{"id":291127,"date":"2025-11-18T14:10:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T14:10:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/291127\/"},"modified":"2025-11-18T14:10:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T14:10:10","slug":"2025-26-mlb-offseason-preview-nl-central","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/291127\/","title":{"rendered":"2025-26 MLB Offseason Preview: NL Central"},"content":{"rendered":"

If 2025 proved anything, it is that you can expect the unexpected. The Milwaukee Brewers<\/a> were predicted by many to finish third in the NL Central, yet posted the best record in MLB at 97-65. How does that shape the outlook for this offseason? Well, the Chicago Cubs<\/a> will still be looking to dethrone the three-time defending division champs by pouring more money at the roster, while the Cincinnati Reds<\/a> could take another significant step up the ladder under manager Terry Francona. The Pittsburgh Pirates<\/a> and St. Louis Cardinals<\/a> have a lot of work to do to get back to .500 despite some positive things happening in 2025.<\/p>\n

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Milwaukee Brewers<\/a><\/p>\n

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2025 record: 97-65 (first place)<\/p>\n

Postseason: Beat the Chicago Cubs<\/a> in NL Division Series 3-2, lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers<\/a> in NL Championship Series 4-0.<\/p>\n

What went right: There is a lot to like from a team that posted MLB\u2019s best record in 2025. Most notably, the offense was very contact-oriented and produced the third-most runs in MLB and had the best run differential at 172. That trait helped produce two double-digit winning streaks, an 11-gamer around the All-Star break and a club-record 14-gamer in August. Right fielder Sal Frelick<\/a> and second baseman Brice Turang<\/a>, both Gold Glove defenders in 2024, each hit .288 to lead the team. Turang added a power dimension he hadn\u2019t shown to date when he erupted for 10 homers in August and finished the season with 18. He had a total of 13 homers in his first two MLB seasons and had six entering August. Christian Yelich<\/a>, mainly seeing time at designated hitter, found his power stroke with 29 homers and 103 RBIs. Jackson Chourio<\/a>, a 21-year-old outfielder, became the youngest player with two 20-20 seasons. No. 1 starter Freddy Peralta<\/a> put his name in the NL Cy Young conversation by leading the NL with 17 wins and the seventh-best ERA in MLB at 2.70. Rookie right-hander Jacob Misiorowski<\/a> burst onto the scene in June and was a surprise All-Star replacement. Another young right-hander, Quinn Priester<\/a>, was picked up off the scrap heap from the Boston Red Sox<\/a> and turned into a steady contributor. Similarly, the Brewers added Andrew Vaughn<\/a> in a trade with the Chicago White Sox<\/a> while he was also in Triple-A and he cemented himself as the primary first baseman. Caleb Durbin<\/a> started the year in Triple-A but came up and claimed the starting job at third base and finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting. And then there was right-handed starter Brandon Woodruff<\/a>, who returned from surgery on his right shoulder and showed much of his old ace-like form after not pitching for nearly two years.<\/p>\n

What went wrong: While the Brewers finished with the third-best batting average and second-best on-base percentage, they finished 22nd in home runs (and still had the 12th-best slugging percentage). One expected source of power was catcher William Contreras<\/a>, who broke his middle finger on his catching hand early in the season and managed 17 homers after hitting 23 in 2024. His batting average was also down about 20 points from his career numbers. The Brewers\u2019 ability to get on base and wreak havoc and hit timely home runs disappeared when they were bulldozed by the Dodgers in the NLCS. One player who turned into a black hole offensively was shortstop Joey Ortiz<\/a>. While playing stellar defense \u2014 he committed just one error after June 29 \u2014 he had a .230\/.276\/.317 slash line with seven homers and 45 RBIs a year after being slightly more productive at .239\/.329\/.398 with 11 homers and 60 RBIs as the starting third baseman.<\/p>\n

What needs to be done: The Brewers, under two-time reigning NL Manager of the Year Pat Murphy, won\u2019t be losing much from the 2025 team entering the offseason. First baseman Rhys Hoskins<\/a>, who didn\u2019t make any of the postseason rosters with Vaughn\u2019s emergence and left-handed starter Jose Quintana<\/a> had options declined and became free agents. Similarly, Woodruff\u2019s $10 million option was declined, but he did receive a qualifying offer, which is $22.025 million, giving them compensation should Woodruff decline and sign elsewhere. That decision is due today. His market will be influenced by the lat injury that shelved him for the postseason after flashing much of his old form after coming back. Regardless, there are rotation options to replace Quintana and, if necessary, Woodruff. Right-handers Logan Henderson<\/a> and Chad Patrick<\/a> are strong candidates to begin 2026 in the rotation with Peralta, Misiorowski and Priester. Left-hander Robert Gasser<\/a> and possibly right-hander Tobias Myers<\/a> are also candidates to start. If Woodruff leaves, an inexpensive veteran could come in on a short deal. Speaking of Peralta, he has already been the subject of a lot of trade speculation considering the right-hander will make $8 million in 2026, his walk year. But I would expect a contract extension before a trade. Finding more offense in center field would help. That could come from Chourio, who grew tremendously defensively in his second MLB season, or possibly Garrett Mitchell<\/a>, if he can stay healthy. Will Yelich be healthy enough to play left field? Also, do the Brewers do something with their infield, either by moving Turang to short and Durbin to second, trading Ortiz and finding a third baseman? Or do they roll with Ortiz at short (or second) and hope for offensive improvement?<\/p>\n

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Chicago Cubs<\/a><\/p>\n

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2025 record: 92-70 (second place, 5 GB)<\/p>\n

Postseason: Beat the San Diego Padres<\/a> in NL Wild Card Series 2-1, lost to the Brewers in NL Division Series 3-2.<\/p>\n

What went right: There were breakthroughs up and down the roster that had the Cubs in first place for 111 days. Offensively, that included center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong<\/a> posting a 30-30 season after making his first Opening Day roster, first baseman Michael Busch<\/a> realizing his power potential with 34 bombs and outfielder-DH Seiya Suzuki<\/a> staying healthy and being a consistent force in the middle of the lineup (32 homers, 103 RBIs), although his batting average was significantly down from his first three seasons in MLB. The starting rotation, a bit of a question mark entering the season, was bolstered by left-hander Matthew Boyd<\/a>, who had a career year, and the emergence of right-hander Cade Horton<\/a>, who finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Daniel Palencia<\/a> came up from the minors and became a reliable closer, while right-hander Brad Keller<\/a> and left-hander Caleb Thielbar<\/a> were also bullpen surprises. Defense was also terrific for the Cubs, with Crow-Armstrong, Hoerner and left fielder Ian Happ<\/a> winning Gold Gloves.<\/p>\n

What went wrong: The offense was spectacular in the first half of the season, posting a .771 OPS (fourth-best in MLB), then falling off to .721 in the second half (16th). That sent the Cubs\u2019 scoring from 5.33 runs per game (second) to 4.26 (20th) and a big reason why the Brewers were able to surge past the Cubs and claim the division. There were a few culprits. Right fielder Kyle Tucker<\/a>, the big offseason acquisition, played through two injuries, including a small fracture in his right hand, and had a disappointing\u00a0.266\/.377\/.464 slash line with 22 homers and 73 RBIs in 136 games. Crow-Armstrong had a .634 second-half OPS. In the bullpen, preseason closer Ryan Pressly<\/a>, acquired in a separate deal from Tucker with the Houston Astros<\/a>, struggled in the role and had just seven save opportunities (converting five) before being released Aug. 1. The second-half swoon was almost put in the rearview mirror by beating the Padres in the Wild Card Series, but the Brewers eliminated the Cubs in the Division Series in a decisive Game 5.<\/p>\n

What needs to be done: The Cubs have to figure out if they are going to act like a big-market team or continue swimming in the safer medium-depth waters. Imanaga and Tucker are the prominent free agents, while Keller and Thielbar also open up holes in the back end of the bullpen. Tucker figures to get overpaid somewhere else, but bringing back fan favorite Imanaga should be a priority. While banking on third baseman Matt Shaw<\/a> to make offensive improvements, the Cubs will need another big big to replace Tucker and a rotation upgrade beyond bringing Imanaga back. Outfielder Owen Caissie<\/a> factors into the lineup somewhere, but is he enough? Will Mois\u00e9s Ballesteros<\/a> fit in? The Cubs had the fourth-best record in the NL at 92-70 and could use a big \u2014 and smart \u2014 offseason to keep up with the Brewers.<\/p>\n

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Cincinnati Reds<\/a><\/p>\n

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2025 record: 83-79 (third place, 14 GB)<\/p>\n

Postseason: Lost to the Dodgers in NL Wild Card Series 2-0.<\/p>\n

What went right: The Reds were rather mediocre until September \u2014 and even then, they weren\u2019t that great. The Reds took advantage of the New York Mets<\/a>\u2018 failures to slip into the postseason, which was a realistic thought on Opening Day. Right-hander Hunter Greene<\/a> showed flashes of becoming a true ace, while left-hander Andrew Abbott<\/a> was consistent and very good, emerging as a reliable No. 2, and another lefty in Nick Lodolo<\/a> providing a nice top three. Shortstop Elly De La Cruz<\/a> was solid offensively and center fielder TJ Friedl<\/a> stayed healthy. Picking up Ke\u2019Bryan Hayes<\/a> at the trade deadline provided a boost offensively and defensively. September call-up Sal Stewart<\/a>, a corner infielder, hit five homers in 18 games to show he belongs in the lineup next year.<\/p>\n

What went wrong: De La Cruz\u2019s defense at short is still an issue after leading MLB with 26 errors, four more than any other player and just one of two with 20 or more. There were murmurs at the end of the season of moving him off short for 2026. His offense also seemed to level off instead of taking another step. Two highly touted right-handers, Chase Burns<\/a> and Chase Petty<\/a>, didn\u2019t gain much traction, but will be given every chance to win a rotation spot in spring training, along with Rhett Lowder<\/a>, who missed the entire season with a strained right forearm. Closer Alexis D\u00edaz<\/a> had a hamstring injury that delayed his start to the season, but then he struggled when he came back and was sent to the minors. Eventually, he was traded to the Dodgers and then bounced to Atlanta.<\/p>\n

What needs to be done: The magic touch from manager Terry Francona wasn\u2019t fully realized in 2025, but now with a full season in Cincinnati under his belt, he knows what the needs are on the roster to be a contender in the Central. Nick Martinez<\/a>, who swung from the rotation to the bullpen, and reliever Emilio Pag\u00e1n<\/a> are the key free agents, so any improvement on the roster is likely to come via trades. A veteran bat to take some of the pressure off De La Cruz makes sense, as does another starter and finding an established closer. There could be some wheeling and dealing here.<\/p>\n

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St. Louis Cardinals<\/a><\/p>\n

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2025 record: 78-84 (fourth place, 19 GB)<\/p>\n

Postseason: None (since 2022).<\/p>\n

What went right: The Cardinals played above expectations in 2025. For a most of the first half, they were in contender status, although that moniker never felt legitimate. It was built on a 19-8 record in May. The Cardinals pitched decently, particularly in the bullpen, hit OK and played terrific defense, led by shortstop Masyn Winn<\/a>, who won an NL Gold Glove in his second full season in the majors, and center fielder Victor Scott II<\/a>, who finished in the top three of NL Gold Glove voting. Iv\u00e1n Herrera<\/a> showed that he could possibly be a force offensively, but he also had a couple of stints on the injured list that took him away from catching duties and relegated him mainly to being the DH. Herrera\u2019s 19 homers were second behind first baseman Willson Contreras<\/a>\u2018 20, but Herrera got his in 107 games. The Cardinals actually got a lot of power production out of their three catchers, with Pedro Pag\u00e9s<\/a> adding 11 homers in 112 games and Yohel Pozo<\/a> adding five in 67 games.<\/p>\n

What went wrong: After failing to trade him last offseason, the Cardinals watched in horror as third baseman Nolan Arenado<\/a> posted a\u00a0.237\/.289\/.377 slash line with 12 homers and 52 RBIs in 107 games. His missed most of the second half with a shoulder injury. Speaking of the second half, the Cardinals were a season-best nine games above .500 on June 29 (47-38) only to see them at 55-55 on July 30 as the trade deadline hit. While the starting rotation stayed relatively healthy, the production wasn\u2019t there. The best rotation ERA was the 4.21 by left-hander Matthew Liberatore<\/a>, with two starters getting 20 or more starts over 5.20. Hitters expected to be key parts of the offense didn\u2019t contribute much, with left fielder Lars Nootbaar<\/a> having a slash line of .234\/.325\/.361 and right fielder Jordan Walker<\/a> at .216\/.305\/.296.<\/p>\n

What needs to be done: Arenado\u2019s trade value is extremely low. The only hope would be to convince a team like the Los Angeles Angels<\/a>, near his hometown, to take him. The good news is Arenado only has two years and about $40 million left on his deal and the Cardinals are open to including more money<\/a> in order to facilitate a trade, unlike last offseason. That is one challenge facing Chaim Bloom, the new president of baseball operations who was around the team throughout 2025. There aren\u2019t many roster openings, aside from right-handed starter Miles Mikolas<\/a>, so Bloom has his work cut out if he intends on squeezing out more wins in 2026. There could be a handful of trades in order to put the roster in a position to move forward. Shortstop JJ Wetherholt<\/a>, the Cardinals\u2019 top prospect and a first-round pick in 2024, could be ready to join the roster as soon as Opening Day, but with Winn and his defense entrenched at short, he could be deployed as a second baseman with the versatile Brendan Donovan<\/a>, an All-Star in 2025, moving to third base or dealt away. Top pitching prospect Quinn Matthews, a fourth-round pick in 2022, battled a shoulder injury, but could be ready in 2026. There is more catching depth ready to jump to the majors.<\/p>\n

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Pittsburgh Pirates<\/a><\/p>\n

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2025 record: 71-91 (last place, 26 GB)<\/p>\n

Postseason: None (since 2015).<\/p>\n

What went right: Starting pitching and Paul Skenes<\/a>. The second part was pretty obvious going into the season as Skenes wasn\u2019t going to be harnessed by an innings limit like he was in 2024, when he won the NL Rookie of the Year award. Skenes lived up to expectations with a 1.97 ERA, which led MLB, and a 0.948 WHIP, which topped the NL and was fourth overall. He was the unanimous NL Cy Young Award winner, capping a remarkable first two MLB seasons. The Skenes-led rotation helped the Pirates register an MLB-best 19 shutouts. Veterans Mitch Keller<\/a> and Bailey Falter<\/a> and rookie right-hander Mike Burrows<\/a> were responsible for a lot of that, with top prospect right-hander Bubba Chandler<\/a> joining the party in late August, making seven appearances (four starts). Right-handed reliever David Bednar<\/a> overcame early struggles as the closer and a demotion to the minors only to recover and become a trade chip who was moved at the deadline. Dennis Santana<\/a> was also very good out of the bullpen, taking over as closer. Another rookie, right-hander Braxton Ashcraft<\/a>, proved valuable, mainly in a relief role, but he did make a handful of starts.<\/p>\n

What went wrong: Hilariously, because these are the Pirates, Skenes won one less game (10) in 32 starts than he did as a rookie in 23 starts. Left-handed starter Jared Jones<\/a>, who was to be Skenes\u2019 running mate at the top of the rotation, was lost in spring training and eventually had the internal brace surgery on his left elbow, which puts him on track to return in early 2026. But the real culprit for the Pirates\u2019 woes was the offense. It was horrible. The Pirates easily had the worst OPS in MLB at .655, 14 points worse than the No. 29 Cleveland Guardians<\/a>. That included a league-worst .350 slugging percentage, 23 points behind the Guardians, who again were 29th. The Buccos had just 117 homers, trailing the No. 29 Cardinals by 31. Is there one or two players to blame? Not really. Oneil Cruz<\/a>, now in center field, had a team-high 20 homers, one off his career best set in 2024. Sure, outfielder Bryan Reynolds<\/a> was down at 16 after hitting 24 in three of the previous four seasons (27 in the other), but the position player group didn\u2019t have a realistic shot at doing much better.<\/p>\n

What needs to be done: With Skenes entering his third season, the Pirates need to prove they want to build around him now. Unfortunately, the only free agents the Pirates have this offseason are outfielders Andrew McCutcheon and Tommy Pham<\/a>, with McCutcheon a legacy player who will return. With nine players heading to arbitration, there could be some opportunities for the front office to spin off a few of those pieces that don\u2019t get nontendered. But revamping the roster would mean bold moves, which isn\u2019t the way the Pirates have operated. There are more prospects on the way, with left-handed starter Hunter Barco<\/a> making his MLB debut. As for position players, top MLB prospect Konnor Griffin<\/a>, a shortstop who was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 draft, figures to at least start the season at Triple-A after playing at the other three levels in his first pro season. But catcher-first baseman Rafael Flores<\/a>, acquired from the New York Yankees<\/a> in the Bednar trade, could push his way into the mix.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If 2025 proved anything, it is that you can expect the unexpected. The Milwaukee Brewers were predicted by…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":291128,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[435],"tags":[49,48,462,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-291127","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mlb","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-mlb","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/291127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=291127"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/291127\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/291128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=291127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=291127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=291127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}