The NL Central is lining up to be one of the biggest forces at the MLB trade deadline, and the division’s five teams are heading into it with five very different agendas.
Milwaukee and Chicago are clearly in buy mode. St.
Louis and Pittsburgh are close enough to the race that neither club can afford to treat the next three weeks lightly. Cincinnati, meanwhile, looks positioned to sell.
Put all of that together, and the division could end up shaping the market in a major way.
Milwaukee sits in the strongest position of the group, with the best record in the division and a real shot at earning a first-round bye. The Brewers’ clearest need is another high-leverage reliever, and while they typically do not chase the biggest name on the board, this is the kind of roster that can justify a meaningful move. They also have prospect capital for days.
Chicago’s situation is a little different. The Cubs are five games back and in a solid Wild Card spot, so the question is not whether they buy.
It is how aggressive they decide to be. A cautious deadline built around depth may not be enough if the Cubs believe they can still catch Milwaukee.
Then there is the messy middle of the division. The Cardinals are above .500 and close enough to the Wild Card race to make buying a realistic path, but they also have players other teams would want if things go the other way.
Pittsburgh has pushed over .500 as well, which has made the idea of selling much more complicated than it looked a month ago. The Pirates could add, stand pat, or move veterans while still saying they are protecting the future.
Cincinnati is the clearest case. The Reds have dropped to the bottom of the division and should have several players available, giving the rest of the NL Central a chance to shop while one club helps stock the market.
That is what makes this division so unusual right now. It will not be the source of every blockbuster - the Dodgers, Yankees, and Mets will still dominate those headlines - but no other division has as many teams facing such different deadline decisions.
The NL Central will not just take part in the market. It could set the pace for it.
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Aaron Civale's Exit From Milwaukee Keeps Looking Worse
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The latest move also brings back an uncomfortable pattern for the Brewers to watch from afar. Civale was DFAd by the White Sox last summer after the trade out of Milwaukee, and this is the third time in a little over a year that he has landed in DFA limbo, a striking turn for a veteran who has already worn six big league uniforms in eight seasons. [Read more 🡒]