After the New York Mets were eliminated from postseason contention in 2025, the Philadelphia Phillies stood as the only hope of a World Series Championship for the N.L. East Division. As everyone reading this is all too aware, the defending champion Dodgers dashed those hopes in a four-game Division Series loss on the way to back-to-back World Series Championships.
Philadelphia appears to be on track to lose one (or more) major contracts to free agency, while the Mets already have players scrambling to get away from Citi Field (...looking at you, Pete Alonso). The sub-80-win teams of the N.L. East—the Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, and Washington Nationals—all appear well-positioned to add to their rosters during the 2025 MLB offseason, if they choose to.
Things have started to spiral out of control at Citizens Bank Park after GM Dave Dombrowski said the inside part out loud to a bunch of reporters when he was wondering if Bryce Harper “becomes elite or he continues to be good.” Harper responded that he was “hurt” by the comments, according to ESPN. It was indeed a choice to criticize a superstar who has six years remaining on a $330 million contract… and a no-trade clause.
Ahead of free agency, the Phillies are on the verge of losing one or more of three members of this team’s core: designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, catcher J.T. Realmuto, and/or Ranger Suarez. Harrison Bader appears to be electing free agency over his $10 million player option after thanking Phillies fans on social media.
The Phillies have picked up a $9 million club option on Jose Alvarado’s contract on Nov. 5. Philly did submit qualifying offers on Suarez and Schwarber, which would return draft pick compensation (assuming the player doesn’t accept the one-year offer before the Nov. 18 deadline). According to Spotrac, the Phillies have an estimated $15.6 million under the projected competitive balance tax threshold of $244 million. Philadelphia is committed to $201 million in guaranteed contracts, the fifth-highest mark in baseball, without any additions to the current payroll.
The New York Mets' season ended during an eight-game losing streak near the beginning of September, which included a four-game sweep by the Phillies. The Mets tried to rally late, but New York watched the playoff chaos unfold without being in the mix after a magical run to the National League Championship Series (NLCS) during the 2024 MLB postseason.
Despite opt-outs from Alonso and Edwin Diaz, New York is the second-highest spender in baseball at $223M, including a whopping 34% of luxury tax space designated for Juan Soto ($51M) and Francisco Lindor ($34M). Frankie Montas ($17M) and A.J. Minter ($11M) are returning to Queens after accepting their player options. New York picked up the option on Brooks Raley ($4.75M), while declining Drew Smith’s option ($2M).
Still, the Mets feature $9.1M in projected tax space, and owner Steve Cohen has shown a willingness to pay the tax when necessary. New York’s roster will be highly similar to the 2025 club, but the Mets always loom as a possibility to add a $20M+ addition via free agency or trade.
The Miami Marlins exceeded expectations with a 79-83 record during the 2025 season. The Marlins currently have the lowest payroll in the majors at $33 million in committed salaries for the 2026 season. Currently, Miami is not projected to have a player reach free agency on their roster until after the 2028 season, assuming Sandy Alcantara and his $11 million salary remain with the team for that long.
Miami’s only guaranteed contract on the books in 2026 is the deal with Alcantra. The remaining $22M in commitments are to players who are still on arbitration and/or pre-arbitration contracts. The Marlins have a projected $180M in space under the salary tax limit, but Miami ownership has not shown a willingness to spend money in free agency.
The Atlanta Braves' season was derailed by injuries, leading to a sub-.500 record during the 2025 campaign. The Braves are scheduled to lose veterans Charlie Morton, Marcell Ozuna, Ha-Seong Kim, and Raisel Iglesias to free agency this summer. Per Spotrac, Atlanta is committed to $174M in salaries for the 2025 season, which is the eighth-highest in the MLB. The Braves have a projected $54 million in luxury tax space.
Atlanta retained Chris Sale ($18M) and Ozzie Albies ($7M) on club options. In comparison, general manager Alex Anthopoulos will look to rebuild the bullpen after declining player options on relievers Pierce Johnson ($7M) and Tyler Kinley ($5M).
Perhaps more important than the free agent signing was the decision to promote Walt Weiss from within the organization, after Atlanta missed the postseason for the first time in seven seasons. Weiss coached the Colorado Rockies from 2013 to 2016, compiling a 283-365 record. The Braves team he inherits, featuring a lineup of Ronald Acuna Jr., Matt Olson, and Austin Riley, could allow Weiss to win quickly in Atlanta.
The Washington Nationals were a scrappy bunch despite what their 66-win season would indicate. Washington had a winning record in one-run ballgames at 24-18, meaning if you let the Nationals stick around in the contest, there was a good chance you’d pay for it. Washington is scheduled to lose Jorge Alfaro, Paul DeJong, and Josh Bell to free agency this summer.
Washington features $70 million in commitments for the 2026 season, ranking it as the 20th-ranked spending team in baseball. The Nationals have a projected $130M of free space under the MLB luxury tax for 2026. The former franchise from Montreal doesn’t appear to be in build mode yet, so don’t expect a free agency flurry from Nationals ownership this summer.
