As most MLB teams hit their 54th game this week, it is time for teams to take a hard look back at the first third of their season. Now, each team begins to build its strategy as MLB heads toward July’s trade deadline. Below is one burning question each NL Central team will face during that evaluation process.
The Chicago Cubs’ ever-evolving bullpen has been up and down this season. Ryan Pressly appears to be out, for now, as a closer. Julian Merryweather was DFA’d on Saturday, and Porter Hodge hit the IL last week. Génesis Cabrera was added on Tuesday to pick up some of the slack.
Chaos has ruled in the rotation as well. Justin Steele is out for the year. Shota Imanaga and Javier Assad are both out until at least mid-June. Ben Brown (3-3, 6.39 ERA) has yet to find his footing, and top pitching prospect Cade Horton only has four major league starts under his belt. The Cubs will have to address this chaos to hold off the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Cincinnati Reds (28-28) rank middle of the pack or above in almost every offensive, defensive, and fielding metric. So, why is it that they can’t seem to get over the hump and win with any consistency? The Reds’ platoon-heavy team can’t seem to hit lefties. Cincinnati slashes .259/.330/.417 with 45 homers versus righties, but hits only .213/.301/.339 with 10 homers against lefties. As the team approaches the deadline, the Reds will need to end some of those platoons and shop for some right-handed bats that can hit southpaws.
If the two-time defending Central champion Brewers want to even make a run at the MLB wild card this year, they will have to get their rotation healthy. Ace Brandon Woodruff is expected to make his first start since mid-2023 sometime in early June after undergoing capsule surgery on his shoulder and an ankle injury during his recovery. Nestor Cortés (elbow) and José Quintana (shoulder) are both out until at least early June. Promising prospect Robert Gasser (Tommy John surgery) won’t be back until August/September, and Aaron Civale (hamstring) just made his first start of the season. Expect the Brewers to add an arm at the trade deadline and hope no one else goes down.
Can you call it a rebuild after more than a decade? Let’s face it, the Pittsburgh Pirates will be bad for a few more years. They have put together a good, young rotation of Paul Skenes, Jared Jones, Mitch Keller, Johan Oviedo, and Bailey Falter, but they have little more than Oneil Cruz, Bryan Reynolds, and 38-year-old Andrew McCutchen to fill out their lineup. Journeyman Andrew Heaney (3-4, 3.41 ERA), who is filling a spot while Jones and Oviedo are recovering from injuries, is probably headed elsewhere soon. Look for declining closer David Bednar and veteran infielders Adam Frazier and Isiah Kiner-Falefa to be available, as well.
After down seasons in 2024, Paul Goldschmidt left in free agency, and Nolan Arenado hit the trading block. The Cardinals could not get a deal done for Arenado, though, and he began the season as the team’s starting third baseman. Most experts did not expect the Cards to contend this year, but at 31-24, they are hovering just behind the Cubs in the Central. Arenado is not hitting well (.238/.308/.394 with six homers), but he is still an excellent fielder. After Goldschmidt’s resurgence with the Yankees, someone is bound to take a chance on Arenado. Will St. Louis trade him if they are still fighting for a division title in July? Stay tuned…
My guess is St. Louis will find a way to unload the rest of Arenado’s contract, whether they are in contention or not. I could see the Yankees, Dodgers, Mariners, Tigers, or Blue Jays making a play for him if their current situations don’t improve. The problem will be Arenado’s no-trade clause, which he has already invoked once. It would not surprise me if Arenado wants to retire a Cardinal, and that will be great for the team’s marketing, but not their finances and roster.
Milwaukee’s rotation is always the team’s biggest strength, so if they are healthy, this team will compete for yet another division title. What the team really needs is another impact bat. If someone on the left side of their infield can’t start hitting, they will need to look to add someone at the deadline. This team is still my favorite to win the Central.
Every team in the Central but the Pirates has a chance at a playoff spot, so it is imperative that those teams address their issues by the July 31 MLB trade deadline. Check back all week, as I detail questions in the other five MLB divisions as well.
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