NL Central deserves some shine. Plus: Why deadline sellers remain elusive

New York Times

25-06-2025

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It's a very NL Central-heavy newsletter today. Why? Because have you looked at their rosters lately?! They're super fun, and they deserve a little shine. Plus: Year 5 of the seller drought is here. I'm Levi Weaver, here with Ken Rosenthal — welcome to The Windup!
It brought them to their feet, alright.
When Aaron Judge swung through Chase Burns' 91 mph slider to end the first inning last night, the baseball world had to admit: the 22-year-old kid looked legit. A few minutes later, when Burns struck out Paul Goldschmidt in the second inning, he became the first MLB starting pitcher in the expansion era (since 1961) to start his big-league career by striking out the first five batters he faced.
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A young NL Central starting pitcher making history? Sound familiar?
In Milwaukee, 23-year-old Jacob Misiorowski recently started his career by pitching 11 no-hit innings, something no starter had ever done in the modern era (since 1900). In Pittsburgh, Paul Skenes started last year's All-Star Game almost exactly one calendar year after the Pirates took him with the first pick of the 2023 draft. He leads all of baseball with a 1.85 ERA this year, and turned 23 last month. (These two young pitchers face off at 2:10 ET today, in fact.)
The NL Central was once defined by the teams' bitter hatred of each other. Rivalries are fun, for sure. But this level of young talent, set to face off for the foreseeable future? That's special.
More young pitchers: Eno Sarris projects the futures for Misiorowski, Burns, Mick Abel and other young starters.
From my latest column:
The sense of urgency for the Chicago Cubs does not simply stem from the prospect of right fielder Kyle Tucker leaving after one year. The Cubs could lose five more important players to the open market after 2026, making an aggressive push at this year's trade deadline all the more imperative.
The potential members of the free-agent class of 2026-27 are left fielder Ian Happ, designated hitter Seiya Suzuki, second baseman Nico Hoerner, right-hander Jameson Taillon and left-hander Matt Boyd. That group, combined with Tucker, accounted for 37 percent of the team's fWAR entering Tuesday. And while the Cubs might retain some of those players, they are unlikely to keep all of them, Tucker in particular.
Their situation is not now or never, not with the emergence of center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong giving the 2026 roster a formidable look even if Tucker departs. But ownership's reluctance to sign players long-term, coupled with the possibility of a work stoppage in 2027, adds to the perception of a shrinking window. Or, to use a more dire analogy, walls closing in.
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The Cubs' biggest need, after losing left-hander Justin Steele to season-ending elbow surgery and righty Javier Assad to a strained left oblique, is a pitcher who could start a postseason game. That type of pitcher almost certainly will be in scant supply at the deadline. But the Cubs, according to sources briefed on their plans, already are canvassing the market, making inquiries on Miami Marlins right-handers Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera, among many others.
Alcantara, owed the balance of his $17 million salary this season and $17 million next season with a $21M club option for 2027, would require a significant payroll boost. Cabrera, earning $1.95 million with three more years of arbitration remaining, would be a better financial fit — no small consideration for a team that reduced its Opening Day payroll from $214 million in 2024 to $191 million in '25.
But the additional club control would make the cost in prospects perhaps even higher.
The Marlins are certain to listen on both pitchers. A number of potential free-agent starters, from Arizona's Zac Gallen to Baltimore's Zach Eflin, also could become available. The Cubs might find one of them more palatable, considering the limited salary commitment and reduced cost in prospects. But this is not a time for the team to go halfway. Not if owner Tom Ricketts is serious about winning a World Series in one of the next two years.
Which, of course, is an open question. And with the Cubs' lead over the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central down to 2 1/2 games, it's becoming more pressing.
More here.
Time — particularly now, after a pandemic put the entire concept through a cement mixer — is a funny thing. On one hand, it feels like it has been a few decades now of Andrew McCutchen playing the role of baseball's Cool Dad.
On the other, it was just 10 years ago when McCutchen was putting the finishing touches on a five-year stretch in which there weren't many better players in the game. From 2011-2015, McCutchen hit .302/.396/.509 (.905 OPS) with 123 home runs and 99 stolen bases. He was the 2013 NL MVP (and finished in the top five three other times), won a Gold Glove and four Silver Slugger awards, and was an All-Star all five years. The Pirates' only three playoff appearances since 1992? McCutchen led the way in 2013-15.
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He hasn't won any awards or made any All-Star teams since. The Pirates have returned to perennial irrelevance. But after a five-year sojourn with the Giants, Yankees, Phillies and Brewers, McCutchen has been back in Pittsburgh since 2023.
The dreadlocks are gone. He has stolen double-digit bases just once since 2019 (he peaked with 33 in 2010). But he hasn't been a charity case, either. On a team that can't seem to score at all, McCutchen, now 38, has still posted an OPS+ mark of over 100 each of these three most recent seasons (100 is league average).
Cody Stavenhagen spoke to McCutchen about how he views his career, the passing of time, and why he came back to a city that has become home.
More 'Baseball Dads': The Blue Jays anticipate finding out what Max Scherzer still has in the tank — he'll come off the IL tonight to start against the Guardians.
All you old heads will remember a time — all the way back in 2011 — when just four teams per league made it to the playoffs. Even in 2012, with the 'expanded wild card' format, it was just one additional team per league, with the two wild-card teams facing off in a one-game elimination.
That changed temporarily in 2020 (because of the shortened season, eight teams per league made the playoffs) and permanently in 2021, when six teams from each league — 40 percent of the league — found themselves in the postseason tournament.
One thing we've observed in the years since: The 'sellers' are harder to come by at the trade deadline. Take the 2023 Diamondbacks, who made it to the World Series after winning just 84 regular-season games. They were 57-50 at the deadline.
Perhaps a more instructive example would be the Angels, who were 56-51. Not only did they not sell, they were buyers, acquiring Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López at the deadline (they later dumped both on waivers).
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Anyway, if 84 wins can sneak you into the playoffs, a lot more teams have hope.
It's a factor that this year's Trade Deadline Tiers story takes into account, as they scour the league, from the should-be aggressive buyers to the should-be aggressive sellers. The deadline is just over a month away, and Chad Jennings, Aaron Gleeman and Tim Britton do a good job painting a league-wide picture of where everyone stands.
Three-time All-Star Whit Merrifield has announced his retirement at 36.
It's time to ask: Is Cal Raleigh going to upset Aaron Judge for the AL MVP award?
Jim Bowden follows up his AL version with one trade suggestion for each NL wild-card candidate.
Tyler Kepner tells us how the Phillies' Cristopher Sánchez developed the league's most devastating changeup.
On the pods: Phillies president of baseball ops Dave Dombrowski is on 'Starkville,' while over on 'Rates and Barrels,' the crew fires up the Trademaster 3000.
Most-clicked in our last newsletter: Hayes' Twins Q&A, which touches on whether it's possible Carlos Correa would be traded (highly unlikely).
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