The NL Central was a three-team race last year, between the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds. The teams went back-and-forth all season until the Cardinals finally took the crown over the Pirates, who finished three games back.
Many thought there couldn’t be a more exciting division race, but it has happened again in 2014. The Milwaukee Brewers lead a group of three that includes the Cardinals and Pirates. After a hot start, the Brewers have held the lead throughout the season, but the Cardinals sit just 1.5 games back.
Each team still has a shot at the division title, so let’s go through what each needs to do to take the NL Central.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers don’t seem primed to lose this lead, winning five of six, including a three-game sweep of the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers. It’s not just their offense, which ranks sixth in the league; rather a pitching staff that has stepped up over the course of the summer.
Wily Peralta and Yovani Gallardo have been strong in their last few starts and both have sub-3.50 ERAs to match it. If they keep up the strong starts, it adds another element to this team heading into September and possibly October.
With two more series against the Pirates, who rank 10th in the league in offense, the Brewers’ pitching staff will be key. However, a few series against the Cubs could help ease the pain if they do not step up during that stretch.
A 1.5-game is not safe at all, so this race will continue well into September. The Brewers look the most complete at the moment, though.
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals offense has been dismal all season, sitting 29th in the league with 479 runs. It has been a struggle to find any consistency at the plate, but Matt Adams is pacing the team with a .309 batting average.
However, there could be very good news on the way soon. Yadier Molina starting swinging a bat this week, and they certainly could use his offensive prowess in September. Molina has batted over .300 in each of the past three seasons and could be the piece that gives the Cardinals the boost they need.
Other than two series against the Pirates and one against the Brewers, the Cardinals don’t play a team with a winning record. It could be a chance for them to gain a game or two on the Brewers, and that might make all the difference.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates are in big trouble after winning just one in eight games in a brutal stretch that included the Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves. They haven’t scored more than five runs since August 11, a bad sign for a strong offense.
When the offense isn’t producing, the pressure falls on the 18th-ranked pitching staff, which has been disappointing this season. Only Vance Worley has an ERA below 3.00 and Edinson Volquez and Francisco Liriano have struggled all season.
If the Pirates can’t get consistency from anyone not named Andrew McCutchen on offense and the pitching staff maintains its below average standing, they’ll continue to fall in the rankings. The only thing keep the Pirates in this race are the two series against the Brewers, where they can make up ground quickly.