even in the loss column with the second-place Braves and actually have less losses than the Marlins and Phillies. COVID-19 and weather postponements means the Nats have played less games than all their counterparts – aside from the Mets – and thus, have an opportunity to make up ground in a hurry.
