NL Central: Grading each team's 2022 season

The Cardinals were the only team in the NL Central to make the postseason, where they lost to the Phillies in the wild-card series in two games. Behind the Cardinals, the Brewers were the only other club in the division to finish above .500. Meanwhile, the Cubs, Reds and Pirates were dreadful.

Here's a synopsis of each team and a grade for each:

St. Louis Cardinals (1st | 93-69) Grade: A-

In the wild-card series, the best team in the division scored only three runs in two games against the Phillies, the eventual NL champion.

A resurgent DH Albert Pujols (.270 BA, 24 HR in St. Louis), paired with MVP candidates Paul Goldschmidt at 1B (.317 BA, 35 HR) and Nolan Arenado at 3B  (.293 BA, 30 HR), gave the Cardinals one heck of an offensive force.

Four of the five starting pitchers had above-average seasons, highlighted by Miles Mikolas and his 116 ERA+. That suggests he was 16% better than league average, which is 100. LHPs Jordan Montgomery (6-3, 3.11 ERA with Cardinals) and Jose Quintana (3-2, 2.01 ERA with STL) were picked up at the trade deadline and performed at a high enough level to lump them in with baseball's best starters in the second half.

MORE: AL: East | West | Central | NL: East | West | Central

Milwaukee Brewers (2nd | 86-76) Grade: B-

Milwaukee should have been much better than its record indicated. The Brewers felt like one impact piece away from a division title.

Active players at the trade deadline, the Brewers were at least part of the conversation on multiple big trade candidates, including Reds INF/OF Brandon Drury, Nationals 1B Josh Bell (both traded to San Diego) and A's OF Ramon Laureano. The Brewers wound up with only LHP Taylor Rogers, whom the club acquired in the controversial Josh Hader trade with the Padres.

Shortstop Willy Adames (4.4 bWAR, 31 HR) and OFs Christian Yelich (2.7 bWAR, 14 HR) and Hunter Renfroe (2.7 bWAR, 29 HR) carried the offense. RHPs Corbin Burnes (12-8, 2.94 ERA) and Brandon Woodruff (13-4, 3.05 ERA) dominated on the pitching front. 

Cincinnati Reds (4th | 62-100) Grade: C+

At no point before, during or after the 2022 campaign were the Reds considered a threat in the division. They were awful, but the moves they made at the trade deadline earned them a C-plus grade. 

They unloaded RHPs Luis Castillo (Mariners) and Tyler Mahle (Twins), INF/OF Brandon Drury (Padres), and OFs Tyler Naquin (Mets) and Tommy Pham (Red Sox) for minor league talent that will help them soon.

The latest update of MLB.com's prospect rankings has two of the youngsters acquired in the Castillo deal with Seattle ranked at Nos. 17 (SS Noelvi Marte) and 52 (SS Edwin Arroyo). That's huge for a Reds club trying to transition from rebuilding to decent or above.

Chicago Cubs (3rd | 74-88) Grade: D+

The Cubs made the wrong decision by holding on to trade candidates C Willson Contreras and OF Ian Happ at the deadline. Both made the All-Star team.

Contreras (3.9 bWAR, 22 HR) and Happ (4.4 bWAR, 17 HR) did everything possible to raise their stocks ahead of the deadline. For some reason, however, the Cubs held on to each player despite the fact that Contreras was an impending free agent. 

Chicago is below-average in nearly every offensive and pitching category and won't be in the playoff conversation for years. What could the Cubs have landed for their two All-Stars at the deadline? Too bad we'll never know.

Pittsburgh Pirates (5th | 62-100) Grade: D-

The Pirates are forever rebuilding and took zero steps forward in 2022. 

Pittsburgh finished near the bottom of the league in runs, batting average and ERA. Third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (4.3 bWAR, 7 HR) is beginning to look like a no-bat, all-glove player, which is exactly what the Pirates were hoping would not be the case.

Outfielder Bryan Reynolds (2.9 bWAR, 27 HR) was the focus of trade rumors. He's another player in the NL Central who should have been traded but wasn't. With the Pirates nowhere close to contention, it would've made sense to deal him while his stock was high.