One of the most interesting postseason races in MLB this season lies in the NL Central. With around a month and a half left on the schedule, four teams have a shot at winning the crown. And while two seem to be the favorites, no one can discard any team until the numbers say otherwise.
As of August 11th, the Chicago Cubs are on top with a 59-54 record. The St. Louis Cardinals sit right behind them with a 59-56 register. And the Milwaukee Brewers are third with a 59-58 mark. As if that wasn’t enough, the Pirates are fourth with 57 wins and 58 losses. Yes, it’s that tight. If we put those numbers into context, the fourth-placed team is only four games behind the Division leader.
The Cubs do have an edge, though. They have played two fewer games than the Cardinals, and four less than Milwaukee. In other words, they have some breathing room that will keep at the top – for now, anyway. St. Louis are a threat when it comes to September baseball, the Pirates are riding a hot streak, and the Brewers have been a huge surprise in the NL. No one expected them to contend this year, yet here they are.
If there is one sad thing about the NL Central this year is that they will only have one team in the postseason. Unless the Colorado Rockies or the Arizona Diamondbacks melt completely in the final weeks of the season, the two NL Wild Card spots will be theirs. Which means the Division winner will – again, likely – meet the NL East champion. As things stand now, the Cubs would face the Washington Nationals in the NLDS. That sounds like a fun series.
But if we take another closer look at the standings, the Cubs are far from safe in their Division lead. Sure, they have a small lead and a few games in hand. But they have gone 4-6 in their past 10, same mark the Brewers have. Over that span, the Cardinals have gone 7-3 and the Pirates 6-4. When things are this tight in the standings, every win counts. The Brewers certainly know that, as they were leading the division before the All-Star Break and now find themselves in third place.
It remains to be seen what will happen in the division. After all, almost two months left on the schedule means there’s a lot of baseball to be played. But one thing is certain: no one can fall asleep. As we have seen time and time again, the most consistent team will come out on top.