The National League Central has found itself at the center of one of the best stories in all of Major League Baseball through the first three months of the season.
As June 30 arrives, the National League Central is the only division with four teams above .500. It is also the only division in all of baseball with four teams within five games of first place.
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Before fans start to doubt the top of the division, the Cubs, who lead the division with a 49–35 record, are tied with the Philadelphia Phillies for the second-best record in the National League. If the postseason started Monday, three teams from the division would be in the playoffs.
The Chicago Cubs just lost two out of three on the road in Houston. They struggled through a 3-4 road trip but now return to the friendly confines to host Cleveland and the Cardinals.
In second place, just two games back from the Cubs, are the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers let one slip away on Sunday but still went 4-2 during a homestand against the Pirates and Rockies. Milwaukee is one of the best running teams in MLB, with 97 stolen bases.
The St. Louis Cardinals have been red-hot. The Cardinals swept the Guardians in Cleveland, and since June 13, they have won 11 of their last 15 games. The Cardinals pitched two shutouts in Cleveland, with Sonny Gray going nine innings and Matthew Liberatore dealing on Sunday. St. Louis has been outstanding in the field, tied for the second-best fielding percentage in all of baseball at 99%.
Finally, Tito has his Cincinnati Reds in contention. Cincinnati beat the Padres 3-2 on Sunday and won the series. The Reds saw both the Yankees and San Diego come to town and won four out of six games. Cincinnati has the fifth-best opponent batting average, as teams are hitting just .232 against them.
As the trade deadline approaches, these are four teams to watch. All four could add a piece or two and become a dangerous force to deal with for the Dodgers and/or Mets in the race for the NL crown.
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