Nate's NL Central Predictions

1 Cincinnati Reds

2 Milwaukee Brewers

3 Chicago Cubs

4 Pittsburgh Pirates

5 St. Louis Cardinals

Reasoning: Let’s get weird. The Reds have some real offensive firepower brewing if everything clicks. The rotation is solid enough with fun young guys to debut on both sides of the ball soon. Sneaky good bullpen, too. The bottom half of the Brewers lineup leaves a lot to be desired and a lack of a high ceiling problem. I’m not sipping the Cubs Kool-Aid like I thought I might be. The Tucker move was great, but I honestly don’t like a single one of their starters compared to public opinion, and they might be another year away with one of the best farm systems in baseball. The Pirates desperately need bats to match their exciting pitchers, they’re giving off a baby-Mariners vibe in 2025. The Cardinals should hopefully sell at the deadline to escape their circle of mediocrity this decade.

Rhys' NL Central Predictions

1 Milwaukee Brewers

2 Chicago Cubs 

3 Pittsburgh Pirates

4 St. Louis Cardinals

5 Cincinnati Reds

Reasoning: The Brewers are by far the most competent team in this division, and they will continue to leave no stone unturned while the rest of the division leaves behind. They are at the forefront of optimizing pitcher usage and being creative with platoons. The Cubs have the most star power, but I worry about the depth. The bullpen also leaves something to be desired. The Pirates take a step forward this year, but I wish they invested more in their offense because a rotation where Mitch Keller might be your fourth-best starter is nothing to be sneezed at. The Cardinals will be solid, if unspectacular, and one of the most boring teams. They will sell off pieces at the deadline to add to their rebuild. I don’t buy what the Reds are selling; that rotation is a house of cards. I wonder if any of the hitters we are projecting more from will take the next step. This could be a nightmare of a season for the Reds; at least the Bengals offense will be sick for the next few years.  

Roki Sasaki, RHP LAD (National League) 3 IP, , ER, 5 BB, 3 K

The command wasn’t there for Roki, but Roki’s splitter already looks like one of the best pitches in all of baseball. Roki has a chance to run away with Rookie of the Year, as he might be up all year, unlike most other rookies. Yes, his fastball has suboptimal shape, but he gets that thing up to 100, so he might be able to get by with that. The arsenal is one of the best in all of baseball, and he could prove to be an SP2 this year for those who drafted him.