Although we’ve picked the Chicago Cubs to finish second, we could have easily chosen the St. Louis Cardinals to be in the two-spot. The Cards have a way of getting the job done, while the Cubs could struggle to meet expectations. By the way, the Cincinnati Reds are on the upswing. They could be a dark horse in this race. One team you won’t have to worry about are the Pittsburgh Pirates. They cleaned house and are starting a major rebuilding effort.
NL Central Preview 2020 – Teams
In this section, we provide you with a quick a six-point assessment of each NL Central team. We note three strengths and three weaknesses for each team. These mini reviews are designed to offer a very fast view of each club. Of course, our NL Central team previews have been created to provide you with the specifics you need to understand how each club will do in the regular season. To get the full picture of the National League make sure that you access the profile of each team. To connect with the complete preview simply click on the team name.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Chicago Cubs
Strengths
- SP Yu Darvish can bring it
- Big plus if closer Kimbrel can rebound
- There’s power in those bats
Weaknesses
- Need upgrade in CF; Ian Happ is hapless
- Rotation gets spongy from Lester down
- Manager Joe Maddon is gone, why?
Cincinnati Reds
Strengths
- 3B Suarez has plenty of power
- Addition of 2B Moustakas offers more power
- Closer Iglesias has more than one inning in him
Weaknesses
- Could use more bats
- Question marks in bottom part of rotation
- 1B Votto in major regression mode
Milwaukee Brewers
Strengths
- RF Christian Yelich an elite player
- Closer Josh Hader the master of multi-inning saves
- In 2019, third in home runs and fifth in OBP
Weaknesses
- Starting rotation has some question marks
- 1B Smoak in decline
- In 2019, last in NL with runner in scoring position
Pittsburg Pirates
Strengths
- In 2019, rookie LF Bryan Reynolds hit .314 with 57 extra-base hits
- 1B Bell premium power hitter
- New manager Derek Shelton combines old and new school techniques
Weaknesses
- Shelton must detox clubhouse
- Rotation is thin
- CF Starling Marte is now with D-backs
St Louis Cardinals
Strengths
- SP Jack Flaherty is a dependable workhorse
- First-year manager Shildt got the team to the playoffs
- Solid minor league system
Weaknesses
- Rotation drops off quickly
- Paul Goldschmidt needs bats around him to hit projected stats
- Almost no new additions
Our NL Central Preview 2020 Projections
In creating our NL Central Preview 2020, we found that the Pirates and Reds are lacking. Pittsburgh is starting to rebuild while Cincy has been rebuilding and improving. However, the Red Legs are not yet in a place where they can be competitive. The three other teams, the Brewers, Cubs, and Cardinals, could be interchangeable. In other words, we see this division being a three-way race with the Brew Crew finally taking it down.
- Milwaukee Brewers
- Chicago Cubs (Wildcard)
- St Louis Cardinals
- Cincinnati Reds
- Pittsburgh Pirates
