DALLAS -- The NL East is never boring. It’s a division where payrolls soar, rivalries run deep, and no one has time to rebuild quietly. So, as we inch closer to 2025, the managers in this always-fascinating corner of baseball are already shaping their plans.
Four of the managers spoke on Monday at the Winter Meetings, and Rob Thomson is scheduled to speak today.
Let’s take a lap around the division, where optimism is high, but challenges loom.
Dave Martinez – Washington Nationals
Here’s a sentence we haven’t written in a while: The Nationals have a bright future.
Yes, Washington might finally be onto something after years of soul-searching and trade-deadline fire sales. Manager Dave Martinez is buzzing about the development of the young core, particularly Cade Cavalli and James Wood, and he sees the foundation of a contender beginning to take shape.
Of course, in a division where Steve Cohen could buy a small country and the Braves seem to manufacture All-Stars in a lab, the Nats face an uphill climb. But Martinez isn’t fazed. He’s banking on his collection of prospects—many acquired in the Juan Soto blockbuster—to level the playing field.
Martinez also gave a shoutout to José Tena, a versatile infielder whose instincts have caught his eye.
Brian Snitker – Atlanta Braves
Over in Atlanta, Brian Snitker spent his offseason reflecting on what life looks like without Travis d’Arnaud. Spoiler: It’s not just about filling a stat line.
"It's always going to be difficult when you lose somebody of Travis's pedigree and what he brings to your team. It's more about the guy. He's a great player. Has been for a long time."
Leadership is everywhere in Atlanta, where players like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Michael Harris II set the tone. Speaking of Harris, Snitker has a message for NL pitchers: Don’t sleep on him.
"I mean, he's a special talent. We can keep him on the field for 150-plus games, he's got a chance are of being a really, really good, strong middle of the back guy, middle of the lineup back guy."
And let’s not forget the pitching staff. Joe Jiménez’s late-season surgery was a setback, but Snitker believes the bullpen will weather the storm, with guys like Pierce Johnson ready to take on bigger roles. And in case you forgot, this is Atlanta. Pitching depth? They have plenty.
"I do. I still feel good with our rotation. We're a long way from March whatever that we open the season. Something will happen. We'll find somebody. Something will happen where it's going to be good. Somebody is going to come along or Alex [Anthopoulos] is going to make a move or we're going -- like I said, somebody is going to jump the fence like [Spencer] Schwellenbach did and do big things for us."
Clayton McCullough – Miami Marlins
Miami might be the NL East’s perennial underdog, but first-year manager Clayton McCullough isn’t treating 2025 as a stepping stone. He’s assembling a coaching staff designed to win now and build for later.
"We've been able to get a majority of the staff in place," McCullough said. "Still have some spots that we need to fill out. That's something we're working on daily. We understand where we are right now in the calendar, but then also we have a really strong candidate pool for positions we have open and just want to do our due diligence on getting it down to where we have a very full staff that can contribute in different ways."
McCullough is already making inclusivity a priority, ensuring bilingual coaches are in place to communicate with a diverse roster. And while the staff is young—many in their first MLB roles—McCullough believes their energy and technical expertise will make a difference.
Dave Martinez – Washington Nationals
Here’s a sentence we haven’t written in a while: The Nationals have a bright future.
Yes, Washington might finally be onto something after years of soul-searching and trade-deadline fire sales. Manager Dave Martinez is buzzing about the development of the young core, particularly Cade Cavalli and James Wood, and he sees the foundation of a contender beginning to take shape.
"We've got a good core group. I know that we're working diligently to get better, and with our young guys, we are going to get better," Martinez said.
Of course, in a division where Steve Cohen could buy a small country and the Braves seem to manufacture All-Stars in a lab, the Nats face an uphill climb. But Martinez isn’t fazed. He’s banking on his collection of prospects—many acquired in the Juan Soto blockbuster—to level the playing field.
"I can't look at what other teams are doing and what they're spending. My focus is on the Washington Nationals and what they do. I think we're in a good place, I really do. One thing about Juan, when we traded him, we got some really good young talent. We've got a couple in the Big Leagues now and a couple are still coming. I think we're in a good place now, and like I said, we're getting better," Martinez said.
Martinez also gave a shoutout to José Tena, a versatile infielder whose instincts have caught his eye.
The big picture in D.C.? A careful mix of competition today and a long-term plan for tomorrow.
Brian Snitker – Atlanta Braves
Over in Atlanta, Brian Snitker spent his offseason reflecting on what life looks like without Travis d’Arnaud. Spoiler: It’s not just about filling a stat line.
"It's always going to be difficult when you lose somebody of Travis's pedigree and what he brings to your team. It's more about the guy. He's a great player. Has been for a long time."
Leadership is everywhere in Atlanta, where players like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Michael Harris II set the tone. Speaking of Harris, Snitker has a message for NL pitchers: Don’t sleep on him.
"I mean, he's a special talent. We can keep him on the field for 150-plus games, he's got a chance are of being a really, really good, strong middle of the back guy, middle of the lineup back guy."
And let’s not forget the pitching staff. Joe Jiménez’s late-season surgery was a setback, but Snitker believes the bullpen will weather the storm, with guys like Pierce Johnson ready to take on bigger roles. And in case you forgot, this is Atlanta. Pitching depth? They have plenty.
"I do. I still feel good with our rotation. We're a long way from March whatever that we open the season. Something will happen. We'll find somebody. Something will happen where it's going to be good. Somebody is going to come along or Alex [Anthopoulos] is going to make a move or we're going -- like I said, somebody is going to jump the fence like [Spencer] Schwellenbach did and do big things for us."
Clayton McCullough – Miami Marlins
Miami might be the NL East’s perennial underdog, but first-year manager Clayton McCullough isn’t treating 2025 as a stepping stone. He’s assembling a coaching staff designed to win now and build for later.
"We've been able to get a majority of the staff in place," McCullough said. "Still have some spots that we need to fill out. That's something we're working on daily. We understand where we are right now in the calendar, but then also we have a really strong candidate pool for positions we have open and just want to do our due diligence on getting it down to where we have a very full staff that can contribute in different ways."
McCullough is already making inclusivity a priority, ensuring bilingual coaches are in place to communicate with a diverse roster. And while the staff is young—many in their first MLB roles—McCullough believes their energy and technical expertise will make a difference.
Carlos Mendoza – New York Mets
The Juan Soto signing isn’t official just yet, so Carlos Mendoza had to tread lightly when asked about the potential superstar addition to his lineup.
But Owner Steve Cohen’s checkbook is already paying dividends, bringing in talents like Frankie Montas and José Siri—moves that have Mendoza feeling optimistic. As for Pete Alonso, Mendoza left no doubt about his importance.
While some managers still cling to the concept of "lineup protection," Mendoza isn’t one of them. Instead, he emphasized building a balanced lineup that creates opportunities for everyone. Then there’s Starling Marte, a potential game-changer if he can stay healthy. Marte is recovering from knee surgery, but Mendoza is confident in a smart, measured approach to managing his workload.
"He's a big part of this team," Mendoza said. "Especially when he's healthy. We saw it in the playoffs. Even though he wasn't 100%, this is a dynamic player. He can impact the game in a lot of different ways. He can help you win baseball games by the way he runs the bases. He's going to give you quality at-bats and keeps the ball in play and has the ability to go the other way. He hits it out of the ballpark. He has a canon. His defense got better throughout the year. So, again, he's a big part of this team."
On the pitching side, the Mets’ rotation could be imposing, anchored by Kodai Senga and the tantalizing upside of a healthy Montas. But as with any team, health is the wildcard.
The Juan Soto signing isn’t official just yet, so Carlos Mendoza had to tread lightly when asked about the potential superstar addition to his lineup.
But Owner Steve Cohen’s checkbook is already paying dividends, bringing in talents like Frankie Montas and José Siri—moves that have Mendoza feeling optimistic. As for Pete Alonso, Mendoza left no doubt about his importance.
"You know, the power, the quality at-bats, but his ability to post day in and day out," Mendoza said. "As a manager that's a really good feeling. When you don't have to worry about a position because you know that guy is going to be there regardless of the situation or how he's feeling or what he's going through. He showed this year, 162 games he played, and that says a lot. This is a home-grown kid. It was a privilege for me to be able to write his name in the lineup."
While some managers still cling to the concept of "lineup protection," Mendoza isn’t one of them. Instead, he emphasized building a balanced lineup that creates opportunities for everyone. Then there’s Starling Marte, a potential game-changer if he can stay healthy. Marte is recovering from knee surgery, but Mendoza is confident in a smart, measured approach to managing his workload.
"He's a big part of this team," Mendoza said. "Especially when he's healthy. We saw it in the playoffs. Even though he wasn't 100%, this is a dynamic player. He can impact the game in a lot of different ways. He can help you win baseball games by the way he runs the bases. He's going to give you quality at-bats and keeps the ball in play and has the ability to go the other way. He hits it out of the ballpark. He has a canon. His defense got better throughout the year. So, again, he's a big part of this team."
