How the NL East mound staffs look heading into spring

The New York Mets are set to defend their National League pennant with the pitching staff that had the fourth-best ERA (3.44) in the league.

The Nationals have a new look to their rotation. The Marlins are hoping for health and a chance to show they were better than last season. The Braves and Phillies are dealing with rebuilding projects.

As the mid-Atlantic moves snow and baseball fans look forward to spring training, here's how pitching stacks up in the National League East:

ATLANTA BRAVES

Rotation: Except to say RHP Julio Teheran, who had a 2.95 ERA in his last 12 starts in 2015, will be at the top, it is difficult to project how the rotation will look at the start and at the end of the season. The Braves are loaded with pitching prospects. RHPs Matt Wisler, Mike Foltynewicz and Williams Perez and LHP Manny Banuelos - prospects who pitched last season - will get the first chance to make an impression. RHP Aaron Blair (acquired from Arizona) and LHP Sean Newcomb (acquired from the Angels) are the Braves' best prospects and could be in the rotation sometime this season. ... RHPs Kyle Kendrick, 31, who has pitched for the Phillies and Rockies, and Jhoulys Chacin, 28, who has pitched for the Rockies and Diamondbacks, are experienced pitchers who will help fill innings while the kids develop.

Bullpen: A few years ago, the Braves had a lights-out bullpen, one of the best in baseball. Now they are rebuilding and hoping. If RHP Jason Grilli, who saved 24 games last season before going down with an Achilles injury, is healthy, he'll be the closer. He's supposed to fully recover, but he's 39 and the Braves have their doubts. If not Grilli, the Braves will go with RHP Arodys Vizcaino, who saved nine of 10 last season.

MIAMI MARLINS

Rotation: The Marlins in 2015 were supposed to be contenders with a strong rotation. It didn't happen. That's why this season is about second chances. LHP Wei-Yin Chen, who had a 3.72 ERA in 117 starts for the Orioles, is the No. 2 pitcher behind RHP Jose Fernandez. Fernandez had a 2.92 ERA in 66 2/3 innings coming back from Tommy John surgery and the Marlins will still be watching his innings. They haven't said what his limit will be. RHPs Tom Koehler and Jared Cosart will also be in the rotation. The high-upside prospects include Justin Nicolino and Adam Conley.

Bullpen: The closer is A.J. Ramos, who, in his first full season in the role in 2015, saved 32 of 38 and allowed only 45 hits in 70 1/3 innings. He had 87 strikeouts and 27 walks. The setup crew includes Carter Capps, Kyle Barraclough and Brian Ellington.

NEW YORK METS

Rotation: The pitchers that carried the Mets to the NL East title and World Series are back, but, as young and talented as they are, will they be able to repeat their performance from 2015? Will they be able to shake off a World Series and be fresh from the start? ... The rotation will get deep mid-summer when RHP Zack Wheeler, 25, returns from Tommy John surgery. In 2014, Wheeler had 187 strikeouts and a 3.54 ERA in 185 1/3 innings. ... The rotation is led by Matt Harvey (189 1/3) and Jacob deGrom (191 regular-season innings), who pitched an extended number of innings because the Mets made the World Series. Since he was coming back from Tommy John, Harvey's innings were controversial because it seemed the Mets didn't have a handle on how to handle their ace. ... The rest of rotation has RHP Noah Syndergaard, who had a 3.24 ERA in 150 innings, and LHP Stephen Matz, who had a 2.27 ERA in six starts and pitched in key postseason situations. ... The No. 5 starter is the ageless wonder, RHP Bartolo Colon, 42, who issued five walks in 194 2/3 innings last season.

Bullpen: The Mets, whose bullpen was slammed with injuries last season, have health and depth going into camp. Jeurys Familia is the closer and his challenge will be to bounce back from a tough postseason. The Mets signed LHP Antonio Bastardo (2.99 ERA in 66 appearances for the Pirates last season) and are banking on the return of LHP Jerry Blevins from a broken arm. Another lefty is Sean Gilmartin. The setup crew includes RHP Addison Reed and Josh Edgin, who is returning from Tommy John. RHP Hansel Robles and Erik Goedell will compete for jobs this spring.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Rotation: One of the weakest in the majors last season in ERA and fewest innings pitched, the rotation has made modest improvements. The first four spots are set with RHPs Jeremy Hellickson (4.62 ERA in 2015 with Arizona) and RHP Charlie Morton (4.81 with Pittsburgh) leading the rotation and two prospects, RHP Aaron Nola and Jerad Eichhoff, at Nos. 3 and 4. Nola had a 3.59 ERA in 14 starts last season, while Eichhoff was at 2.65 in eight starts. There's a list of candidates for No. 5 with LHP Brett Oberholtzer, formerly of Houston, the leader.

Bullpen: Ken Giles, who was set to replace Jonathan Papelbon after he was traded to the Nationals, was traded to Houston, so the Phillies' bullpen roles are wide open when spring training arrives. The leading candidate to close is RHP David Hernandez, who had 19 saves in his career with Arizona.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS

Rotation: Do the Nationals need another experienced starter? ... For the first time since 2008, the Nationals rotation will be without RHP Jordan Zimmermann, who had 70 wins and a 3.32 ERA for Washington before he signed a free agent contract with Detroit. ... Still, the first three in the rotation are as good as ever. The rotation questions are at the back end. ... RHP Max Scherzer, who had a 2.79 ERA and became the sixth pitcher in history to throw two no-hitters (against the Pirates and Mets) in the same season, had a 2.79 ERA and is the No. 1. ... He's followed by LHP Gio Gonzalez (11-8, 3.79) and RHP Stephen Strasburg, who, despite injuries last season, finished with a 3.46 ERA. Strasburg is eligible for free agency after the season, so this could be his last season as a National. ... The No. 4 starter is RHP Tanner Roark, who was brilliant in 2014, winning 15 games with a 2.89 ERA. Last year, he was shifted to the bullpen to make room for Scherzer. Roark was in 40 games in 2015, including 28 appearances in relief. Was 2015 a wasted season for Roark? That's what Nats fans are waiting to see. ... The No. 5 spot belongs to RHP Joe Ross, who, as a rookie last season, had a 3.64 ERA, starting 13 of 16 games. At 22, Ross' challenge will be to be strong for entire season. Last year, he tired in September. He threw 76 innings combined at Double-A and Triple-A and 76 2/3 innings for the Nationals.

Bullpen: After chocking Bryce Harper in the final days of last season, RHP Jonathan Papelbon returns as closer. The tension will likely blow over in the clubhouse, but will the fans forget and accept Papelbon? ... The bullpen has been reconstructed with the additions of LHP Oliver Perez and RHPs Shawn Kelley, Yasmeiro Petit and Trevor Gott. Petit is the new Craig Stammen. Felipe Rivero is a power lefty, but he's still young and inexperienced. Kelley had a great 2015 for San Diego because of an improved slider. Gott has an excellent fastball, but needs experience. Where does RHP Blake Treinen fit in?