Last season, the New York Mets captivated the baseball world with a Cinderella Run to the National League Championship Series. They would lose to the eventual World Series Champions the Los Angeles Dodgers, but it was enough to garner high expectations for this season. The Atlanta Braves are looking to rebound following a disappointing season in 2024 after the team won the World Series in 2023. We also can’t count out the Philadelphia Phillies, which have one of the strongest lineups in the majors and one of the strongest rotations.
So, which team is the best bet to win the National League East division in 2025? It is truly a three-horse race, with all due respect to the Washington Nationals, and one of the strongest divisions in baseball. If you’re thinking of betting on the MLB futures for the National League East division, you’ve come to the right place.
NL East Division Betting
The Atlanta Braves
The 2023 World Series Champions are amongst the favourites to win the NL East Division, according to BetVictor Canada’s MLB 2025 Outright odds board. One look at the Braves’ roster and it’s easy to see why. From top to bottom, Atlanta has one of the most complete lineups in baseball and they won’t even have 2023 National League MVP Award winner Ronald Acuna Jr. until May at the earliest. Acuna is recovering from his second torn ACL in four years.
Until Acuna returns, the Braves lineup will still have Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Michael Harris II, Marcel Ozuna, and recently-signed Jurickson Profar. But perhaps the true strength of the Braves lineup is its pitching. When healthy, Atlanta boasts one of the top rotations in baseball anchored by reigning National League Cy Young Winner Chris Sale. Behind him, youngsters Spencer Schwellenbach and AJ Smith-Shawver will be vying for rotation spots and holding down the fort until one of the best young arms in baseball, Spencer Strider, returns from injury. In the bullpen, the Braves have one of the best closers in the game in Raisel Iglesias.
The New York Mets
In the offseason, the New York Mets managed to sign generational superstar Juan Soto away from their cross-town rivals, the New York Yankees. Owner Steve Cohen awarded Soto the largest contract in the history of professional sports: 15 years and $765 million. Soto played one season in the Bronx and helped lead the Yankees to the World Series where they would lose to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. The Mets also re-signed slugger Pete Alonso. With Soto, Alonso, and Francisco Lindor, the Mets have one of the best top of the lineups in the MLB.
Pitching is the question mark for the Mets this year. The Mets got back a healthy Kodai Senga to start the year and re-signed Sean Manaea, who started the season on the Injured List with a right oblique injury. Franke Montas has also missed a few months of the season with a high-grade lat strain.
In Spring Training, the Mets starters held their own. Ex-Yankees reliever turned starter Clay Holmes dominated in Grapefruit League action and was named the club’s Opening Day starter. The Mets also have returning southpaw David Peterson and free agent Griffin Canning to round out the rotation. It’s not as deep as Atlanta’s pitching staff but the Mets made it to the National League Championship Series with a patchwork rotation last season.
If the Mets want to challenge for the division and return for a deep playoff run in October, they’ll need to see contributions from other members of the lineup. They’ll need Mark Vientos to continue his ascent into a major league power hitter and will need something from the back of the lineup. Catcher Francisco Alvarez missed the first couple months of the year with a broken hamate bone, putting even more pressure on the Mets’ offense.
The Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies won the NL East division last year with a record of 95-67 but lost in the National League Divisional series to the New York Mets. Does that mean the Phillies deserve the third-highest odds to win the division in 2025?
Philadelphia arguably has the best rotation of the three top NL East teams. Led by workhorses Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, the rotation is boosted by youngster Christopher Sanchez and the recently added Jesus Luzardo. This could also be the year that top prospect Andrew Painter finally makes a big-league impact.
Where the Phillies lack is in the bullpen. Currently, former Toronto Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano is projected to be the closer, with former starters converted to bullpen arms like Joe Ross and Taijuan Walker stepping into new roles.
The offense is once again led by Bryce Harper and Trea Turner. Like the Mets, the Phillies are top-heavy and lack the lineup depth that Atlanta enjoys. Philly also has Alec Bolm and Kyle Schwarber, but it’s a fairly motley crew after that. The only major addition this offseason was former Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler.
Best Bet to Win the NL East Division
The odds for each team aren’t too different, so there isn’t really a wrong choice. The most likely outcome is that Atlanta returns to form and reverts to the mean as long as they can stay healthy. The only problem is the odds market already anticipates that according to BetVictor.
But the best bet to win the NL East division this year is likely the New York Mets. It’s not a huge increase in your payout but the Braves have a lot of injury questions left to be answered. They closed last season without Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, and Ronald Acuna Jr., due to injuries. There’s no guarantee any of them return to their previous forms.
The Mets added the best pure hitter in baseball and get back Kodai Senga to their rotation. While injuries have struck their lineup early in Spring Training, the Mets can overcome this and have a strong finish to the year if their rotation can get healthy. Take the slight bump in the payout for a Mets team with a higher floor but potentially lower ceiling than Atlanta.
Can the Atlanta Braves Win the World Series in 2025?
The Braves will need all of their stars to return from injury and return to form if they want to take on the Dodgers in the playoffs. A healthy Chris Sale and Spencer Strider is the only way the Braves can hold up against the Dodgers’ all-star lineup. Atlanta also needs Ronald Acuna to return to his MVP form coming off his second torn ACL.
Can the New York Mets Win the World Series in 2025?
Absolutely. The Mets’ addition of Juan Soto could be enough to propel them back to the playoffs. The team has an extremely top-heavy lineup and will need another extraordinary year from its rotation if it hopes to challenge the Dodgers in October. The bullpen looks like it could be a nice surprise this year with the addition of A.J. Minter and potential emergence of arms like Max Kranick to support closer Edwin Diaz.
Can the Philadelphia Phillies Win the World Series in 2025?
The Phillies have a strong enough rotation but fall short on offense and will be challenged by the strength of the Dodgers’ rotation. The Phillies have the lowest odds of the three teams for a reason, although you never know what will happen in baseball. Some injury luck and another MVP-like season from Bryce Harper could propel the Phillies back to the World Series.
NL East FAQs
As of now, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the heavy favourites to win the National League Pennant and the World Series according to BetVictor’s MLB Outrights odds board.
Last season, the Philadelphia Phillies won the NL East Division with a record of 95-67, beating out the New York Mets. The Mets would get their revenge on the Phillies by beating them in the NL Division playoff series.
