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By Tyler Erzberger
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It's sometimes difficult to be in one of the Central divisions in MLB.
On the west coast, you have the Los Angeles Dodgers and other marquee franchises who are playing out in the sun during the early cold months of the season.
And then there's the teams on the east coast, the elites, like the New York Yankees and other franchises who hog the headlines even when it's frigid outside.
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Not in 2026, though, at least so far for the NL Central, which has established itself as the best division through the first month of the season.
Every team has an even or winning record, and each of the five franchises has budding superstars who make them feel confident about the future.
Here's how the NL Central has shaken out through April.
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Biggest Story: No, Really, This Division Is Really Good
It's hard to take one team's story in the Central over the others.
Sure, the Cincinnati Reds are at the top of the Central and playing strong ball, but that'd be taking away from the surprise of the rebuilding St. Louis Cardinals, only a few games behind in the standings.
The Chicago Cubs had a 10-game win streak before it was snapped on the road against the defending champion Dodgers. The Milwaukee Brewers, per usual, are winning games despite their annual offseason fire sale. And the Pittsburgh Pirates might be the only team in the Central without a winning record, but they're doing well even without Paul Skenes being superhuman yet in April.
The NL Central MVP: Elly De La Cruz (Cincinnati Reds)
De La Cruz took a step back from his meteoric ascent in 2024, but it seems like the shortstop is back, ready to put himself alongside Bobby Witt Jr. as the best young player in the sport.
He's on pace for a possible 40 home run, 40 stolen base season, and he's coming into his own as a superstar, which could be what the Reds need to go from pesky wildcard underdog to legitimate contender in the National League.
The Winner of the NL Central Will Be: Cincinnati Reds
While the Cubs or the Brewers are the easy option here, I'm going to stick with the Reds. They're an all-around strong team, coached well, and De La Cruz is transcending at the perfect time to take them to a legitimate threat level.
Watch out for the Reds. They might not win the pennant this year, but something is building out in Ohio.
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