The NL Central is Looking Better Than Anyone Expected

During the 2025 MLB season, the National League Central was no slouch. With the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs finishing the regular season with the best and fourth best records in the league respectively.

However, this season it seems everyone in the division wants a chance at October baseball. As of Tuesday, June 2, every team in the NL Central has a record above .500.

For the aforementioned Brewers and Cubs, this is no surprise. Both teams have postseason aspirations, especially after the 2025 playoffs, where both ended their season with a bitter taste in their mouths.

For Chicago, a loss in the NLDS against the Brewers after a five-game classic left the Cubbies high and dry. And for the Brewers, they would go on to be swept in the NLCS by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who would go on to hoist the Commissioner’s trophy a couple weeks later.

As for the other teams in the Central, The Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals are all looking to return to the dance.

The Reds managed to stumble their way into a Wild Card spot after an historic late season collapse by the New York Mets. Unfortunately for the Reds, the Dodgers made quick work with a dominate 2-0 sweep.

The Pirates haven’t seen October baseball since 2015, and fans from the Steel City are hungry for their next appearance.

As for the Cardinals, after rebuilding for just a year, the Red Birds have seemingly struck gold with young talent sprinkled all around the diamond. Players like: Pedro Pagés, Alec Burlson, Masyn Winn and rookie J.J Wetherholt, among many others, have revitalized St. Louis.

Currently, the second-place Pirates and fifth-place Reds are separated by just 1.5 games, with the Cardinals and Cubs sandwiched in-between. The Brewers currently hold somewhat of a comfortable lead of the division, 5.5 games ahead of the Pirates.

Since the expansion of the MLB playoffs to 12 teams in 2022, no division has managed to capture all three Wild Card spots. However, if the NL Central can maintain this pace, they may be able to make history come October.

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