With Spring Training in full swing, baseball fans can only count the days until Opening Day. While expectations vary for every team’s 2025 campaign, it all starts within the division. Some may have clear-cut favorites (who said Dodgers?), while others are a crapshoot. Jacob Clark, Cincinnati Reds sports writer, sat down with me to predict each NL Central team’s record, as well as a season prediction. Will Milwaukee finally be dethroned? Is this finally the Cubs year? Do the Cardinals take a step forward or backwards from their disappointing 2024? Does Paul Skenes lead Pittsburgh to the Promised Land? Do the Reds become a threat with their new manager?
Milwaukee Brewers
Cal’s record prediction: 92-70 (1st in NL Central)
Jacob’s record prediction: 87-75 (2nd in NL Central)
Cal: “Milwaukee’s streak of a division crown, followed by an early playoff exit, should continue this year. With the loss of shortstop Willy Adames and All-Star closer Devin Williams, they won’t be as impressive as last season. However, they have the advantage of playing in a relatively weak division. I expect this to be a tight, two-team race to the finish line. You can’t count out the bat of William Contreras, who is expected to make his MVP case this year. Their pitching staff is always a top unit, with Nestor Cortes being a strong acquisition. The Brew-Crew would love another 90+ win season, and yet another Central pennant.”
Jacob: “The Brewers seemingly do nothing great, but everything well. They play great defense, pitch well, and hit well. It’s a simple recipe, but one that’s had them on top of the NL Central in three of the past four seasons. I do think the loss of Willy Adames will hurt some and it’s primarily why I don’t have them winning the NL Central this year, but I do have them as a Postseason team. Thanks in large part due to manager Pat Murphy, a rock solid rotation and bullpen, and a lineup that took a big step forward in 2024.”
St. Louis Cardinals
Cal’s record prediction: 82-80 (3rd in NL Central)
Jacob’s record prediction: 79-83 (4th in NL Central)
Cal: “Zero. That’s the amount of money that the Cardinals front office spent in free agency this offseason. St. Louis doesn’t have a bad roster; they just haven’t made the moves to push them to a playoff contender. It’s astonishing that they have playoff aspirations, yet they don’t make the moves necessary to get them there. I expect them to be right around the .500 point all year. If the ship starts to sink, look for manager Ollie Marmol to be canned. Nolan Arenado and Ryan Helsley might be on the trade block by July, and things could go from bad to worse in STL.”
Jacob: “Rumor at the beginning of this offseason was that the Cardinals were going to try and sell off a majority of their old core; Sonny Gray, Wilson Contreras, Nolan Arenado, etc. That never happened. While I think that makes them marginally better this year, it doesn’t signal the true rebuild I think Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak was after. Make middle of the pack moves, remain a middle of the pack team.”
Chicago Cubs
Cal’s record prediction: 87-75 (2nd in NL Central)
Jacob’s record prediction: 89-73 (1st in NL Central)
Cal: “On paper, the Cubs have the roster to challenge anyone in the National League. However, the Cubs always struggle to meet expectations. I love the offseason they had, acquiring solid talent like Matthew Boyd, as well as big name stars like Ryan Pressly and Kyle Tucker. Their starting rotation will be a strong suit for their 2025 season. Look for Dansby Swanson to have a breakout season, after a disappointing 2024 (.242 BA/16 HR/ 66 RBI). They will provide the Brewers with the biggest challenge in the Central, and fall just short of a division crown. I do believe that the Cubs will snag a wild card slot, and make some noise in October.”
Jacob: “The Cubs took a lot of big swings this offseason, adding reliever Ryan Pressly, starters Matthew Boyd and Colin Rea, infielder Justin Turner, but none move bigger than adding Astros star outfielder Kyle Tucker. While I think the Tucker addition is huge and will help add a few wins this year, it’s actually the top of their rotation and improvement to the bullpen that will make the biggest difference for the Cubs this season. Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, and Jameson Taillon is a top three of the rotation that many teams would love to have and I think it carries them this year. Fly the W Cubs fans, the NL Central title is returning to the Windy City for the first time since 2020!”
Cincinnati Reds
Cal’s record prediction: 80-82 (4th in NL Central)
Jacob’s record prediction: 84-78 (3rd in NL Central)
Cal: “The Cincinnati Reds are a team that could shock the world this summer, or fail to meet expectations yet again. While the latter is more probable, there’s no denying the potential this team has. Young stars like Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, and Spencer Steer have fans in Cincy more than excited for the 2025 season. I believe that they are still a couple of pieces away from reaching the postseason. While their rotation features young and promising arms, like Rhett Lowder and Hunter Greene, they struggled with consistency in 2024. The Reds gave up the second highest ERA at 4.09 per game (Pirates had a 4.15 ERA). If new manager Terry Francona can accomplish what he was brought in for, look out for Cincinnati in 2025.”
Jacob: “Below average defense, poor base running, inability to win one run games (15-28), and injuries are all factors that led the Reds to a disappointing 2024 season. They’re now hoping the hire of manager Terry Francona can help turn that all around. I think Terry Francona will bring out the best in this young roster. Gavin Lux, Brady Singer, Taylor Rogers, etc should all play major roles as new additions to this team. However, the health of Matt McLain, TJ Friedl, and Nick Lodolo could be the biggest additions to this team. I think the Reds will flip their luck some in 2024, but I still don’t think it will be enough to reach the Postseason.”
Pittsburgh Pirates
Cal’s record prediction: 69-93 (5th in NL Central)
Jacob’s record prediction: 74-88 (5th in NL Central)
Cal: “Maybe you believe Paul Skenes is the savior of the Pittsburgh Pirates. A generational talent like Skenes can’t save this organization from the cellar of the NL Central. The lack of support around this young staff will be a detriment to their 2025 season. Veteran players like Ke’Bryan Hayes and Bryan Reynolds will carry the lineup (barring no health issues). Oneil Cruz statistically hits the cover off of the baseball, but has yet to fully develop into that young superstar that everyone expected. This Pirates squad is just so plain on paper, it’s hard for me to see them have a successful season. If the young prospects produce, their rotation stays consistent, and their overall team stays healthy, their ceiling is around the .500 mark. I do not see them making noise this season, however. If they can build around Skenes, they will be scary in the future.”
Jacob: “This is who the Pirates are. They’re a cheap organization that’s entirely dependent on prospect development to win. They’ve built quite the rotation this way, but the lineup and bullpen are lackluster. Steps forward from Ke’Bryan Hayes, Jack Suwinski, Henry Davis, the health of Endy Rodriguez, the development of Oneil Cruz in centerfield, and the return to dominance from Bryan Reynolds and David Bednar are just some of the many question marks facing this Pirates team. The Pirates easily could’ve spent some money this offseason and helped their odds drastically, but instead went the cheap route and I believe it will cost them greatly.”
Follow Jacob Clark on X: @EllyDeLaCruise
