So far this offseason, no division has been as aggressive in the aggregate as the five teams in the National League East. Whether spending big on free agents, making trades for star players or promising to spend stupid money, the Nationals, Mets, Braves and Phillies are all looking to make the playoffs this season, and even the Marlins are making news by entertaining potential trades for star catcher J.T. Realmuto.
Let's take a look at what the teams have done so far, how that has impacted their 2019 playoff odds since the end of the season -- with an assist from FanGraphs' Dan Szymborski -- and what they might still do to help themselves even further.
The Nationals signed this winter's best available free-agent starting pitcher in Patrick Corbin. They shored up their catching spot, their weakest position, by signing Kurt Suzuki and trading for Yan Gomes, and they added bullpen help by signing Trevor Rosenthal and trading for Kyle Barraclough. The team might be losing Bryce Harper to free agency, but the Nationals are nevertheless positioning themselves very well to get back to the playoffs next season. They moved Tanner Roark to Cincinnati at the winter meetings, but gaining Corbin is still a big plus for the rotation.
