Mets sitting in advantageous position from NL East rivals as season of urgency begins

The Mets had a very good spring training for many reasons, including that the Braves had a very bad one.

Projection systems have the top of the NL East jammed like the Van Wyck at rush hour with the Mets, Braves and Phillies, meaning the division’s ecosystem will be swayed by availability. And Atlanta opened camp with worries about its rotation and then lost four starters (Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider, Hurston Waldrep and Joey Wentz) for anywhere from months to the season.

The Mets and Phillies, meanwhile, stayed close to physically pristine. Francisco Lindor healed quickly from hamate surgery and will be the leadoff-hitting shortstop Thursday against Pittsburgh ace Paul Skenes. Phillies star starter Zack Wheeler has healed so well from a September procedure to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome that he will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A on Saturday and might return a few weeks into April.

Obviously, the projection models are far from perfect — the Mets were beloved last year, for example, and were the majors’ most disappointing club. But they offer a snapshot of a moment. FanGraphs has the Mets and Braves both projected at 88 wins and the Phillies at 87. BetMGM for Over/Under wagering has the Mets at 90.5 wins, the Phillies at 89.5 and the Braves at 86.5.