Major League Baseball has entered its seventh week of the regular season, and several teams have jumped out to strong starts.
One division, however, stands above the rest. Among the six divisions across the American and National Leagues, only one features every team with a winning record entering Monday.
That division is the NL Central — and it may be the best in baseball. Five of the top eight teams in the very early playoff picture come from the NL Central.
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The Chicago Cubs lead the division at 22–12, with the Cincinnati Reds close behind at 20–14. Even the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates have already collected 19 wins.
No other division has more than two teams at .500 or better. Although the season remains very young, the NL Central has already created a compelling early storyline.
Each team has positioned itself to build momentum. With every club above .500 this deep into the season, the division race has become increasingly crowded. At the same time, the competition for the remaining Wild Card spots has tightened.
This surge benefits Major League Baseball as a whole and energizes fans who have watched the division struggle in recent years.
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The NL Central also features a wave of exciting talent emerging as some of the game’s brightest stars. This includes Paul Skenes of the Pirates, Elly De La Cruz of the Reds, and Nico Hoerner of the Cubs.
These names represent just a portion of the division’s talent. With roughly 21 weeks remaining, the NL Central has delivered an impressive start a quarter of the way through the season.
Much can change between now and October. Still, the NL Central’s hot start suggests it could send multiple teams to the postseason.
