One spring training prediction for every NL East team

It wouldn’t be surprising if he made the Opening Day roster. After all, what does Miami have to lose? However, if he’s not with the major league team to begin the year, he’ll debut sooner rather than later.

New York Mets | Luisangel Acuna claims starting 2B job from Jeff McNeil

The 2024 season was one to forget for Jeff McNeil. After claiming the 2022 batting title with a .326 average, McNeil batted just .216 in the first half and .238 overall last year. He finished the regular season on the injured list due to a wrist fracture, paving the way for Luisangel Acuna, younger brother of Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr., to make his MLB debut.

In 14 games, Luisangel impressed, slashing .308/.325/.641 with three homers and six RBI. Albeit a small sample size, the Mets are high on him and expect him to play a “huge role” in 2025. 

“I said [Jeff] McNeil is going to be a big part of our team — Luisangel is right there too,” manager Carlos Mendoza said via SNY’s Tom Hanslin. “We keep saying that the young players are going to get opportunities. Luisangel will get his.”

Mendoza mentioned “the young players” — Luisangel is set to turn just 23 on March 12, while McNeil will enter his age-33 season in 2025. It sounds like the Mets favor the youth.

Philadelphia Phillies | Trea Turner returns to batting lead-off

The days of Kyle Schwarber in the lead-off spot may be no longer for the Phillies. After falling short of a championship for three consecutive seasons, something must change in Philadelphia, beginning with the starting lineup. 

Although Schwarber has been solid, with 151 career home runs out of the lead-off spot, he doesn’t fit the mold of a traditional lead-off hitter. He’s batted just .227 batting first, while his teammate Trea Turner has slashed .302/.351/.485 with 121 doubles and 25 triples in 487 games there. Turner is also a threat on the basepaths, while Schwarber does not have that same speed.

Batting him lead-off would make more sense for Philadelphia and likely yield positive results. It appears Turner is on board with the idea, too. 

“I think it would be fun, it would be a little different,” Turner said, per MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. “I haven’t done it for a few years now.”

Washington Nationals | Kyle Finnegan re-signs

Finnegan saved a career-high 38 games in 2024 en route to his first All-Star appearance. Despite this, the Nationals non-tendered him this offseason, and he remains a free agent. It’s a bit of a head-scratcher, but Washington’s closer role is still up for grabs.

The Nats have a few internal options, like Jorge Lopez, Jose A. Ferrer and Colin Poche, but re-signing Finnegan would be the best choice. General manager Mike Rizzo told reporters on Feb. 13 that Washington has “been talking to Finnegan throughout the offseason” about a potential reunion, via Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com (h/t MLB Trade Rumors).

It would be a wise decision. At 33, Finnegan would bring a veteran presence to a young, inexperienced bullpen, and the Nats could enter the year with the solace of knowing that closer is locked down, allowing others to develop at their own pace.