We've reached the quarter mark of the 2000s, and to celebrate, theScore's MLB editors constructed each organization's best 26-man roster from the last 25 seasons. We continue with the NL East.
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AL EAST
AL CENTRAL
AL WEST
NL CENTRAL
NL WEST
Most important player: Freddie Freeman. His excellent 12-year run with the Braves included an MVP and ended in a World Series championship in 2021, the organization's first since 1995. He was a model of consistency at the plate, averaging an .893 OPS (138 OPS+).
Best pitcher: John Smoltz. After missing the entire 2000 campaign due to injury, Smoltz returned as a reliever and established himself as a dominant closer. He led the league with 55 saves in 2002 and was a Cy Young finalist. In 2005, he rejoined the rotation as a 38-year-old for the first of three consecutive 5.0 fWAR seasons as a starter.
Most underrated: Julio Teheran. The right-hander burst onto the scene in 2013, finishing fifth in NL Rookie of the Year voting. He was named an All-Star in two of the next three seasons and was incredibly durable, pitching at least 174 innings in seven straight years.
Best acquisition: Tim Hudson. The Braves acquired Hudson from Oakland ahead of the 2005 season, and he rewarded them with both quality and quantity for almost a decade. The righty's 1,573 innings are still the most of any Braves pitcher this century, and he only posted an ERA+ lower than 110 once during his nine-year stint.
Best homegrown player: Chipper Jones. Atlanta took Jones first overall in the 1990 draft, and he still somehow exceeded all expectations. The Hall of Fame third baseman leads the Braves in just about every counting stat imaginable since 2000, including home runs (315), RBIs (1,099), runs scored (1,077), and fWAR (57.2).
Toughest omission: Rafael Furcal. The shortstop enjoyed a productive six-year stretch with the Braves but didn't quite hit enough to crack our list. Excluding his 2001 campaign where he only played 79 games, he averaged almost 3.5 fWAR per season from 2000-2005.
Most important player: Giancarlo Stanton. The imposing slugger leads the Marlins this century in home runs (267), RBIs (672), and fWAR (33.6). He won the only MVP award in franchise history in 2017.
Best pitcher: Sandy Alcantara. He threw six complete games in 2022 to become the only Marlins pitcher to win the Cy Young Award. However, this spot likely would have gone to José Fernández had he not tragically died in 2016 at age 24.
Most underrated: Derrek Lee. While more often remembered for his time with the Chicago Cubs, Lee put up strong numbers during his six years in Miami. He recorded at least 20 home runs and 70 RBIs in four straight seasons from 2000-2003 and twice posting an OPS+ of 131. He only played fewer than 141 games once during that stretch.
Best acquisition: Mike Lowell. The Marlins are known for trading away players, but their decision to acquire Lowell ahead of the 1999 season for a trio of prospects paid off in a big way. He was an All-Star three times in Miami and was integral to the 2003 championship team.
Best homegrown player: Miguel Cabrera. While "Miggy" became a legend in Detroit with the Tigers, the Marlins deserve credit for developing one of the greatest hitters in MLB history. He averaged a .929 OPS with roughly 28 home runs and 105 RBIs per season in Miami before he was traded.
Toughest omission: Kevin Millar. He recorded a 121 OPS+ or better in three straight seasons from 2000-2003 and likely would have made the list had he been in Miami longer. He paired 20 home runs and 85 RBIs with an impressive .314/.374/.557 slash line in 2001.
Most important player: David Wright. The iconic third baseman is the franchise leader in games played (1,585), hits (1,777), doubles (390), and RBIs (970). He's arguably the Mets' greatest all-time position player.
Best pitcher: Jacob deGrom. He won back-to-back Cy Young awards in 2018 and 2019 during one of the most dominant stretches by a pitcher in MLB history. No other Mets starter accrued even half of his total fWAR this century. His injury history is the only blemish on an otherwise immaculate resume.
Most underrated: Curtis Granderson. The lefty-hitting outfielder was a model of consistency during his tenure, collecting at least 20 home runs three straight years with an above-average OPS+. His excellent 5.3 fWAR campaign in 2015 helped New York reach the World Series.
Best acquisition: Francisco Lindor. Opportunities to acquire All-Star shortstops in their prime don't come along often, but the Mets took advantage of one when they traded for Lindor. He's averaged 5.9 fWAR per season in New York while surpassing a 121 OPS+ three times. He's one of MLB's best all-around players and is likely headed for Cooperstown.
Best homegrown player: David Wright. The Mets selected their future captain in the first round of the 2001 draft. Few players represented the organization better than he did.
Toughest omission: Zack Wheeler. He showed flashes of greatness during his five campaigns with the Mets but didn't become a true ace until he joined the Phillies. Wheeler posted four sub-4.00 ERA seasons in New York, and his 12.5 fWAR ranks seventh among Mets starting pitchers this century.
Most important player: Chase Utley. He was the best second baseman in baseball during his peak, averaging 7.7 fWAR per season from 2005-2009. He led the Phillies to their only World Series title this century in 2008.
Best pitcher: Cole Hamels. He never reached the heights of some of his rotation mates, but Hamels was consistently great during his decade in Philadelphia. He maintained an impressive 3.29 ERA and 3.46 FIP across 1,927 innings, the most of any Phillies pitcher this century. Hamels was also a playoff ace who won NLCS MVP and World Series MVP in 2008.
Most underrated: Pat Burrell. The overlooked slugger ranks fourth on the Phillies' all-time home run leaderboard thanks to five seasons with at least 25 round-trippers. He hit 33 during his final campaign in Philadelphia in 2008 as a key member of the championship team.
Best acquisition: Bryce Harper. He's been worth every penny of the $330-million deal he signed ahead of the 2019 season. Over his first six campaigns, Harper has won an MVP, delivered several signature moments, and averaged a .924 OPS (148 OPS+). He's likely headed to Cooperstown with a Phillies logo on his cap.
Best homegrown player: Chase Utley. Philadelphia took him 15th overall in the 2000 draft. The 59.3 fWAR he accrued with the Phillies puts him more than 10 ahead of the next closet player.
Toughest omission: Jim Thome. The Hall of Famer had two massive power seasons in Philadelphia but was left off the list because he missed most of 2005 due to injury. Fellow slugger Kyle Schwarber, whose value cannot be fully appreciated by fWAR, gets the nod instead.
Most important player: Ryan Zimmerman. "Mr. National" earned his nickname as the franchise's all-time leader in games played (1,799), hits (1,846), home runs (284), RBIs (1,061), and runs scored (963).
Best Pitcher: Max Scherzer. He won two Cy Young awards and a World Series during his time in Washington to cement himself as one of MLB's all-time greats. Scherzer also threw two no-hitters, earned six All-Star nods, and accrued more fWAR than any other Nationals pitcher.
Most underrated: Gio González. He's most often remembered for his MLB-high 21 wins in 2012, but González was as reliable as they come for many years in Washington. He worked to a 3.62 ERA (112 ERA+) while making at least 27 starts in all seven of his seasons with the club.
Best acquisition: Max Scherzer. The seven-year, $210-million contract he signed ahead of the 2015 season was a massive win for everyone. Pitcher megadeals rarely work out as well as this one did.
Best homegrown player: Bryce Harper. With all due respect to Zimmerman and Stephen Strasburg, Harper debuted as perhaps the most hyped prospect in MLB history and delivered on his potential. He won Rookie of the Year in 2012 and authored a unanimous NL MVP campaign three years later.
Toughest omission: Livan Hernandez. He was one of MLB's most effective workhorses during his first stint with the Nationals, making two All-Star teams and leading the league in innings pitched in three straight years with a sub-4.00 ERA. He rejoined the team later in his career and delivered another quality season as a 35-year-old in 2010.
