Cubs’ Are Almost Odds-On Favorites to Win NL Central, But Brewers, Cardinals Still Within Striking Distance
- The Chicago Cubs have a 2.5-game lead in the National League Central
- The Milwaukee Brewers are 13-19 in their last 32 games
- The St. Louis Cardinals aren’t likely to make any big moves at the trade deadline
The Chicago Cubs hold a 2.5-game lead in the National League Central and are the team that’s favored to win the division. However, the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals are both within three games of the Cubs with 65 games to play. Which team is the best bet in the NL Central futures? Let’s take a closer look.
2019 National League Central Odds
| Team | Odds to Win 2019 NL Central Title |
|---|---|
| Chicago Cubs | +600 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | +900 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | +900 |
| Cincinnati Reds | +900 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | +1200 |
Cubs Are On Fire
The Cubs slumped badly heading into the All-Star break, losing 10 of their final 16 games, but they’ve come out in the second half as if they’ve been shot out of a cannon. They have won six of their first seven games and again have a small cushion at the top of the Central.
The addition of Craig Kimbrel has helped secure the late innings as he’s now picked up three saves in the last two weeks, and is looking a little more like his old self with each outing.
If the Cubs can find another left-handed reliever to add to their bullpen, they’ll be in decent shape as we head into August and September.
Brewers Have Faded
While it’s true that the Brew Crew have won three in a row after Thursday’s win over Arizona, they really haven’t been a quality team since the early part of June.
On June 9th, this team was 38-28. Since then, they are 13-19. Their pitching fell off in June, posting a 4.86 team ERA (19th in the MLB) and their offense really tapered off too. They scored just 118 runs (23rd) in the month.
We’ll have to see what they do at the trade deadline (they’ve been linked to Arizona Diamondbacks starter Robbie Ray) but this team needs to change its momentum quickly. They’re just 19-17 on the year versus teams with a winning record and that’s simply not good enough, given the strength of the Central as a whole.
Cardinals Hanging Tough
The Cardinals are the team I’ve liked in this division all season long and it looks like they’re finally putting it together. They were 31-32 on June 9th after getting swept by the Cubs. They are 18-14 since. More recently, they’ve won five of six and look capable of making a run.
My concern is that I don’t think they’ll do much at the trade deadline. They’re not one piece away, so they’ll probably be careful about giving anything up.
Secondly, who do they have to give up outside of Nolan Gorman, who is untouchable?
This is a team that’s just 25-30 against winning teams. They need another bat and another arm, but I don’t see the reinforcements coming. The Cubs have already made a move (Martin Maldonado) and will probably do more.
What’s The Best Bet?
At this point, I like the Cubs at +110. I see the Cardinals fading as the season continues and the Cubs ascending.
If the Brewers can make a move and change their momentum, they should hang around too. But whether they do or not, I expect the Cubs to be the National League Central champs when we reach October.
For over 15 years, Dave has been working in mainstream media and sports betting. He hosted a station on Sirius Satellite Radio for four years, and is currently a senior writer for AskMen. He's interviewed hundreds of hundreds of high-profile sports stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Floyd Mayweather.
