The National League Central is shaping up for a fascinating winter as the 2025-26 Major League Baseball offseason gets underway, with each team facing urgent and unique challenges. From the Milwaukee Brewers’ aggressive push to stay atop the division, to the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen overhaul, the Cincinnati Reds’ quest for offensive firepower, the St. Louis Cardinals’ dramatic rebuild under new leadership, and the Pittsburgh Pirates’ desperate need to back up their ace with some bats, the NL Central is a microcosm of baseball’s ever-shifting landscape. Let’s dive into what’s driving each club as the hot stove heats up.
The Milwaukee Brewers are coming off a sensational 97-win season—no small feat for a small-market franchise. After years of carefully managing payroll, Milwaukee’s front office surprised many by extending a one-year, $22 million qualifying offer to homegrown right-hander Brandon Woodruff. It’s a gamble, no doubt. Woodruff missed all of 2024 due to injury, but rebounded this year to make 12 starts, posting a sharp 3.20 ERA before another injury cost him his spot in the postseason rotation. The Brewers’ faith in Woodruff’s recovery is telling. By offering him a significant deal, Milwaukee is signaling that they believe his health woes are behind him and that he can anchor their rotation in 2026.
But the situation remains fluid. Woodruff, now a free agent, might seek a multi-year deal with a contender flush with cash, leaving the Brewers in search of a proven starter. As if that weren’t enough, Milwaukee picked up the club option on Freddy Peralta—a steal at $8 million for 2026—but reports indicate they could be shopping him ahead of his own free agency next winter. If both Woodruff and Peralta move on, the Brewers’ rotation would be perilously thin and inexperienced, a risky proposition for a team in its competitive window. Milwaukee’s front office will need to be aggressive and creative in the coming months to keep their championship hopes alive.
Across the division, the Chicago Cubs also face a pivotal offseason. After reaching the National League Division Series in 2025 with a revamped lineup—one that featured, most likely, a single season of star outfielder Kyle Tucker—the Cubs now have to regroup. Tucker is expected to depart in free agency, and the Cubs seem content to fill his shoes with a mix of in-house options: Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and top prospect Owen Caissie. But the real crisis is on the mound, or more specifically, in the bullpen.
The Cubs lost a whopping seven relievers to free agency: Brad Keller, Ryan Brasier, Aaron Civale, Drew Pomeranz, Taylor Rogers, Michael Soroka, and Caleb Thielbar. That’s nearly their entire relief corps, leaving only Daniel Palencia as a returning arm. The bullpen, while ranking 11th in ERA (3.78) and boasting the majors’ lowest walk rate (7.9%), struggled to miss bats, posting the fourth-highest contact rate in 2025. The front office is now on the hunt for high-leverage arms, and they’ll have to get creative—through trades, free agency, or perhaps both—to replenish what was one of their main strengths. With no notable acquisitions or subtractions reported as of November 12, 2025, according to league trackers, Cubs fans are waiting to see how the club will respond to these departures.
Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Reds are wrestling with a familiar problem: a lack of pop in the lineup. The Reds’ offense was the fifth-worst in the majors in 2025, with a .391 slugging percentage that ranked 21st overall. Even with a late push that saw them sneak into the playoffs as the final wild-card team, they were swept by the Dodgers in the first round, exposing the lineup’s limitations. Elly De La Cruz, a beacon of hope in the first half, slumped badly down the stretch, underscoring the need for a consistent power hitter.
But there’s a silver lining in Cincinnati. The rotation, led by All-Star Hunter Greene, is poised to compete at a high level in 2026. The Reds’ front office knows this is a window they can’t afford to waste. To capitalize, they’ll need to dip into free agency or leverage their farm system to acquire a legitimate slugger—someone who can change the game with one swing and help the team finally advance beyond the Division Series for the first time since 1995. With no major moves reported yet, Reds fans are eager for signs of offensive reinforcements.
In St. Louis, a new era is beginning under the guidance of Chaim Bloom, the Cardinals’ new president of baseball operations. For the first time in nearly two decades, the club is pivoting away from its veteran core and focusing on the future. The plan? Trade away established stars like Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, and Willson Contreras in exchange for young, controllable talent—particularly starting pitchers. “We want to focus on drafting and developing star players again,” Bloom has emphasized, signaling a return to the Cardinals’ traditional roots of building from within.
Don’t expect St. Louis to be a major player in free agency this winter. The club is channeling its financial flexibility into improving internal systems rather than chasing short-term fixes. The 2026 season is likely to be a transitional year, as the Cardinals’ front office focuses on assembling the pieces for a more sustainable future. The success of their rebuild will hinge on the quality of the prospects they receive in return for their veterans—a storyline worth watching closely as the offseason unfolds.
Finally, the Pittsburgh Pirates are at a crossroads. With the fourth-lowest payroll in baseball in 2025, the Pirates’ offense was, frankly, anemic. They hit the fewest home runs in the majors and posted the third-worst batting average. Only Spencer Horwitz (118 wRC+) and Joey Bart (101 wRC+) managed to perform above league average at the plate, while established names like Bryan Reynolds, Andrew McCutchen, and Tommy Pham struggled to provide consistent production. It’s a shame, because the Pirates’ pitching staff was superb, recording the seventh-best ERA (3.76) and the fourth-best fWAR (19.1) in the league, thanks in large part to Cy Young candidate Paul Skenes.
With McCutchen and Pham both entering free agency, Pittsburgh faces at least one outfield vacancy, and the pressure is on to add legitimate bats to support their stellar pitching. Will Oneil Cruz finally break out in his age-27 season? That remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure: the Pirates have to get aggressive this winter if they want to give their fans a taste of postseason baseball and capitalize on their pitching strength.
As the 2025-26 offseason unfolds, the NL Central is a division in flux. With so many teams at a crossroads—some pushing for immediate contention, others laying the groundwork for the future—the months ahead promise plenty of intrigue, tough decisions, and, no doubt, a few surprises. Stay tuned as these clubs shape their destinies for 2026 and beyond.
