2022 NL East Preview: A three-horse race?

At this time just over a month ago, it didn’t look like we were going to make it to an early April start to the season. Fresh off the latest round of failed collective bargaining agreement negotiations, commissioner Rob Manfred announced MLB was cancelling the first two series of the season and pushing back Opening Day a week.

The more days that went by without the league and MLB Players Association reaching a deal, the more games that would be cancelled. Over the course of a few long days, it looked like no longer like a question of when we would get baseball in 2022, but if.

Then, somehow, someway, on the 99th day of the lockout, they figured things out. The season – all 162 games no less – was saved. And we couldn’t be happier.

With Opening Day just three days away, here is a team-by-team look at the National League East division, which could churn out three pretty good clubs.

2021 Record: 88-73

Key Additions: 1B Matt Olson, C Manny Pina, OF Alex Dickerson, P Kirby Yates, P Collin McHugh

Key Losses: 1B Freddie Freeman, INF/OF Johan Camargo, OF Jorge Soler, OF Christian Pache, OF Joc Pederson, P Chris Martin, P Josh Tomlin, P Richard Rodriguez

The Braves are a good lesson that the MLB season is long and a lot can change. Atlanta was 52-54 at the end of July but finished the season 88-73 for their fourth straight division title and eventually defeated the Houston Astros in six games to win their first World Series title since 1995.

But the Braves were at the centre of possibly the most shocking news of the off-season as they could not agree to an extension with superstar Freddie Freeman and elected to acquire All-Star first baseman Matt Olson in a deal with the Oakland Athletics while Freeman remained a free agent.