The NL Central Looks to Be Completive in 2023
It figures to be a two or three team race.
The NL Central should be more interesting than in recent years. Primarily because the Cubs decided to try and be competitive this season. The division looks to be in three tiers. The Cardinals and Brewers look to be the favorites, with the Cubs seeming to be on their own level, while the Reds and Pirates battle to see who resides in the basement. Here’s a thumbnail sketch of each team in the division.
Cardinals: The Cards are given a slight edge in the division primarily because of their stars at the corners of their infield, Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt. Free agent signee, Willson Contreras should add some punch to the lineup. The Cardinals feature a strong infield, with an uninspiring outfield. The staring pitching isn’t particularly impressive, but the bullpen looks to be pretty good. It might be enough to win this division.
Brewers: The front end of the Brewers of, with Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff is easily the strongest in the division. In addition, the rest of the rotation is also pretty decent. While the pen won’t have a Josh Hader in his prime, it shouldn’t be a weakness. The offense is powered by SS Wilie Adames and first baseman, Rowdy Tellez, both of whom hit over 30 home runs last season. The Brewers continue to hope outfielder, Christian Yelich…
