For the first time since 2016, the World Series championship resides in the NL Central. The Milwaukee Brewers dominated the regular season with an MLB-best 103-59 record and rode that success to their first World Series championship in franchise history. While the Brewers had a season to remember, other teams in the NL Central were competitive. The Chicago Cubs had a solid season, making the playoffs for the second straight season. The Pittsburgh Pirates also surprised the baseball world, posting an above-.500 season for the first time since 2018. The other two teams seemed to be beginning some sort of retool. Here is what each NL Central team should do during the offseason.
What Each NL Central Team Should Target?
Milwaukee Brewers, Keep Core Pieces: Now that the Brewers have won the World Series, the goal is to build a dynasty. They have the pieces, with guys like Jacob Misiorowski, Logan Henderson, and Jackson Chourio locked up long term. They also have a ton of young and up-and-coming players like Cooper Pratt. But to remain the dominant team they were this year, they need to retain critical pieces, specifically William Contreras. He had a dominant postseason, slashing .373/.448/.588 with three home runs and nine RBIs in 13 games. This is the kind of production they need in the middle of their order.
Chicago Cubs, Get At Least One Reliable Starter: The one thing that held the Cubs back last season was their starting rotation. It was one of the worst in the majors, and it caused them to make multiple moves to give the rotation a makeover. If the Cubs want to compete with the Brewers for the NL Central crown, they need at least one starter they can rely on. Ideally, they come away with multiple, but landing one ace would greatly improve their rotation. They could go big game hunting for Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta. If they miss out on them, they could pivot to Tyler Mahle or Nick Martinez.
Pittsburgh Pirates, Someone Who Can Hit Lefties: While the Pirates had one of their best seasons in years, it could have been better if they hit left-handed pitching. They slashed .248/.316/.385 against lefties, compared to their .255/.336/.413 slashline against righties. Lane Thomas is the best solution for this problem. He has a career 132 wRC+ against lefties and slashed .262/.364/.440 against them this season. He is the perfect cheap option for the Pirates to take a flyer on. Other options in the Pirates’ price range who could fix this problem are Tyrone Taylor and Austin Mays.
St. Louis Cardinals, Add Veteran Presence: The days of the St. Louis Cardinals being one of the most consistent teams in the NL Central. With a focus on young talent and player development, they should add a few veterans who can lead the locker room. Both in the rotation and in the lineup. They need someone who can mentor the young players and show them what it takes to be a major leaguer. For the lineup, they can grab Isiah Kiner-Falefa. He will add leadership and position versatility. For the staff, someone like Jose Quintana or Griffin Canning can fill that role nicely.
Cincinnati Reds, Veterans To Move at the Deadline: The Cincinnati Reds are entering a transition period. After a last-place finish in the NL Central and several key players leaving in free agency, the Reds need to retool. The best way to retool and bring in young talent is to sign struggling veterans and flip them at the deadline. A perfect example is Luis Robert Jr. If Robert can have a strong first half, the Reds can flip him to a contender and get a solid prospect back. They could also look at some relievers, who are always popular at the deadline. Some relievers who should get one-year deals are AJ Puk and Evan Phillips.
