Central
Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz (44) is congratulated by TJ Friedl after stealing home during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Post All-Star Break: NL Central Breakdown

Matthew Maddox July 13, 2023 Baseball, MLB, MLB Playoffs 1,071 Views

The National League Central is shaping up to be a division full of surprises. The St. Louis Cardinals, who were favorited to win the division, are sitting in last place. The Cincinnati Reds, who were favorited to finish last, are now in first place thanks to their young core of players.

Surging Reds

Cincinnati is currently in first place in the NL Central with a 50-41 record. To give perspective, the Reds final record last year was 60-102. At this pace, they have a chance of winning the division or at least make the playoffs for the first time in a full season since 2013.

Shortstop Elly De La Cruz has played a major role in the team’s success after being called up June 6. A shortstop, De La Cruz stands at 6-foot-5, but is as fast as nearly anyone in the league. He is electric on the base paths. He keeps fans on the edge of their seats waiting for him to steal second, third or home. The Reds are 22-8 since De La Cruz was called up.

The pitching side is a different story. It is amazing how the team has held up given that their starters are pitching to a tune of a 5.69 ERA.  If they are serious about making a playoff run this year, it will be necessary for them to acquire at least one starting pitcher at the trade deadline.

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers are currently in second place in the division with a 49-42 record. Contributing to their steady record is former MVP Christian Yelich. Yelich saw a dramatic drop in power after is 2019 MVP season. That year, he hit 44 home runs but has yet to return to those numbers in recent years. While he currently only has 11 home runs, he has been a more productive player overall than last year.

In terms of pitching, the Brewers sit in the middle of the pack with a team ERA of 4.10. The Brewers were considered to have one of the best pitching staffs in recent years, led by Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff. Both starters took a hit in performance, and trade rumors have been looming around Burnes in recent months.

Last year, the Brewers traded All-Star Josh Hader to the Padres. Hader was virtually unhittable, but Devin Williams has filled his shoes well as the closer with 20 saves so far.

Chicago Cubs

There was a lot of buzz going around the Cubs this past offseason. Last year’s free agent season showed a plethora of shortstops going to new teams, and Chicago was able to secure one of the shortstops with Dansby Swanson. Swanson had been with the Atlanta Braves since 2016 and he won a World Series with Atlanta in 2021.

One of the most successful acquisitions was pitcher Marcus Stroman. Stroman is one of the best pitchers in the league this year, boasting a 2.96 ERA in 112.2 innings pitched. While the team had hopes of being playoff contenders, it is possible that Stroman may be traded in order to build for the future.

They are currently in third with a record of 42-47, eight games out of first.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates were one of the most exciting and surprising teams at the start of the year. At the end of April, they were sitting atop the division with a 20-8 record. However, that quickly went away when the team went 8-18 in the month of June. They are currently sitting in fourth place with a record of 41-49.

The Pirates brought back former MVP Andrew McCutchen. McCutchen has performed well this season taking on a veteran role, but it is unclear if they will trade him given his impact on the younger players.

St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals have been the most disappointing team in the division. St. Louis hasn’t had a losing season since 2007, but it is looking to be the case this year. The Cardinals are in last place with a record of 38-52. The team has always been active at the trade deadline, but not necessarily as sellers. President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak announced this week that they would be trading players at the deadline. Although details aren’t confirmed, it is clear that they aren’t very hopeful on making a playoff run this year.

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