Nats, Cubs, Dodgers all look good to repeat in National League

With the 2018 Major League Baseball

season under way, it’s time to take stock of the National League contenders. Here is a team-by-team preview of each of the three division, with teams presented in order of their anticipated finish.

NL EAST Washington Nationals

2017 record: 97-65, first in NL East What’s new: The Nationals responded to yet another first-round playoff exit by not bringing back Dusty Baker, who directed the team to 192 wins and a pair of division titles the previous two years while managing a combustible clubhouse full of alpha males. Dave Martinez, the longtime right-hand man of Joe Maddon, gets to juggle the likes of Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg in his first managerial gig at any level. Martinez is the biggest addition for a team that otherwise brings back every key contributor from a team that wasn’t threatened in the NL East last year after Memorial Day.

New York Mets

2017 record: 70-92, fourth in NL East What’s new: The Mets spent most of the winter being hammered for their frugality before signing first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, third baseman Todd Frazier, outfielder Jay Bruce and starting pitcher Jason Vargas in the new year. They earlier signed free agent pitcher Anthony Swarzak. The Mets hope their biggest addition is manager Mickey Callaway. The former Indians pitching coach replaces Terry Collins, who was the longest-tenured manager in franchise history before he and the Mets agreed to part ways following last year’s disastrous season. It will be up to Callaway to coax the potential out of a rotation made up of exciting yet injury-prone 20-somethings.

Atlanta Braves

2017 record: 72-90, third in NL East What’s new: The Braves’ long-term rebuilding effort continued with a series of low-risk pickups, including a trade for outfielder Preston Tucker, the waiver acquisitions of infielder Christian Colon and pitcher Chase Whitley and the late-winter signings of free agent catcher Chris Stewart and pitcher Peter Moylan. The most notable move was the salary-dump trade of outfielder Matt Kemp to the Dodgers in exchange for a package that included first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and pitchers Scott Kazmir and Brandon McCarthy. While McCarthy will open the season in the rotation, Gonzalez was released almost immediately and Kazmir was dropped at the end of spring training.

Philadelphia Phillies

2017 record: 66-96, fifth in NL East What’s new: The Phillies, who have been in rebuilding mode for years, made two of the more surprising moves of the offseason by signing first baseman Carlos Santana and pitcher Jake Arrieta to contracts worth a combined $115 million guaranteed. They also bolstered the bullpen by spending more than $37 million on free agents Tommy Hunter and Pat Neshek at the winter meetings. The pricey additions suggest the Phillies believe they are ready to take the next step, one they will try to reach with new manager Gabe Kapler, who moves into the dugout after spending several years in the front offices of the Rays and Dodgers.

Miami Marlins

2017 record: 77-85, second in NL East What’s new: Stop us if what’s new sounds old: The Marlins tore it all down, again. Twenty years after the Marlins dismantled a reigning World Series champion, a new ownership group led by Derek Jeter traded an entire outfield of 20-something All-Stars. For Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich and reigning NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton, the Marlins received seven prospects and four major-leaguers, including second baseman Starlin Castro and outfielders Lewis Brinson and Magneuris Sierra. The Marlins also traded two-time NL stolen base champion Dee Gordon to the Mariners for three minor-leaguers. In February, they actually signed a major-leaguer when outfielder Cameron Maybin inked a one-year deal.

NL CENTRAL Chicago Cubs

2017 record: 92-70, first in NL Central What’s new: Yu ready? The answer to that question could determine if Chicago recovers from its year-long World Series hangover. The Cubs are betting that Yu Darvish, who when last seen was being bombed out of Game 7 of the World Series, will seamlessly replace Jake Arrieta in their rotation. Another former Dodger, Brandon Morrow, whose overworked arm resembled a thin strand of spaghetti by World Series’ end, replaces Wade Davis as the closer. Under the radar, former Colorado starter Tyler Chatwood could benefit from escaping the pitcher’s hell known as Coors Field. And Steve Cishek figures to add depth to the bullpen.

Milwaukee Brewers

2017 record: 86-76, second in NL Central

What’s new: Few teams in baseball made a bigger offseason splash than one of its surprise teams from 2017. The 86-win Brewers got a whole lot better on January 25, when they acquired Miami’s Christian Yelich and signed Kansas City’s Lorenzo Cain to beef up their outfield. Yelich and Cain will hit Nos. 1 and 2 in the order and team with Domingo Santana (or Ryan Braun when he is not at first base) to form one of the top outfields in the game. Milwaukee also added Jhoulys Chacin to fortify its rotation, although it remains to be seen if Chacin’s good 2017 was a sign of things to come or an outlier fueled by pitcher-friendly Petco Park.

St. Louis Cardinals

2017 record: 83-79, third in NL Central What’s new: The Cardinals shipped prospects to Miami to acquire Marcell Ozuna and his 37 homers, notable considering that Marlins Park isn’t known for being hitter-friendly. Playing in a more neutral park such as Busch Stadium could boost Ozuna over the 40 mark. However, St. Louis spent the winter satisfying its pitching needs at Dollar General. Signing Miles Mikolas for the rotation, as well as Luke Gregerson and Bud Norris for the bullpen’s back end, moved the needle absolutely zero iotas. Gregerson, who pitched to a 4.57 ERA last year for the World Series champion Astros, will start the year on the disabled list due to a hamstring injury.

Pittsburgh Pirates

2017 record: 75-87, fourth in NL Central

What’s new: By trading ace Gerrit Cole to Houston and face-of-the-franchise outfielder Andrew McCutchen to San Francisco in the offseason, the Pirates admitted their window with the nucleus that got them into three straight postseasons is closed. Versatile Josh Harrison, who figures to draw the Opening Day start at second base, has let his displeasure be known, so the trading might not be done. Depending on when the organization opts to trade more veterans, fresh faces could dot this roster for a lot of the season’s second half. The addition of power-hitting Corey Dickerson, jettisoned by Tampa Bay, should give the lineup a power boost.

Cincinnati Reds

2017 record: 68-94, fifth in NL Central What’s new: Contending for something besides a top-10 draft pick would be a novel concept, and given how callow the rotation is, that eventuality might be another year away. But given this team’s solid lineup and defense, the Reds could graduate from terrible to the fringes of contention if the rotation belies its inexperience. A case can be made that young right-handers Luis Castillo and Tyler Mahle are capable of performing above league-average numbers, which is more than could be said for this rotation the last two years. That would be a good first step in the right direction.

NL WEST Los Angeles Dodgers

2017 record: 104-58, first in NL West What’s new: Matt Kemp had his biggest years with the Dodgers, and he is back after stops in San Diego and Atlanta. Kemp’s return could be extremely fortuitous inasmuch as Justin Turner is expected to miss at least the first two months, maybe more, after fracturing his left wrist when he was struck by a pitch in spring training. Kemp has seen his almost-40/40 skills of 2010 naturally regress with age, but he did hit a combined 35 homers with the Padres and Braves in 2016.

Colorado Rockies

2017 record: 87-75, third in NL West What’s new: Look who’s back. Franchise icon Carlos Gonzalez re-signed a one-year contract late in spring training after finding no takers on the unusually tight-for-quality-players free agent market. Cargo is still a strong two-way player, and his addition further thickens the lineup. For the second year in a row, the Rockies spent money on a bullpen remake, giving three-year deals to closer Wade Davis ($52 million) and setup man Bryan Shaw ($27 million). Both have been through the playoff wars, as has catcher Chris Iannetta, who returned home to add a veteran presence to handle a young staff.

Arizona Diamondbacks

2017 record: 93-69, second in NL West What’s new: Steven Souza Jr. was obtained from Tampa Bay to do the impossible -- take over for J.D. Martinez, who became one of the most historically impactful trade-deadline acquisitions by producing 29 homers and 65 RBIs in 62 games with Arizona last year. Souza will open the season on the disabled list with a pectoral injury. Ketel Marte, a better glove, will take over second base, a position that opened after Brandon Drury was traded to the Yankees. The D-backs also added potential closer Brad Boxberger from the Rays and signed Japanese closer candidate Yoshihisa Hirano to a two-year, $6 million deal. Alex Avila will platoon behind the plate, and speedy outfielder Jarrod Dyson is a backup option.

San Francisco Giants

2017 record: 64-98, fifth in NL West What’s new: The Giants did some major retooling in the offseason, trading for All-Stars Evan Longoria and Andrew McCutchen, adding production to a lineup in dire need of a reboot. Longoria averaged 26 homers and 89 RBIs in his 10 years in Tampa Bay, won three Gold Gloves and missed only 12 games in the past five years. McCutchen had 28 homers last year, the second-highest total of his career, and his career averages are 22 homers and 81 RBIs. While his days in center field may be over, he still will be an athletic presence in the brick-tricky right field at AT&T Park. Austin Jackson will add defense and speed after signing a twoyear free agent deal.

San Diego Padres

2017 record: 71-91, fourth in NL West What’s new: The Padres surprised some by spending big coin on free agent Eric Hosmer (eight years, $144 million), but they see him as the cornerstone of a return to contention. Hosmer is a natural leader, and his defense is better than his numbers suggest, agent Scott Boras vows. Free agent additions Freddy Galvis and Chase Headley anchor the left side of the infield. Galvis is a solid pro, and Headley has returned to the scene of his greatest successes, including a 31-homer, 115-RBI season in 2012. Submarining Japanese reliever Kazuhisa Makita, 33, signed a two-year deal over the winter.