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Who is leading the NL Central?

We break down the NL Central race heading into the final few weeks of the 2023 MLB regular season.

By Chris Landers Updated
Willy Adames and Tyrone Taylor of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate after defeating the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 9, 2023 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Hard as it is to believe, we’re less than three weeks away from the conclusion of the 2023 MLB regular season. Sure, the playoff picture in the National League is looking like the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers and everyone else. But while those two teams have had the NL East and NL West, respectively, wrapped up for seemingly months now, there’s still plenty to settle in the Senior Circuit — like, for example, the other division, which could be very much up for grabs down the stretch.

MLB playoff picture: NL Central standings

  1. Milwaukee Brewers: 81-63
  2. Chicago Cubs: 78-68 — 4.0 GB
  3. Cincinnati Reds: 75-71 — 7.0 GB
  4. Pittsburgh Pirates: 67-78 — 14.5 GB
  5. St. Louis Cardinals: 64-81 — 17.5 GB

The Reds’ second-half swoon means that this is more or less a two-team race, but what a two-team race it’s shaping up to be. The Cubs took two of three in a thrilling three-game set against Milwaukee at Wrigley Field to close the month of August, but other than that the Brewers have been rock-solid, refusing to blink and getting great starting pitching from Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta. Milwaukee would seem to have the easier road home, with two series apiece against Miami and St. Louis plus one against the Nationals (while the Cubs get Colorado and Pittsburgh, they also have to take a trip to Atlanta). Of course, this could all come down to the season’s final weekend, when the Cubs take one more trip to American Family Field for a three-game set.

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