NL East

Many of us knew and expected the Miami Marlins to be better in 2014.

But many of us couldn't have predicted the Marlins to be five games over .500, have the best home record in the majors, the second-best run differential in the National League and be on top of the NL East division at this moment.

As it stands, the Philadelphia Phillies are in a bit of a funk. After finding a way back to a game above .500 at 15-14, they lost four straight games to the Toronto Blue Jays—two at home, two on the road—to fall to 15-18. For the record, that places them dead last in the NL East.

The New York Mets were very active in the free-agent market this past winter, especially compared to the types of acquisitions they made in previous years.

There are varying opinions as to whether general manager Sandy Alderson did enough to make the “Amazins” a playoff contender in 2014.

The Atlanta Braves encountered ups and downs over the first month of the season and have now seen their division lead disappear in the National League East.

The Braves didn't finish the month how they'd hoped, as they were swept by both the Miami Marlins and San Francisco Giants.

The current seven-game losing streak is the longest slide for the team since an eight-game skid in 2012.

In his first start for the 2014 Atlanta Braves on Friday night, young lefty Mike Minor was confronted with the reality of the 2014 Atlanta Braves.

With Minor doing his part by turning in a solid performance, he provided further evidence that this Braves team has the whole pitching thing down solid.

The whole hitting thing, on the other hand, is a work in progress. And at this point, one is starting to get the sense that's just how it's going to be.

Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton is up to his usual tricks this season, with eight home runs and 32 RBI through 28 games heading into Friday's contest against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

While not nearly as flashy as past offseasons, the Philadelphia Phillies made a plethora of moves this past offseason. And as they finish up the first sixth of the season with an even 13-13 record, the Phillies are at the point where their offseason acquisitions can be graded with a relatively decent sample size.

The Philadelphia Phillies System Check video offers a quick overview of the team's farm system, addressing its strengths and weaknesses and how it can improve moving forward. The video also provides a breakdown of the Phillies' top prospects for 2014, Maikel Franco, Jesse Biddle and J.P. Crawford, including each player's ETA in the major leagues and potential long-term role within the organization.

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FINAL

New York Mets 6 - 1 Philadelphia Phillies

Pitchers

WP: Jon Niese (2-2, 2.20 ERA)

LP: Cole Hamels (0-2, 6.75 ERA)

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The Washington Nationals' Bryce Harper underwent thumb surgery today and is expected to be out until July. But that didn't stop him from having a great hair day. Just check out his post-surgery tweet: