The Atlanta Braves were the cream of the crop during the regular season last year. While the team’s early ouster in the divisional round was a disappointing finish, there was little doubt the 104 wins cemented the Braves as the best team over the course of a 162-game season.

The Braves have some work to do if they expect to stake that claim in 2024, however.

The team that won more than 100 games and the National League East division by 14 games is now playing second fiddle to its postseason rival heading into next year.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have flexed their financial power in recent weeks, signing international megastar Shohei Ohtani to a $700 million deal (mind you a substantial amount will be deferred until the contract’s completion); trading for and then signing pitcher Tyler Glasnow to a $136.5 million deal; and then signing pitching phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a $325 million deal.

The Dodgers were already loaded in the lineup with Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman before Ohtani’s arrival. The trio makes the Dodgers extremely top heavy in the batting order. Glasnow’s and Yamamoto’s arrival make the Dodgers just as formidable in the starting rotation.

The Braves were one of the big winners during the offseason with their trade for outfielder Jarred Kelenic, acquisition of pitcher Reynaldo Lopez and re-signings of relievers Joe Jimenez and Pierce Johnson. But there’s little doubt now that the Dodgers were the champions of the offseason.

The Dodgers are and deserve to be the favorites to win next year’s World Series. But the Braves shouldn’t be too far behind.

Yes, the Dodgers are loaded at the top of their lineup, but the entirety of the Braves’ lineup (1 through 9) is better. The Braves tied the single season home run record with 307 dingers last year, including five players that eclipsed the 30-home run plateau and four more that had at least 17. The Braves can outpower any team in the majors, and all of their regulars (outside of a new left fielder) will return next season.

The Braves’ starting rotation of Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder and Max Fried can go toe-to-toe with the Dodgers, though the Braves can use another experienced, dependable arm, which may loom on the horizon. As valuable as Ohtani is, his availability next year will be limited to batting due to elbow surgery.

The two teams are undoubtedly tops in Major League Baseball. With all due respect to the Phillies and Diamondbacks, the Braves and Dodgers should be locks for the National League Championship Series. That’s what happens in baseball. The rich get richer.