The National League Central is basically the "wild west" of baseball. People love to call it a "weak" division, but honestly, if you actually watched the 2025 season play out, you'd know that’s a total myth. It’s not about lack of talent; it’s about five teams that absolutely despise each other and spend six months trying to ruin each other's lives.
Milwaukee took the crown again last year, finishing with 97 wins. They were a machine. But look at the Chicago Cubs—they finished with 92 wins and pushed the Brewers to a fifth game in the NLDS. That’s not a "weak" division. That’s a dogfight.
If you are checking the mlb standings nl central to see who’s on top right now, you're looking at a division in total transition. As we head into the early months of 2026, the landscape is shifting. The Brewers are the defending champs, but the Cubs just backed up a Brinks truck for Alex Bregman. The Reds are finally dangerous. Even the Pirates have a guy named Paul Skenes who looks like he was built in a lab to destroy hitters.
Why the MLB Standings NL Central Look Different in 2026
The 2025 season ended with a clear hierarchy, but that hierarchy is currently being set on fire. Milwaukee dominated the regular season, finishing 97-65. They were five games ahead of Chicago, 14 ahead of Cincinnati, and way clear of the Cardinals and Pirates.
But baseball has a short memory.
Milwaukee’s 2025 was defined by Pat Murphy’s "Blue Collar" approach. They didn't have the highest payroll, but they had Jackson Chourio, who basically became a superstar overnight. However, the 2026 outlook is different. The Cubs just spent $175 million on Bregman to fix their third base hole and leadership gap. That move alone changes the math of the division.
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When you look at the final 2025 records, it’s easy to think the gap is wide:
- Milwaukee Brewers: 97-65
- Chicago Cubs: 92-70
- Cincinnati Reds: 83-79
- St. Louis Cardinals: 78-84
- Pittsburgh Pirates: 71-91
Those numbers tell you where they been, not where they’re going. The Reds made the playoffs as an 83-win Wild Card team last year. That’s kind of wild, right? They were the first team in ages to make it without a single 25-home-run hitter. They did it with speed and a "burn the boats" mentality. If they find even a little bit of power this winter, that 83-win mark is going to look very small in the rearview mirror.
The Brewers' Dynasty vs. The Cubs' Checkbook
Milwaukee has won the NL Central in four of the last five years. That is insane consistency for a "small market" team. But the odds for 2026 aren't favoring a repeat.
Why? Because the Cubs are acting like the Cubs again.
Signing Alex Bregman wasn't just about a glove at third; it was about the culture. You’ve got young guys like Pete Crow-Armstrong and Moises Ballesteros who need a vet who’s been to the mountain. Pair that with the acquisition of Edward Cabrera to bolster a rotation that already has Justin Steele, and suddenly that 5-game gap between them and Milwaukee feels like it could vanish by June.
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What's Really Happening in St. Louis and Pittsburgh?
The Cardinals are in a weird spot. For decades, they were the "Gold Standard." Now? They’re rebuilding. They finished 2025 with 84 losses and a fourth-place finish. It’s a bitter pill for fans at Busch Stadium. They have the talent, but the pitching fell apart last year. If you're a Cards fan, you're looking at 2026 as a "prove it" year for Oliver Marmol.
Then there’s Pittsburgh.
They finished last. Again. 71-91. But they have the most terrifying pitcher in the world in Paul Skenes. The problem is they can't hit a beach ball. Until that front office decides to actually buy some bats to support Skenes and Jared Jones, they are going to stay at the bottom of the mlb standings nl central. They’re a team that’s "two years away from being two years away" unless something changes fast.
The Cincinnati Factor
Don't sleep on the Reds. Honestly, they are the most fun team in this division to watch.
Terry Francona coming in to manage has changed the vibes in the clubhouse. They play a chaotic brand of baseball—lots of stolen bases, aggressive bunting, and high-energy defense. Finishing 83-79 and grabbing a Wild Card spot in 2025 was a massive overachievement, but it also gave that young roster a taste of October. They lost to the Dodgers in the Wild Card round, but that experience is worth its weight in gold.
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Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you're tracking the division this year, keep your eyes on three specific things that will determine who sits atop the mlb standings nl central come September:
- The Cubs' Bullpen Stability: Jed Hoyer completely rebuilt the 'pen this winter, bringing in guys like Phil Maton and Jacob Webb. If they can actually hold leads, the Cubs are likely the favorites.
- Milwaukee's Power Gap: The Brewers lost some thump. If Jackson Chourio doesn't take another massive leap, or if they don't land a veteran DH like Eugenio Suarez, their offense might stall against the elite arms in the division.
- The Skenes Effect: Every fifth day, Pittsburgh is the best team in the world. If they can figure out how to win the other four days, they could be a dark horse for a .500 record.
The NL Central isn't just a race; it's a war of attrition. You can't just look at the win-loss column and see the whole story. You have to look at the runs created, the blown saves, and the head-to-head records. Milwaukee went 6-0 against the Dodgers in the regular season last year. Think about that. They swept the best team in baseball and then got swept by them in the NLCS.
That’s the NL Central in a nutshell. It’s unpredictable, it’s frustrating, and it’s arguably the most competitive division in the National League right now.
To stay ahead of the curve, monitor the "Games Behind" column specifically in intradivisional play. The 2025 Brewers clinched because they dominated the Pirates and Cardinals. If the Cubs can flip that script and take 10 or 11 games from the bottom-dwellers, the crown is moving to the North Side of Chicago. Check the box scores for bullpen usage early in the season—that's where this division is always won or lost in the dog days of August.