Early betting odds suggest a new NL Central champion in 2025

The Milwaukee Brewers have won the NL Central championship in three of the last four years, with the St. Louis Cardinals claiming the top spot once in 2022. It's been a slow ride as the Chicago Cubs rebuild their organization from the ground up, but all that might change in 2025, and it appears the Cubs are set to make a push, fielding the best team they have had since their mid-2010s postseason run.

Early betting favorites currently place the Cubs with an over/under of 86.5 wins, which tops all lines of teams in the NL Central:

2025 NL Central over/under win totals

• Cubs: 86.5
• Brewers: 82.5
• Cincinnati: 78.5
• Cardinals: 76.5
• Pirates: 76.5

After losing Willy Adames and Devin Williams, the Brewers will take a steep drop in projected win totals for 2025 if they don't make some significant additions to their roster. Cincinnati isn't quite there yet, and the Cardinals are expected to slash payroll after losing Paul Goldschmidt and potentially trading Nolan Arenado and closer Ryan Helsley. Unfortunately, the Pirates aren't likely to be much better in 2025.

This gives a team like the Cubs a clear runway to reclaim their spot at the top of the NL Central in 2025. They started their offseason by adding Eli Morgan via trade and signing LHP Matt Boyd but made a monster trade by acquiring superstar Kyle Tucker. Now, after trading Cody Bellinger to free up salary and allocate those funds elsewhere, the Cubs are primed for another solid addition via trade or free agency.

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What's next for the Chicago Cubs in 2025?

With ample money to spend, the combination of the Cubs pushing their chips in the middle and other teams seemingly taking a step back should produce a winning Chicago team on the north side. Cubs president Joy Hoyer is a contract year with the front office and will be extra careful to ensure the team is poised for a postseason run, and it all will start by finishing off this roster with key additions.

Especially after the Cubs moved Bellinger's contract off the books, fans should expect the team to add another quality starting pitcher and a closer to slam the door shut, a weakness that plagued the team in 2024. They can do both while having enough funds to pursue the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes in free agency next winter.

With a stacked farm to supplement their major league roster, something the team didn't have as much as now in their last run, the Cubs' playoff window looks to be opening with a more sustained run coming.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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