The National League is expected to be more competitive than in previous years

The Los Angeles Dodgers are favorites in the West and the St. Louis Cardinals have the lead in the Central. However, there will be an intense battle among the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, and Philadelphia Phillies in the East. The old circuit promises to provide excitement throughout the year.

West Division

Whether it's due to the value of their roster or the talent on their roster, the Dodgers are favorites to repeat as division champions in the National League West. Los Angeles boasts one of the best rotations in the majors, with Julio Urías leading the way ahead of future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw, along with Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, and Noah Syndergaard.

The lineup is highlighted by Mookie Betts, who is coming off his best season with 35 home runs, 82 RBIs, and 154 hits. With the presence of Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Max Muncy, David Peralta, and Chris Taylor, the Dodgers will always have the label of favorites, and anything less than at least reaching the National League Championship Series would be a failure for the team led by Dave Roberts.

The San Diego Padres can put up a good fight with Juan Soto and Manny Machado as their leaders, although much will depend on how many games they can win against the Dodgers. The San Francisco Giants and the Arizona Diamondbacks are a step below, trying to restructure their projects, while it seems like another tough year for the Colorado Rockies, with fewer weapons to compete.

Central Division

The St. Louis Cardinals are favorites to repeat as division champions. The St. Louis team will feature Jack Flaherty as their main pitcher, followed by Jordan Montgomery, Adam Wainwright, Miles Mikolas, and Steven Matz. Mexican Giovanny Gallegos has established himself as their best reliever, with Jordan Hicks, Drew VerHagen, Genesis Cabrera, and Wilking Rodríguez as other reliable arms, while Ryan Helsley will be the closer for them.

As one of the best baseball players in recent years, Nolan Arenado leads the lineup, accompanied by talented players like Willson Contreras and Paul Goldschmidt. The goal is to repeat as division champions and surpass the wild card barrier.

The Milwaukee Brewers, led by Luis Urías, are their main opponents in the division, and even the Chicago Cubs can enter the race if they have a good start. The expectations are not as high for the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates, who will have to wait a bit longer for results.

East Division

It will be the most competitive division in the National League and probably in Major League Baseball this year. The Atlanta Braves have the potential to repeat as champions due to the continuity in their roster. Ronald Acuña hopes to be fully recovered to contribute to a strong team that won the 2021 World Series without him.

Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley, Eddie Rosario, and Marcell Ozuna have formed a perfect chemistry to produce offensively, while Max Fried, who is coming off one of his best seasons in the majors with a record of 14-7, 2.48 ERA, 185.1 innings pitched, 170 strikeouts, and a 1.01 WHIP, leads the rotation.

The New York Mets took an important step and brought in Justin Verlander as part of their rotation, reuniting him with Max Scherzer for the first time since they played for the Detroit Tigers in the American League. Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor, and Starling Marte lead the lineup, with the mission of repeating, at least as a wild card team.

We cannot forget the Philadelphia Phillies, the current champions of the National League, who came close to writing one of the best stories in baseball. Aaron Nola leads the rotation, and Taijuan Walker is expected to provide more strength to this department. J.T. Realmuto, Trea Turner, and Kyle Schwarber will need to carry the offense while Bryce Harper recovers from his elbow surgery.

Despite having one of the best pitchers in Sandy Alcantara (the NL Cy Young winner), the Miami Marlins are still far from competing in their division. The Washington Nationals have moved away from the version that won the Fall Classic in 2019, although Joey Meneses can take the opportunity to become their best player in the lineup.

West Division Teams:

• Arizona Diamondbacks
• Colorado Rockies
• Los Angeles Dodgers
• San Diego Padres
• San Francisco Giants

Central Division Teams:

• Cincinnati Reds
• Chicago Cubs
• Milwaukee Brewers
• Pittsburgh Pirates
• St. Louis Cardinals

East Division Teams:

• Atlanta Braves
• Miami Marlins
• New York Mets
• Philadelphia Phillies
• Washington Nationals