Let's call it the first big intradivision showdown of 2025: The Philadelphia Phillies at the New York Mets for three games beginning Monday. The Mets are off to a hot start thanks to Pete Alonso and a surprisingly dominant pitching staff that leads the majors in ERA. They hold a two-game lead over the Phillies, who have been powered by the familiar 1-2 punch of Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber and a new starter in Jesus Luzardo who so far looks like one of the best acquisitions of the offseason.
While winning the National League East isn't necessarily a must to reach the postseason, the early depth in the NL West, with four potential playoff teams, does suggest the possibility that only one East team might make the playoffs -- which makes these head-to-head matchups even more important.
Let's examine some of the early storylines for the Mets and Phillies and how those might decide the NL East -- and, no, we don't want to ignore the Atlanta Braves, who are off to a horrendous start but are still capable of turning this into a three-team race over the course of the next five months.