National League Central Explained

National League Central
League:National League
Sport:Major League Baseball
Teams:5
Champion:Milwaukee Brewers
(2023; 4th title)
Most Champs:St. Louis Cardinals (12)

The National League Central is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was created in 1994, by moving two teams from the National League West (the Cincinnati Reds and the Houston Astros) and three teams from the National League East (the Chicago Cubs, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the St. Louis Cardinals).

When the division was created in 1994, the Pirates were originally supposed to stay in the East while the Atlanta Braves were to be moved to the Central from the West. However, the Braves, wanting to form a natural rivalry with the expansion Florida Marlins, requested to remain in the East. Despite the Marlins offering to go to the Central, the Pirates instead gave up their spot in the East to the Braves.[1] Since then, the Pirates have tried several times unsuccessfully to be placed back in the East.[2]

In 1998, the NL Central became the largest division in Major League Baseball when the Milwaukee Brewers were moved in from the American League Central, which gave them six teams. In 2013, the Astros moved to the American League West.

This division has been dominated by the Cardinals, who have accounted for 12 of the 26 division championships, plus three wild card wins. Aside from the Cardinals, the Cubs have the second most division championships with six, as well as three wild card wins. The Brewers have four divisional championships, with two wild card wins. The Astros had four division titles and two wild card wins. The Reds have three division titles, along with one wild card win. The Pirates have not won the division since the division was created, but possess three wild card appearances. The 2013 win was the Pirates’ first and only playoff berth since 1992.

Division membership

Current members

Former member

Division lineups

Place cursor over year for division champ or World Series team.

NL Central Division
Years
94959697989900010203040506070809101112131415161718192021222324
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Houston Astros 
St. Louis Cardinals
Pittsburgh Pirates
 Milwaukee Brewers
Team not in division Division Won World Series Division Won NL Championship

Creation of division due to the 1994 realignment into three divisions (with Chicago, Pittsburgh and St. Louis from NL East, and Cincinnati and Houston from NL West)

Milwaukee switched leagues due to the 1998 expansion, moving in from AL Central

Houston switched leagues after the 2012 season, and joined the AL West

Champions by year

YearWinnerRecordWin%Playoff Results
§No playoffs due to 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike
1995Cincinnati Reds (1)85–59.590Won NLDS (Dodgers) 3–0
Lost NLCS (Braves) 4–0
1996St. Louis Cardinals (1)88–74.543Won NLDS (Padres) 3–0
Lost NLCS (Braves) 4–3
1997Houston Astros (1)84–78.519Lost NLDS (Braves) 3–0
1998Houston Astros (2)102–60.630Lost NLDS (Padres) 3–1
1999Houston Astros (3)97–65.599Lost NLDS (Braves) 3–1
2000St. Louis Cardinals (2)95–67.586Won NLDS (Braves) 3–0
Lost NLCS (Mets) 4–1
2001*Houston Astros (4)93–69 .574Lost NLDS (Braves) 3–0
2002St. Louis Cardinals (3)97–65.599Won NLDS (Diamondbacks) 3–0
Lost NLCS (Giants) 4–1
2003Chicago Cubs (1)88–74.543Won NLDS (Braves) 3–2
Lost NLCS (Marlins) 4–3
2004St. Louis Cardinals (4)105–57.648Won NLDS (Dodgers) 3–1
Won NLCS (Astros) 4–3
Lost World Series (Red Sox) 4–0
2005St. Louis Cardinals (5)100–62.617Won NLDS (Padres) 3–0
Lost NLCS (Astros) 4–2
2006St. Louis Cardinals (6) 83–78.516Won NLDS (Padres) 3–1
Won NLCS (Mets) 4–3
Won World Series (Tigers) 4–1
2007Chicago Cubs (2)85–77.525Lost NLDS (Diamondbacks) 3–0
2008Chicago Cubs (3)97–64.602Lost NLDS (Dodgers) 3–0
2009St. Louis Cardinals (7)91–71.562Lost NLDS (Dodgers) 3–0
2010Cincinnati Reds (2)91–71.562Lost NLDS (Phillies) 3–0
2011Milwaukee Brewers (1)96–66.593Won NLDS (Diamondbacks) 3–2
Lost NLCS (Cardinals) 4–2
2012Cincinnati Reds (3)97–65.599Lost NLDS (Giants) 3–2
2013St. Louis Cardinals (8)97–65.599Won NLDS (Pirates) 3–2
Won NLCS (Dodgers) 4–2
Lost World Series (Red Sox) 4–2
2014St. Louis Cardinals (9)90–72.556Won NLDS (Dodgers) 3–1
Lost NLCS (Giants) 4–1
2015St. Louis Cardinals (10)100–62.617Lost NLDS (Cubs) 3–1
2016Chicago Cubs (4)103–58.640Won NLDS (Giants) 3–1
Won NLCS (Dodgers) 4–2
Won World Series (Indians) 4–3
2017Chicago Cubs (5)92–70.568Won NLDS (Nationals) 3–2
Lost NLCS (Dodgers) 4–1
2018Milwaukee Brewers (2)96–67.589Won NLDS (Rockies) 3–0
Lost NLCS (Dodgers) 4–3
2019St. Louis Cardinals (11)91–71.562Won NLDS (Braves) 3–2
Lost NLCS (Nationals) 4–0
2020†Chicago Cubs (6)34–26.567Lost NLWC (Marlins) 2–0
2021Milwaukee Brewers (3)95–67.586Lost NLDS (Braves) 3–1
2022St. Louis Cardinals (12)93–69.574Lost NLWC (Phillies) 2–0
2023Milwaukee Brewers (4)92–70.568Lost NLWC (Diamondbacks) 2–0
§ – Due to the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike on August 12, no official winner was awarded. Cincinnati was leading by half a game over Houston at the time of the strike.

* – The Astros and Cardinals finished with identical regular season records. Because the Astros won the season series 9–7 against the Cardinals, they were awarded the National League Central division title, and the Cardinals were declared the National League Wild Card team.

† – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was shortened to 60 games. By virtue of the eight-team postseason format used for that season, division runner-up St. Louis (30–28, .517) also automatically qualified for the playoffs.

Other postseason teams

The wild card was introduced in 1994 and was initially assigned to the team with the best record in each league that did not win its division. The first year of implementation was 1995 as a player strike prematurely ended the 1994 season. Since implementation, each of the NL Central teams has won the wild card. In 2012, a second wild card was added to post-season play, and in 2022, a third was also added.

YearWinnerRecord%GBPlayoff Results
1998Chicago Cubs*90–73.55212.5Lost NLDS (Braves) 3–0
2001St. Louis Cardinals†93–69.5740Lost NLDS (Diamondbacks) 3–2
2004Houston Astros92–70.56813Won NLDS (Braves) 3–2
Lost NLCS (Cardinals) 4–3
2005Houston Astros89–73.54911Won NLDS (Braves) 3–1
Won NLCS (Cardinals) 4–2
Lost World Series (White Sox) 4–0
2008Milwaukee Brewers90–72.5567.5Lost NLDS (Phillies) 3–1
2011St. Louis Cardinals90–72.5566Won NLDS (Phillies) 3–2
Won NLCS (Brewers) 4–2
Won World Series (Rangers) 4–3
2012St. Louis Cardinals**88–74.5439Won NLWC (Braves)
Won NLDS (Nationals) 3–2
Lost NLCS (Giants) 4–3
2013Pittsburgh Pirates**94–68.5803Won NLWC (Reds)
Lost NLDS (Cardinals) 3–2
Cincinnati Reds**90–72.5567Lost NLWC (Pirates)
2014Pittsburgh Pirates**88–74.5432Lost NLWC (Giants)
2015Pittsburgh Pirates**98–64.6052Lost NLWC (Cubs)
Chicago Cubs**97–65.5993Won NLWC (Pirates)
Won NLDS (Cardinals) 3–1
Lost NLCS (Mets) 4–0
2018Chicago Cubs**95–68.5831Lost NLWC (Rockies)
2019Milwaukee Brewers**89–73.5492Lost NLWC (Nationals)
2020†† St. Louis Cardinals**30–28.5173Lost NLWC (Padres) 2–1
Cincinnati Reds**31–29.5173Lost NLWC (Braves) 2–0
Milwaukee Brewers** ***29–31.4835Lost NLWC (Dodgers) 2–0
2021St. Louis Cardinals**90–72.5565Lost NLWC (Dodgers)
* – Defeated the San Francisco Giants in a one game playoff for the Wild Card, 5–3.

† – Finished with the same record as the Houston Astros, but Houston won the season series vs. the Cardinals that year, and were given the higher seed in the playoffs.

** – From 2012 to 2019, and in 2021, the Wild Card was expanded to two teams. Those teams faced each other in the Wild Card Game to determine the final participant in the National League Division Series. In 2020 only, eight teams, including the three division winners, played in a best-of-three Wild Card Series, with the winners advancing to the Division Series. Starting in 2022, the Wild Card field was increased to three teams, and along with the lowest-ranked division winner, qualified for the best-of-three Wild Card Series to determine the remaining two slots in the Division Series.

†† – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was shortened to 60 games.

*** – Finished with the same record as the San Francisco Giants but won the wild-card spot due to a superior intra-divisional record (Brewers went 19–21 vs. the NL Central while the Giants went 18–22 vs. the NL West).

Season results

bgcolor=#FFCC00 align=center width=10px(#)Denotes team that won the World Series
bgcolor=#C0C0C0 align=center width=10px(#)Denotes team that won the National League pennant, but lost World Series
bgcolor=#CCFFCC align=center width=10px(#)Denotes team that qualified for the MLB postseason
Season Team (record)
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
Cincinnati (66–48) Houston (66–49) Pittsburgh (53–61) St. Louis (53–61) Chicago Cubs (49–64)
(2) Cincinnati (85–59) Houston (76–68) Chicago Cubs (73–71) St. Louis (62–81) Pittsburgh (58–86)
(1) St. Louis (88–74) Houston (82–80) Cincinnati (81–81) Chicago Cubs (76–86) Pittsburgh (73–89)
(1) Houston (84–78) Pittsburgh (79–83) Cincinnati (76–86) St. Louis (73–89) Chicago Cubs (68–94)
(2) Houston (102–60) (4) Chicago Cubs (90–73) St. Louis (83–79) Cincinnati (77–85) Milwaukee (74–88) Pittsburgh (69–93)
(3) Houston (97–65) Cincinnati (96–67) Pittsburgh (78–83) St. Louis (75–86) Milwaukee (74–87) Chicago Cubs (67–95)
(2) St. Louis (95–67) Cincinnati (85–77) Milwaukee (73–89) Houston (72–90) Pittsburgh (69–93) Chicago Cubs (65–97)
(1) Houston (93–69) (4) St. Louis (93–69) Chicago Cubs (88–74) Milwaukee (68–94) Cincinnati (66–96) Pittsburgh (62–100)
(3) St. Louis (97–65) Houston (84–78) Cincinnati (78–84) Pittsburgh (72–89) Chicago Cubs (67–95) Milwaukee (56–106)
(3) Chicago Cubs (88–74) Houston (87–75) St. Louis (85–77) Pittsburgh (75–87) Cincinnati (69–93) Milwaukee (68–94)
(1) St. Louis (105–57) (4) Houston (92–70) Chicago Cubs (89–73) Cincinnati (76–86) Pittsburgh (72–89) Milwaukee (67–94)
(1) St. Louis (100–62) (4) Houston (89–73) Milwaukee (81–81) Chicago Cubs (79–83) Cincinnati (73–89) Pittsburgh (67–95)
(3) St. Louis (83–78) Houston (82–80) Cincinnati (80–82) Milwaukee (75–87) Pittsburgh (67–95) Chicago Cubs (66–96)
(3) Chicago Cubs (85–77) Milwaukee (83–79) St. Louis (78–84) Houston (73–89) Cincinnati (72–90) Pittsburgh (68–94)
(1) Chicago Cubs (97–64) (4) Milwaukee (90–72) Houston (86–75) St. Louis (86–76) Cincinnati (74–88) Pittsburgh (67–95)
(3) St. Louis (91–71) Chicago Cubs (83–78) Milwaukee (80–82) Cincinnati (78–84) Houston (74–88) Pittsburgh (62–99)
(3) Cincinnati (91–71) St. Louis (86–76) Milwaukee (77–85) Houston (76–86) Chicago Cubs (75–87) Pittsburgh (57–105)
(2) Milwaukee (96–66) (4) St. Louis (90–72) Cincinnati (79–83) Pittsburgh (72–90) Chicago Cubs (71–91) Houston (56–106)
(2) Cincinnati (97–65) (5) St. Louis (88–74) Milwaukee (83–79) Pittsburgh (79–83) Chicago Cubs (61–101) Houston (55–107)
(1) St. Louis (97–65) (4) Pittsburgh (94–68) (5) Cincinnati (90–72) Milwaukee (74–88) Chicago Cubs (66–96)
(3) St. Louis (90–72) (4) Pittsburgh (88–74) Milwaukee (82–80) Cincinnati (76–86) Chicago Cubs (73–89)
(1) St. Louis (100–62) (4) Pittsburgh (98–64) (5) Chicago Cubs (97–65) Milwaukee (68–94) Cincinnati (64–98)
(1) Chicago Cubs (103–58) St. Louis (86–76) Pittsburgh (78–83) Milwaukee (73–89) Cincinnati (68–94)
(3) Chicago Cubs (92–70) Milwaukee (86–76) St. Louis (83–79) Pittsburgh (75–87) Cincinnati (68–94)
(1) Milwaukee (96–67) (4) Chicago Cubs (95–68) St. Louis (88–74) Pittsburgh (82–79) Cincinnati (67–95)
(3) St. Louis (91–71) (5) Milwaukee (89–73) Chicago Cubs (84–78) Cincinnati (75–87) Pittsburgh (69–93)
  • 2020: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was shortened to 60 games. The postseason field was expanded to eight teams and the wild-card round became a best-of-three series.
(3) Chicago Cubs (34–26) (5) St. Louis (30–28) (7) Cincinnati (31–29) (8) Milwaukee (29–31) Pittsburgh (19–41)
(2) Milwaukee (95–67) (5) St. Louis (90–72) Cincinnati (83–79) Chicago Cubs (71–91) Pittsburgh (61–101)
(3) St. Louis (93–69) Milwaukee (86–76) Chicago Cubs (74–88) Pittsburgh (62–100) Cincinnati (62–100)
(3) Milwaukee (92–70) Chicago Cubs (83–79) Cincinnati (82–80) Pittsburgh (76–86) St. Louis (71–91)
Notes and Tiebreakers

NL Central titles won team

TeamNumber of
Championship(s) Won
Years Won
St. Louis Cardinals121996, 2000, 2002, 2004–2006, 2009, 2013–2015, 2019, 2022
Chicago Cubs62003, 2007, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2020
Milwaukee Brewers42011, 2018*, 2021, 2023
Houston Astros41997, 1998, 1999, 2001*
Cincinnati Reds31995, 2010, 2012
Pittsburgh Pirates0--

* – Won division via tiebreaker
Italics indicates former division member

Rivalries

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: BASEBALL; Pirates Relent on New Alignment. Murray. Chass. nytimes.com. May 7, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170824094121/http://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/16/sports/baseball-pirates-relent-on-new-alignment.html?pagewanted=print. August 24, 2017.
  2. Web site: Starkey: Pirates in American League' Yes!. June 16, 2011. TribLIVE.com. October 1, 2014. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006101149/http://triblive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_742330.html#axzz2YtXG2iD2. October 6, 2014.