The NL Central could be the baseball equivalent of a Royal Rumble this season in what’s likely the most competitive division.
After missing the playoffs in 2019, the Chicago Cubs are playing with a renewed focus under new manager David Ross. The 2016 World Series champs are hoping their experienced core of Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, Willson Contreras, and Jason Heyward can re-establish themselves in a stacked division.
“It’s a shorter season, but it’s going to be a long year,” Heyward said. “It’s going to be a grind, and every game counts, so we want to make sure that we’re in every pitch as best as possible.”
If those guys can produce runs, it gives their veteran rotation of Jon Lester, Jose Quintana, and Yu Darvish some much-needed support. Kyle Hendricks is the new ace and the Cubbies will need him to pitch like one. The bullpen remains a problem with closer Craig Kimbrel’s continuing his struggles from last season.
If the Cubs are clicking on all cylinders, they will be tough to beat but their competition is tough.
The St. Louis Cardinals won the 2019 NL Central crown with a strong mix of veterans and a dynamic rotation. The Cards are hoping for a better season from Paul Goldschmidt and others like Matt Carpenter and Kolton Wong. Younger position players like Tommy Edman and Paul DeJong could also have big years.
The Red Birds’ pitching staff will be their strength with an emerging ace in Jack Flaherty. Dakota Hudson and Daniel Ponce de Leon makes this a strong rotation for years to come.
The Milwaukee Brewers went to the Wild Card game last year without MVP Christian Yelich. Now Yelich is healthy and anchoring an offense that will produce runs. The issue yet again will be starting pitching beyond All-Star starter Brandon Woodruff. A lack of rotation depth will be a problem.
The Cincinnati Reds already had a talented lineup led by Joey Votto and Eugenio Suarez and bolstered it by signing Nicholas Castellanos, Mike Moustakas, and Shogo Akiyama. They figure to be the sleeper, but will be fun to watch. Their rotation is led by All-Stars Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray and if Trevor Bauer can be consistent, Cincy could have a three-headed monster on their staff.
The Pittsburgh Pirates will likely finish last in this division. It’s going to be a year of developing the young guys like Cole Tucker, Bryan Reynolds, and Josh Bell. They could be sellers at the trade deadline.
The NL Central crown will be volatile this season like the previous three years. If the Cubs are focused and healthy, they will be the favorites. However, there will be three legit squads who won’t be far behind.
