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Now that we're into the first week of June and teams have passed the 60-game barrier, we have a big enough sample of games to get a good idea about the teams while also having more than half the season remaining. That is to say, it's a nice time to take a look at the divisional odds and see if there are any openings here for astute gamblers to take advantage. Let's start this week with the National League East.

For those who don't bet, it's a nice run through the chances of each team to win the division. This was a division thought to have three very strong contenders entering the season, but one of those got off to an 0-7 start and has been trying to recover ever since. 

Odds come via FanDuel and we'll list the teams in order of how they currently sit in the standings.

New York Mets

Record: 39-23 | Odds to win division: -140

The big concern for the Mets heading into the season was the rotation, as both Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas fell injured in spring training and it looked like David Stearns' front office cheaped out on pitching. But he's long run with lower-salaried pitchers in his rotations and had success. Kodai Senga has a big contract, too, and he's pitched like it, leading the National League with a 1.60 ERA. The bargain pitchers like David Peterson, Griffin Canning and converted reliever Clay Holmes have also been great.  

The Mets have the best rotation ERA in all of baseball at 2.87. I see no reason that this situation will fall apart because even if there's overachieving happening, Montas and Manaea aren't too far off a return. 

Offensively, the Mets are seventh in OPS and 11th in runs scored. Francisco Lindor has been what we'd expect. Pete Alonso has probably overperformed, but not outlandishly so. No one else is really doing anything to make you feel like the Mets are overachieving. And there's more in there for guys like Mark Vientos (on the IL now), Brandon Nimmo and, yes, Juan Soto. 

Basically, there's every reason to believe the Mets will continue to play at a high level. 

Philadelphia Phillies

Record: 37-24 | Odds to win division: +125

The streaky Phillies started 6-1, then went 7-12 before a stretch where they won 23 of 29. And now they've lost five of six. This looks like it's just how the season is going to go with the hills and valleys -- and much bigger hills than valleys, obviously. The Phillies went from a 2 ½-game deficit to a three-game lead in about a week and a half and then went from that three-game lead to a 1 ½-game deficit in just about another week and a half. 

The rotation will be very strong down the stretch. Zack Wheeler is a bona fide ace while Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez and Jesús Luzardo have pitched very well on the whole. Aaron Nola can't possibly be as bad as his 6.16 ERA once he's back off the injured list, right? That's five starters right there and Mick Abel has been great in two starts. Could we see Andrew Painter soon?

The bullpen is a bit thin with the suspension of José Alvarado but Jordan Romano has a 3.38 ERA with seven saves in seven chances in his last 14 appearances while Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering can be a capable bridge.

Offensively, the Phillies are sixth in OPS and seventh in runs scored and it really seems like a good portion of the lineup is capable of better. Bryce Harper and Trea Turner have been good while Kyle Schwarber has been outstanding. There's a world where the rest of the offense gets better, though there are age-related concerns with J.T. Realmuto. 

Still, I don't see any reason the Phillies go away. They'll be Phightin' to the end. 

Washington Nationals

Record: 29-32 | Odds to win division: +26000

The Nats started the season 1-6. They've been two games over .500 since -- even with a seven-game losing streak in May -- and have stood toe-to-toe with contenders. James Wood is already a legitimate star at age 22 while CJ Abrams continues to show he's a foundational piece for the ballclub. On the pitching end, MacKenzie Gore is making a case to be considered a true ace. 

This just feels like it's the year before the Nationals truly contend instead of this being their breakout season. 

If you disagree and think the Nats can outplay the Mets by 9 ½ games and Phillies by eight games the rest of the way, those +26000 odds are surely pretty intriguing. They aren't for me, though. This will be a successful Nationals season as they improve -- possibly even significantly so -- on last year's 71-91 record, but they aren't winning the East. 

Atlanta Braves

Record: 27-33 | Odds to win division: +1100

Since that 0-7 start, the Braves are 27-26. Not bad, but those seven losses to open the season still count and it isn't like the Braves have been world-beaters since. They battled to above .500 for the first time on May 16, but they've gone 4-11 since. I suppose the focus could be on the Braves going 23-15 between the horrific 0-7 start and the 4-11 skid at present and the good portion is a larger sample than the bad, but the bad parts have left them 11 games out. 

Sure, the Braves started the season without Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr., but both are back now and there's no guarantee Strider pitches back to form in his first season since Tommy John surgery. 

Acuña has been crushing the ball in his 11 games back, but the Braves' offense is still sputtering as a whole. Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II in particular have been bad while Matt Olson and Austin Riley need to be better than they have. 

On the pitching side, injuries have made the rotation thin while closer Raisel Iglesias continues to struggle. 

The Braves have a .507 opponents' winning percentage remaining, though that includes 13 games against the Mets and seven against the Phillies. The argument could be made that they'll pull it together and play themselves back into the race in head-to-head battles. 

But nothing to this point has inspired confidence. Famously, the Braves were 10 ½ games out after June 1 in 2022 and still won the division. They only had to run one team down that time and played .694 ball the rest of the way that season (a 162-game pace of 112 wins). Right now, they are 9 ½ games behind the Phillies and 11 behind the Mets. And do these Braves look capable of playing at a 112-win pace the rest of the season?

I'm out on them. 

Miami Marlins

Record: 23-37 | Odds to win division: +50000

I wasn't going to spend any time on them anyway, but they just got swept at home by the Rockies. That only further cements the Marlins' status here as an also-ran. The only question moving forward is who they trade at the deadline. 

The play

It's a two-horse race for me. The Phillies host the Mets for a four-game series Sept. 8-11 that figures to be a ton of fun, though it's a shame that's the last time they'll square off in the regular season. (As an aside, neither team plays the Braves after this, either, so what in the world were the schedule-makers doing?)

I'm totally on the fence with the winner of this division between the Phillies and Mets, which means I guess I have to take the Phillies at the plus money. I do not think the -140 on the Mets is prohibitive either, though, so if you'd rather run with the Mets, by all means. If there were no odds attached, I might be inclined to run with the Mets. If the odds were reversed, I'd pick the Mets. It's that close for me. 

This is going to be one hell of a two-team race and though I wouldn't be surprised if the Braves creep back to within striking range, I just can't see them outplaying both the Mets and Phillies enough the rest of the way to win it. They just aren't that good this time around.