It’s mid-September, and there are several playoff races worth watching in MLB.
The Tampa Bay Rays made it a race in the AL East and are just one game behind the Baltimore Orioles, there are three teams vying for the AL West crown, and the NL Central is still wide open.
There are three teams with realistic and mathematical chances to win the NL Central: the Milwaukee Brewers currently lead with a 82-64 record, then the Chicago Cubs are 4.5 games behind (78-69) and the Cincinnati Reds are a distant third at 76-72, seven games behind.
Per MLB Picks, Bet MGM favors the Brewers to take division with -1000 odds.
Will the @Brewers hold onto their lead in the NL Central or will someone else make a run?
Odds via @BetMGM pic.twitter.com/etTt80TCpv
— MLB Picks (@MLBPicks) September 15, 2023
The Cubs come in second at +600, and the Reds are clearly an underdog at this point at +20000.
Each of the three teams had a chance to secure the division throughout the season.
The 2023 campaign has had high and lows for all of them, and so far, the Brewers look likely to advance to the playoffs as NL Central kings.
Their starting rotation is just too strong, especially the trio formed by Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Freddy Peralta.
Don’t assume the Cubs are done, though: as long as Cody Bellinger and Justin Steele are healthy, they have a fighting chance.
As for the Reds, they looked like a bona fide playoff team for much of the year, but Matt McLain’s injury and the extended slump of Elly De La Cruz have affected their chances, not to mention their lack of activity at the deadline.
NEXT: MLB Insider Notes The Brewers' Top Strength
