Earlier this week I brought you one sentence for every American League MLB team’s 2023 season. Pitchers and catchers have reported to their respective Spring training sites and the Super Bowl has passed, so it is officially time to shift our focus to Major League Baseball (while we also watch March Madness). 

Before we get into Spring training, I would like to finish the preseason with one sentence about every National League MLB team’s 2023 season.

NL East

Atlanta Braves

“The veterans lead the young guys back.”

• With a Dansby Swanson size hole at shortstop the Braves have filled it with Vaughn Grissom. Grissom hit .291 in 141 at-bats in the 2022 regular season. The rotation led by veterans Max Fried and Charlie Morton will have some back-end help with Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder.

Miami Marlins 

“Can Jazz Chisholm Jr. play centerfield?”

• Not only can Chisholm play center field, but can first baseman Luis Arraez play second? Can second baseman Jean Segura play third? Can third baseman Joey Wendle play shortstop? There’s a lot of questions coming into this season for the Marlins, even if they added a lot this offseason. 

New York Mets 

“Is the rotation better without deGrom?”

• Max Scherzer leads the rotation again, but with Justin Verlander, Jose Quintana, Carlos Carrasco and Japanese transplant Kodai Senga filling out the rest. This team won 101 games last season and made the wild card; they’ll be alright.

Washington Nationals 

“The prospects make some noise.”

• The Nationals have four prospects in MLB.com’s top 100 prospects list: Cade Cavalli, James Wood, Elijah Green and Robert Hassell III. I would expect to see some of these guys as we enter the middle of the season and the front office realizes they won’t be winning 80 games again this season. 

Philadelphia Phillies

“Keep hitting home runs and find a fifth pitcher.”

• With 205 home runs in the regular season and 24 in the postseason the Phillies are not short at the plate. Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola need a fifth pitcher at the end of the rotation to let them breathe throughout the season. 

NL Central

Milwaukee Brewers 

“Trying to stay afloat.”

• The 2022 Brewers missed the playoffs with 86 wins. The front office traded Kolten Wong to the Seattle Mariners for Jesse Winker and Abraham Toro. This is where my questions come, as Luis Urías will slide into the starting lineup but the question is where. Urías is a traditional third baseman and career .206 hitter Abraham Toro could play second.

St. Louis Cardinals 

“We can focus on winning, not the legends.”

• While the 2022 Cardinals made the playoffs, the focus on the season was Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina’s final year in Major League Baseball. The love and support was deserved and needed for two of the greatest Cardinals of all time, but this year will be different. Willson Contreras takes Molina’s spot and I’m predicting a big year from Dylan Carlson.

Chicago Cubs 

“It’s the second year of a rebuild and it’s going great.”

• The Cubs traded their 2016 World Series cornerstones less than two years ago at the 2021 trade deadline, and it looked to be a long rebuild. Yet, the offseason additions of Eric Hosmer, Trey Mancini, Dansby Swanson and Cody Bellinger have paved a way for future success. A platoon of Yan Gomes and Tucker Barnhart will try to fill the hole of Willson Contreras. 

Pittsburgh Pirates 

“Rich Hill is not exciting.”

• The Pirates have lost at least 100 games the past two seasons and it looks like they’ll be there again this year. Rich Hill was their “big” signing of the offseason. Luckily, Ke’Byran Hayes and Oneil Cruz are still in Pittsburgh so we can see a ball thrown at 97 mph across the diamond. Andrew McCutchen is back, but only so the fans come back. 

Cincinnati Reds 

“We have a bet with the Pirates to see who’s worse.”

• The Reds front office must have gone on vacation this offseason because Joey Votto is about to sit through another season of sub-par baseball. Votto has been in the league for 16 years and has five seasons above .500, that equates to just four seasons in the playoffs. Nothing is going to change in Cincinnati for a long time.

NL West

Arizona Diamondbacks 

“This division is tough and we’re just not there yet.”

• In a division like the NL West, teams that have questions on who will be fifth starter, the closer, or that final starter are just not going to float in these waters. While being a fun team to watch, the Arizona Diamondbacks will struggle as they did last season.

Los Angeles Dodgers

“Focused on winning the World Series.”

• When you’re the Los Angeles Dodgers, the only goal is to make the World Series every year. They won 111 games last year, which was top of the league. Justin Turner, Trea Turner and Cody Bellinger are gone, but leave it to the Dodgers to find a random star prospect in their top-of-the-league farm system to fill those holes. 

San Francisco Giants

“This outfield looks fun!”

• Michael Conforto, Mike Yastrzemski and Mitch Haniger with the option of Joc Pederson could be a top outfield lineup in the league. This team should be looking for the Wild Card spot in the NL West this year after not making the postseason in 2022. 

San Diego Padres

“Step 1: Beat the Dodgers.”

• The Padres went 8-15 against the Dodgers including the playoffs last season. In the Playoffs, the Padres took command and only lost once to the Dodgers while beating them in the NLDS. This roster is top 5 in baseball and should continue to make noise. 

Colorado Rockies

“Play spoiler in the division.”

• Winning 68 games last season while playing in the best division in baseball does not mean you are the worst team in the league by far. With the rule changes, teams will now play 13 games against each divisional team instead of 19, which could improve the Rockies’ 2023 record.

I invite you to debate or bring your own thoughts to my Twitter @JonLieber_Sport.