Caleb Wilfinger
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Winter is turning to Spring and the 2023 Major League Baseball season is nearly here. Here at Pickswise we have a ton of content coming to get you primed, so make sure to keep an eye on our MLB tab heading up to Opening Day. With the season rapidly approaching, we are breaking down each MLB division and today we’ll be talking about the NL Central.
Last year the St. Louis Cardinals came out on top, followed by the Milwaukee Brewers. The Chicago Cubs came in third, with the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates bringing up the rear. The Cardinals are favorites to repeat as division champs. It looks like the Reds and Pirates will be squarely rebuilding, while the Cubs could bounce back after a disappointing year. This will be a fascinating division, so let’s break it all down and look at our best bet.
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NL Central Division Winner Odds
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing
- St. Louis Cardinals (-115)
- Milwaukee Brewers (+175)
- Chicago Cubs (+650)
- Pittsburgh Pirates (+3000)
- Cincinnati Reds (+6000)
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals are clearly the most talented team in the division, thanks to stars at the top of the order such as Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado and good complimentary pieces in the form of Tyler O’Neill or the newly acquired Willson Contreras. There’s a ton of experience on the roster as well, which bodes well for a team that has aspirations of contending in a loaded National League. The Cardinals’ rotation was surprisingly solid last year, and they were able to withstand some injuries and make the playoffs as a result. St. Louis is an experienced side and I think their offense will be the best in the division. I’ll take the Cardinals to win a weak NL Central.
NL Central Best Bet: Cardinals to win the division (-115)
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers’ dominant pitching staff could carry them to a division title, but I don’t see it. Last year, Milwaukee underachieved despite having Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes, Freddy Peralta, Adrian Houser and Eric Lauer on the rotation a season ago. The pitching was strong, albeit not as excellent as 2021. However, the results were still there. Despite that, Milwaukee’s offense was dreadful and certainly contributed to the team’s downfall following the All-Star break. Even factoring in some positive regression, the offense should be middle of the pack this season, and I’d expect a bit of regression from the starting rotation. As such I don’t expect them to overtake St. Louis for the division crown.
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Chicago Cubs
Life comes at you fast, and no team epitomizes that more than the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs sure did unravel in a hurry in recent years, and 2022 was no different. Chicago ended up being a major seller at the trade deadline and Chicago can be expected to miss the playoffs again this season. However, the Cubs did improve in the offseason, thanks to adding Cody Bellinger and Dansby Swanson. Both of those players can produce at the dish and should instantly be stars in the field in a season without the shift. In the rotation, Jameson Taillon joins Keegan Thompson and Justin Steele, forming the most underrated rotation in this division. Ultimately, this seems like a 3rd-place team, which is fine for a transition year in Chicago.
You can also check out our World Series predictions
Cincinnati Reds
There’s not much to get excited about with the Reds this season, which isn’t all that different from the last few years. Hunter Greene is the most exciting piece in the rotation, but he struggled mightily in his debut season in 2022. Cincinnati still has Joey Votto, who will certainly be a trade-deadline piece, and the offense can still be decent overall. Jonathan India will be at the top of the lineup once again, to go along with Votto and Wil Myers. Outside of that, it’s an unproven lineup that will likely struggle throughout the season. Even though this division will be relatively weak, I don’t expect the Reds to make much noise in 2023.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates have been at the bottom of the NL Central for years now, and the Buccos should be basement-dwellers once again. They’ve once again been picked to finish last in the division, with their win total being set at only 68.5. However, life isn’t all that bad for Pirates fans. After all, you get to watch Oneil Cruz play baseball, which is a win in itself. Overall, Pittsburgh is a team that I would rather bet on a game-to-game basis than make a season-long wager on. The Pirates are still rebuilding, but there is light at the end of the tunnel with young starters Roansy Contreras and Mitch Keller showing serious potential. Keep your eyes peeled on what the Pirates have in store down the road.
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