NL Central Outlook: With Suárez in Cincinnati, the Division Race Just Got a Whole Lot Tighter
For the first time in decades, the St. Louis Cardinals are waving the white flag and embracing a full rebuild. That shift alone reshapes the NL Central landscape heading into 2026 - and what’s left is a wide-open, four-team race that might be one of the most compelling in baseball this season.
Let’s start with the Milwaukee Brewers. They’ve been the class of the division, no doubt - four division titles in the past five years and a league-best 97 wins in 2025.
But here’s the thing: they’ve been quiet this offseason. Too quiet.
The only major move? Shipping longtime ace Freddy Peralta to the Mets.
No splashy additions. No roster-shifting trades.
For a team that’s leaned on depth and consistency, standing pat might be the biggest gamble of all.
Then there’s the Chicago Cubs, who aren’t sitting still. They’ve added two impact names in Alex Bregman and Edward Cabrera to a squad that already won 92 games last year.
That’s a serious upgrade. But it hasn’t been all gains - losing Kyle Tucker to the Dodgers stings, and they’ve had to overhaul nearly their entire bullpen.
That’s a lot of moving parts, and while the upside is high, so is the volatility.
Now, here’s where things get interesting: the Pittsburgh Pirates - yes, those Pirates - have been the most aggressive team in the division this winter. They’ve brought in Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn to inject some life into an offense that desperately needed it, and added Gregory Soto and Mason Montgomery to bolster the bullpen.
But make no mistake, they’re still a work in progress. Missing out on Eugenio Suárez in free agency could prove costly, especially given how tight this race could be.
And that brings us to the Cincinnati Reds - the team that actually did land Suárez. It’s a one-year deal, but it might be one of the most impactful signings in the division.
Suárez gives the Reds exactly what they needed: a power bat in the middle of the order and some much-needed lineup protection behind Elly De La Cruz. He’s not Bregman, and he’s not Schwarber - two names the Reds reportedly had eyes on - but he doesn’t have to be.
What he is, is a perfect fit.
Let’s be clear: Suárez alone isn’t going to erase the 14-game gap between Cincinnati and Milwaukee from last season. But when you factor in the Brewers’ offseason inertia and the Reds’ quiet but effective bullpen upgrades, things start to shift. The gap is narrowing.
Cincinnati’s rotation is quietly one of the best in the division - arguably neck and neck with Pittsburgh’s - and their bullpen might be second only to Milwaukee’s. That’s a recipe for staying in games, even when the offense isn’t lighting up the scoreboard. And with Suárez in the lineup, there’s now a legitimate threat to do just that.
The Reds aren’t done yet, either. Another outfield bat - a solid, above-average hitter - would go a long way toward rounding out this roster.
But even as things stand, this team has taken a meaningful step forward. For the first time in a while, talking about the Reds as legitimate contenders doesn’t feel like wishful thinking.
It feels like a real possibility.
The NL Central isn’t just up for grabs - it’s setting up to be one of the most competitive, unpredictable divisions in baseball. And with Suárez back in Cincinnati, the Reds have officially re-entered the chat.