MLB NL Central Odds: Brewers Favored Over Cardinals

The MLB NL Central odds have the Milwaukee Brewers favored to win the division. The Brewers are -125 to win the NL Central. The cellar-dwelling St. Louis Cardinals are next at +175. While the Cardinals are in last place in the MLB Central standings, they are only 5.5 games behind Milwaukee.

The NL Central is the closest division in all of Major League Baseball. That’s not necessarily a good thing when you consider Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are in there. But the Reds and the Pirates have exceeded expectations so far this season. The Cubs are just a half-game ahead of St. Louis but have the third-lowest odds to win the division.

Milwaukee Brewers -125

The Brewers are a bit of an odd team. They’re 25th in team batting average and runs scored and No. 14 in team ERA. Yet the Brewers are the only team in the division to have an above .500 record through Memorial Day. But with a -21 run differential, the Brewers are playing like a 24-29 team. Not a team that’s 28-25.

Granted, injuries have hurt Milwaukee, especially the injury to Brandon Woodruff. But even with a healthy pitching staff, Milwaukee’s offense will make it hard for the Brewers to pull away from the pack. The offense simply isn’t that good. The Brewers may be favored right now, but they’re far from a sure thing.

St. Louis Cardinals +175

The MLB odds have the Cardinals at +175 to win the NL Central. St. Louis has some ground to make up but are capable of doing so. The Cardinals have the best offense in the division. It’s the pitching that’s let the team down a bit. St. Louis is tied for sixth in runs scored but are No. 18 in team ERA.

The starters haven’t been to previous seasons. Jordan Montgomery and Steven Matz are a combined 2-12 and Jack Flaherty has a 4.81 ERA. Adam Wainwright has missed some time and nobody stepped up while he was out. St. Louis has the highest run differential in the NL Central at +6. Still, that puts them at a 29-27 record instead of the 24-32 record they have. If the pitching improves a bit, the Cardinals will make it interesting at the end.

Chicago Cubs +850

The MLB NL Central odds show the Chicago Cubs at +850. Chicago is the only team besides St. Louis to have a positive run differential. The Cubs don’t excel offensively or defensively. But they’re not bad at either. Chicago is No. 17 in team ERA and No. 15 in runs scored. Simply put, the Cubs are a pretty average team. But that is all it takes in what has been an average division so far.

Pittsburgh Pirates +1000

Few people expected the Pirates to be in second place in the division at this point of the season. But here the Pirates are. The Pirates are even in run differential, so they’re playing pretty close to the team’s 26-27 record. The Pirates are just 10-18 when playing teams above .500. Pittsburgh has gone 14-14 on the road and is getting by on pitching. The Pirates are No. 12 in team ERA, which has helped carry an offense that is No. 21 in runs scored.

Cincinnati Reds +4000

The MLB NL Central odds have the Cincinnati Reds at +4000 and for good reason. The Reds have the lowest run differential in the division at -24. Cincinnati is playing like the 24-29 team they are. The Reds don’t pitch very well, ranking No. 27 in team ERA. The hitting is better, as the Reds rank No. 13 in runs scored. But Cincinnati isn’t good enough offensively to overcome shaky pitching. Cincinnati just swept the Cubs at Wrigley Field to move in front of Chicago in the standings.

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