NL Central preview: Retooled Reds could be tough to beat in wide-open division

NL Central preview: Retooled Reds could be tough to beat in wide-open division
Projected finish: Reds, Cardinals, Brewers, Cubs, Pirates. After missing the postseason for three consecutive Octobers, the Cardinals will defend their National League Central title without one of their best power hitters and questions about their run-scoring capabilities. The Cardinals finished two games ahead of the wild card Brewers in 2019 and their season ended when the Nationals swept them in the NL Championship Series. Their weak lineup was no match for Nationals pitching. Last season,...

Multiple teams will contend in wide-open NL Central

Multiple teams will contend in wide-open NL Central
The Milwaukee Brewers - thanks in part to former Oriole Wade Miley and former National Gio Gonzalez - won the National League Central last season by a game and then came within a victory of winning their the NL pennant, their first pennant since winning the AL pennant in 1982 and losing to St. Louis in the World Series. Miley and Gonzalez are gone, so the Brewers will bank on young pitchers in the rotation. The biggest addition is Yasmani Grandal, a switch-hitting catcher with power. He played...

Reds retool rotation, but will aging Cubs starting five be an issue in NL Central?

Reds retool rotation, but will aging Cubs starting five be an issue in NL Central?
With three new starters, the Cincinnati Reds are shooting for at least a .500 record in the National League Central. The Cubs have experience in their rotation, but check out their ages: Could they have too much experience? The Pirates think their rotation will surprise. The Cardinals' best story is Carlos Martínez and whether he can lead the rotation after injuries put him in the bullpen last year. And the Brewers, the team that lost to the Dodgers in last October's NL Championship...

Brewers look to compete with Cubs in NL Central and return to postseason

Brewers look to compete with Cubs in NL Central and return to postseason
The Cubs have a revamped rotation to go with a lineup that features Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, two hitters that are potential National League MVP candidates. Their biggest competition in the NL Central could be the Brewers, who had 86 victories last season and have a legitimate shot to make the postseason for the first time since 2011. But the Cardinals, who had 100, 86 and 83 wins in each of the last three seasons, are trying to avoid being left out of the postseason for the third...

Can the Cubs rotation help them start a dynasty?

Can the Cubs rotation help them start a dynasty?
The Chicago Cubs, World Series champions for the first time since 1908, are the favorites to win the National League Central. The question is: Could the Cubs - and their youthful position-player roster - be baseball's answer to the NFL's New England Patriots, who won their fifth Super Bowl? The Reds and Brewers are rebuilding. The Pirates have taken a step back. The Cardinals are the only team with a chance to challenge the Cubs. Here's a look at the NL Central: Chicago: The Cubs, defending...

Divisional preview: National League Central

Divisional preview: National League Central
With manager Joe Maddon, big-money pitcher Jon Lester and power-hitting prospect Kris Bryant, the Chicago Cubs are all the rage in the National League Central. But are they are a serious contender or merely hype? Have their young players matured enough to compete in what might be baseball's deepest division? The St. Louis Cardinals, who have won at least 90 games in four of the last six seasons, are as good as ever. The Pittsburgh Pirates have a reasonable chance to win a division after being...