The dream lineup and rotation for every NL East team

The NL East only produced one postseason team in 2025, as the Philadelphia Phillies gradually separated from the crowd and the New York Mets imploded down the stretch. But that could change dramatically in 2026. The Atlanta Braves are a postseason juggernaut just waiting on good health. Meanwhile, the Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals are only a couple feisty moves away from potentially crashing the party.

We know the Marlins plan to spend more. The Nats hired one of the brightest young baseball execs in MLB to lead their clubhouse. And the Braves, Mets and Phillies all plan, rather unambiguously, to win the division next season. But only one team can, and October slots are limited. So, let's map out the dream (realistic) 2026 lineups and rotations for all five NL East teams. You can pick your poison from there.

Washington Nationals

Dream Lineup

The Washington Nationals recently hired 35-year-old Paul Toboni, a former Red Sox exec, to lead their baseball operations. On the surface, it's a savvy move, bringing in fresh blood and forward-thinking ideas into a clubhouse that desperately needs them. All signs point to Washington continuing on its current rebuilding path, but there's always room for optimism in the early stages of free agency.

There has been hope, for a while, that Washington might actually spend on a cornerstone bat. Pete Alonso was lightly connected to the Nats last offseason and could, in theory, end up on their radar again this winter. It's a long shot — and it depends on how rabid the market is — but it'd give Alonso a chance to remain in the northeast, in the only division he knows.

There is a lot of power concentrated near the top of Washington's lineup in this case, as Wood, Abrams, Alonso and Lile can all hit for 20-plus home runs and 70-plus RBI in a good year (potentially 40-plus home runs, in the cases of Wood and Alonso). Add in a trade candidate like Josh Jung, an excellent defender at the hot corner with the potential to rebound offensively after a quiet 2025 campaign, and the Nats start to feel like a real team without fully breaking the bank.

Dream Rotation

The Nationals aren't going to pay sticker price on top free agent pitchers, but trading for an ironman starter like Mitch Keller (30-plus appearances in four straight seasons) would do them a lot of good. Mackenize Gore has come up in trade rumors of late, but the Nationals simply cannot sacrifice that much upside. Let him cook for another year and revisit any uncertainty over the future in 2027, hopefully after Gore has taken a leap and elevated his profile even further.

Jake Bennett, the 24-year-old lefty and Washington's No. 10 prospect, gives them another southpaw with upside to anchor the top half of the rotation. Cade Cavalli and Brad Lord aren't world-beaters, but ideally they can stay healthy and rebound enough to serve as competent fourth and fifth starters on a frisky wild card team.

Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins plan to spend a bit more this winter after an unexpectedly competitive season. This team has a solid foundation — a burgeoning young outfield, ace-level starters, and a fun bullpen crew — but the offense needs more depth.

Enter Alec Bohm, a controllable corner infielder with excellent contact metrics, who was batting cleanup for a division rival in the playoffs. If the Phillies attempt to upgrade his spot at third base, Bohm could be a nice value add for the Marlins, especially if he moves to first base, which mitigates defensive concerns. Bohm won't hit a lot of home runs, but he rips doubles and stacks RBIs the ethical way.

As for whom the Marlins can actually spend on in free agency, Jorge Polanco checks a lot of boxes. Extremely productive, but not too expensive, with enough shortcomings to fall into Miami's price range as high-profile contenders aim higher. He can split time between DH and second base for the Marlins after logging an .821 OPS and 134 OPS+ for the No. 2 seed Mariners in 2025.

Dream Rotation

The Marlins could trade Sandy Alcántara and Edward Cabrera, two controllable ace-adjacent arms who generated significant buzz around the July deadline. That said, if Miami wants to take the next step, trading their best pitchers is a bad strategy. Alcántara is a full year removed from elbow surgery and should settle into a more consistent output. Cabrera, 27, and Eury Pérez, 22, have bright futures ahead of 'em. Miami is actually allowed to invest in their futures, believe it or not. It simply takes commitment from the front office and ownership.

Jose Quintana would come over from Milwaukee after posting a 3.96 ERA across 24 starts last season. The veteran southpaw isn't a go-to arm in October or anything like that, but he's a durable and consistent option for a team in need of stabilizers. It can't hurt to let Quintana be a leader in the clubhouse and then reconsider his future in July if the season spoils.

Atlanta Braves

Dream Lineup

The Atlanta Braves finished fourth in the AL East last season, a disappointing outcome for such a talented roster. Alex Anthopoulos feels the pressure, now more than ever, to deliver a winner. This team should not be struggling to maintain relevance.

A lot of Atlanta's problems would be solved with better injury luck. That's not something the Braves can improve through free agency. That said, there is room to upgrade the roster. Bo Bichette is easily the most appealing solution to Atlanta's lack of production at shortstop. Sure, the defense is a concern, but Bichette is a stupid good hitter. He generates consistent hard contact to all areas of the field and can hit just about anything. He won't ratchet up the power a ton, but as the No. 2 bat behind Ronald Acuña Jr., he's a serious elevating force for Atlanta.

Brandon Lowe is due $11.5 million in 2026, the final year of his contract. That means Tampa Bay can't ask for an arm and a leg in trade negotiations. He would split time between second base and DH for Atlanta, giving them 30-home run power. If Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris can turn back the clock, even a little bit, this team might lead MLB in homers and rocket to the top of the NL standings again.

Dream Rotation

Again, the Braves just need better injury luck on the rotation front. Spencer Strider can quite feasibly regain ace status after a full, healthy offseason. Reynaldo López might be the odd man out, but he was an All-Star a year ago and he should still factor into Atlanta's pitching calculus.

That said, if the Braves can add one frontline ace to the mix behind Chris Sale, while hoping for another leap from Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep, this team becomes almost bulletproof on paper. Freddy Peralta was a fringe Cy Young candidate in 2025 and the best pitcher for the NL's No. 1 seed. He's due $8 million in the final year of his contract. He'd take Atlanta to the next level.

New York Mets

Dream Lineup

The New York Mets are blessed with the deepest pockets in MLB, and thus all things feel possible. David Stearns doesn't actually have a blank check, of course, but the Mets can bid competitively for every major free agent if motivated.

The Brandon Nimmo-Marcus Semien trade did a couple things for New York. It added a right-handed bat to the lineup and reinforced the defense. It also opened up a gaping hole in the outfield, which Kyle Tucker — this offseason's great white whale — would plug neatly into. Tucker, 28, is still in his prime. He finished last season with an .841 OPS and 143 OPS+, adding 22 home runs and 25 stolen bases. He offers superb protection behind Juan Soto and another layer of consistency atop the Mets lineup.

Ryan O'Hearn hit 17 home runs and posted an .803 OPS last season. He's an affordable Pete Alonso replacement, as Stearns seems unlikely to re-sign the Polar Bear. Trade Jeff McNeil, call up No. 3 prospect Carson Benge to slug in center field, and this Mets lineup stacks up against any team in MLB.

Dream Rotation

The Mets' rotation was their undoing last season. It seems like Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat probably need a bit more seasoning in the Minors, but Nolan McLean burst onto the scene as an immediate 1A ace. New York should happily invest in his continued ascent.

New York has the money, in theory, to spend $40 million-plus annually on Tucker and still upgrade the rotation in a significant way. Joe Ryan would require a weighty return package in a trade, but he's under team control through 2027 at a bargain price and would give the Mets that elusive second ace. If Kodai Senga can stay healthy, and if Clay Holmes can build on the success of last season, New York's rotation is in a much better place.

Philadelphia Phillies

Dream Lineup

The Philadelphia Phillies have several potential pathways to improvement, but if Dave Dombrowski is finally ready to live up to his reputation, their offseason spending needs to start with Kyle Schwarber. The NL MVP runner-up is absolutely essential to the Phillies' offense and there is simply no replacing his blend of raw power and approach on the open market, with all due respect to Pete Alonso and Munetaka Murakami.

From there, the Phillies ought to poke around top outfielders, such as Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger. But their most realistic haul might be Alex Bregman, who'd serve as a long-awaited upgrade over Alec Bohm at third base. Bregman is an extremely disciplined hitter with a long track record of postseason success, which is precisely what the Phillies need.

The Red Sox appear anxious to trade one of their outfielders. Wilyer Abreu delivers equal parts slugging and defense in right field, and he's under team control through 2029. Call up No. 3 prospect Justin Crawford, one of the best contact hitters in the Minors, to fill the gap in centerfield, and the Phillies' lineup is sitting pretty.

Dream Rotation

The Phillies don't need to change anything here. Get Zack Wheeler healthy, re-sign Ranger Suárez, and this rotation stacks up with the very best in MLB. Keeping Suárez is easier said than done, and top free agents like Dylan Cease or Tatsuya Imai, will catch the eyes of a rabid fanbase. But Suárez has been a postseason machine in Philadelphia. Dombrowski can't overthink it.

Top prospect Andrew Painter could also factor in here, but after a turbulent Triple-A season in 2025, the Phillies should probably take it slow and think of him more as a midsummer call-up, rather than an Opening Week lock.