Spring Training is just around the corner, and rosters are nearly set for the season ahead. As we get a better picture of how each MLB team's lineup and pitching staff will shape up, we can start to think about division races.
Prediction market Kalshi has odds posted for each team's chances of winning the NL Central, with the Cubs and Brewers appearing as the overwhelming favorites.
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So, let's dive into some NL Central predictions.
NL Central Odds, Predictions
Odds are via Kalshi and update every hour.
Chicago Cubs NL Central Odds
The Cubs did the most of any team in this division to improve over the offseason, and they're coming off a 92-70 campaign.
Their most aggressive move was prying Alex Bregman away from the Red Sox with a five-year deal to play third base, supplanting struggling rookie Matt Shaw. They swung big on the trade market as well, sending top prospect Owen Caissie and more to the Marlins for right-hander Edward Cabrera to shore up the rotation. President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer also managed to bring back Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Colin Rea on one-year deals.
Expect a season full of fun, competitive baseball at Wrigley Field, and while it's unlikely the Cubs will run away with the division, they undoubtedly have the most talented team on paper.
Milwaukee Brewers NL Central Odds
Last year's 97-win Brewers team has only gotten worse since being deposed by the 93-win Dodgers in the NLCS, yet this front office has consistently found ways to keep the team competitive while selling off major pieces.
Of course, the big selloff for Milwaukee was the trade of Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers to the Mets. Milwaukee said goodbye to its ace and a depth arm in exchange for high-minors prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams, who could both impact the team this year. And while they didn't lose any notable talent via free agency, they haven't added any either, with their lone major league signing so far being the previously-released Akil Baddoo.
The Brewers will rely on internal improvement to make their team competitive in 2026, and not without good reason. Young players in the lineup, such as Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and Sal Frelick, seem due for steps forward, and their rotation contains a bevy of interesting young arms behind Brandon Woodruff, like Jacob Misiorowski, Logan Henderson, Quinn Priester, and Chad Patrick. It's not outside the realm of possibility that the Brewers could shock the world and win the Central again.
Cincinnati Reds NL Central Odds
Similar to the Brewers, the Reds did not make many major additions this offseason. They snuck into the playoffs with an 83-79 record, but were quickly sent home by the Dodgers in the Wild Card series. They seem content to ride their talented young core again in 2026.
The Reds have some bona fide stars on their team in shortstop Elly De La Cruz and right-hander Hunter Greene, and they have a decent core of homegrown guys around them, such as Matt McLain, Noelvi Marte, Spencer Steer, Sal Stewart, Nick Lodolo, and Andrew Abbott to provide depth. However, the Reds still finished bottom-7 in wRC+ in 2025, and the pitching staff was either too injured or too ineffective to close the gap completely.
It doesn't seem like the short-term additions of Eugenio Suárez, JJ Bleday, and some bullpen pieces will add more than a win or two, but the Central is often prone to chaos, and it's impossible to count out a young, exciting team like the Reds.
