National League Central


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 and three teams from the National League East.
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. Since then, the Pirates have tried several times unsuccessfully to be placed back in the East.
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. In 2013, the Astros moved to the American League West.
This division has been dominated by the Cardinals, who have accounted for eleven of the 24 division championships, plus three wild card wins. Aside from the Cardinals, the Cubs have the second most division championships with five, as well as three wild card wins. The Astros have four division titles and two wild card wins. The Reds have three division titles, along with one wild card win. The Brewers have two divisional championships, with two wild card wins. The Pirates have not won the division since the division was created, but possess three wild card wins. The 2013 win was the Pirates first playoff berth since 1992.
For nine straight seasons, since the 2011 NLCS, an NL Central team has reached the NLCS. This year's NLCS featured the St. Louis Cardinals, who were swept in 4 games by the Washington Nationals.

Division membership

Current members

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

Champions by year

§ – 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 edged the Cardinals in head-to-head games, 9–7, they were awarded the National League Central division title, and the Cardinals were designated as winners of the National League Wild Card.

National League Championships

The division has produced six National League Pennant winners: St. Louis in 2004, 2006, 2011 and 2013, Houston in 2005, and Chicago in 2016.

Wild-card winners

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.
YearWinnerRecord%GBPlayoffs
1998Chicago Cubs*90–73.55212.5Lost NLDS to Atlanta, 3–0
2001St. Louis Cardinals†93–69.5740Lost NLDS to Arizona, 3–2
2004Houston Astros92–70.56813Lost NLCS to St. Louis, 4–3
2005Houston Astros89–73.54911Lost World Series to Chicago, 4–0
2008Milwaukee Brewers90–72.5567.5Lost NLDS to Philadelphia, 3–1
2011St. Louis Cardinals90–72.5566Won World Series over Texas, 4–3
2012St. Louis Cardinals**88–74.5439Lost NLCS to San Francisco, 4–3
2013Pittsburgh Pirates**94–68.5803Lost NLDS to St. Louis, 3–2
2013Cincinnati Reds**90–72.5567Lost NLWC to Pittsburgh
2014Pittsburgh Pirates**88–74.5432Lost NLWC to San Francisco
2015Pittsburgh Pirates**98–64.6052Lost NLWC to Chicago
2015Chicago Cubs**97–65.5993Lost NLCS to New York, 4–0
2018Chicago Cubs**95–68.5831Lost NLWC to Colorado
2019Milwaukee Brewers89–73.5492Lost NLWC to Washington

* – 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.
** – Starting with the 2012 season, there are two Wild Card winners in each league. The qualifiers will play a single-game playoff to determine who will face the top-seeded team in the National League Division Series.

NL Central titles won by team

* – Won division via tiebreaker
Italics indicates former division member