NL Central Could Pull a Clean Sweep of This Year’s Awards

Imagine playing a game for over 120 years. By year 120, you’d expect most, if not all, of what could happen to have happened. That’s usually the case for Major League Baseball, but 2026 seems to be the year for new heights — specifically in the NL Central.

Earlier this season, rookie slugger Joshua Báez cracked three home runs in his first three big-league at-bats for the St. Louis Cardinals — all three to different parts of the ballpark, against the archrival Chicago Cubs — a feat that will likely never be matched.

Now, as the season’s end approaches and awards are set to be bestowed upon the best of the best, the NL Central is vying to change baseball history again.

Between Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs), Jacob Misiorowski (Brewers), and either Sal Stewart (Reds) or JJ Wetherholt (Cardinals), the NL Central is on track to land an MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year. If they pull it off, it’ll be the first time in MLB history that one division commands that combination of talent.

So, just how likely is it that, for the second time this season, baseball is born again in the NL Central?

Pete Crow-Armstrong Is Making Waves in the NL MVP Race

Crow-Armstrong, often called “PCA,” rolled into this season full of upside, expectations, and question marks.

His game consists of speed, power, athleticism, and new heights in center field defense. He’s the quintessential five-tool player — a scout’s dream archetype.

As of September 4, Crow-Armstrong leads MLB with 9.4 fWAR and has paced the league in outs above average (24) and fielding run value (26).

PCA’s biggest competition for the award is back-to-back winner Shohei Ohtani. The unicorn two-way player has historically been one of MLB’s best on the mound and at the plate.

Unfortunately for Ohtani and Dodger fans alike, he’s slowed in recent weeks.

Over the last two weeks, Ohtani has a dismal .494 OPS and hasn’t hit a home run.

Voters are also watching Crow-Armstrong power a fun Chicago Cubs’ roster into October with a flurry of dramatic blasts, highlighted most recently by his three-home-run game against the Cincinnati Reds on August 29.

Over his last 27 games, PCA has a gaudy 1.039 OPS and 15 long balls. His late-season ascension may be the catalyst that pushes him past the ailing Ohtani.

The argument remains: If Ohtani impacts a baseball game on the mound and in the batter’s box, how could anyone be more valuable?

The unrelenting truth is that PCA has been more valuable, especially with the recent downturn of Ohtani’s bat and the Dodgers holding him back from pitching down the stretch.

When Ohtani is dominating baseball like he’s capable of doing, nobody compares. When he’s just an elite hitter, it’s hard to deny Crow-Armstrong’s defensive wizardry paired with his uptick in offense.

PCA’s 2026 has been full of drama, character development, monumental moments, defensive artistry, and learning how to be an everyday big leaguer.

At this rate, he might just mature into the 2026 National League MVP.

The NL Cy Young Race Runs Through “The Miz”

Entering 2026, the names circling the National League Cy Young race were typical.

Reigning winner Paul Skenes, the fine wine that is Chris Sale, and just about everyone on the Dodgers felt like the best bets.

However, as of September 4, the frontrunner is a Milwaukee Brewer who loves Pokémon cards and can’t stop throwing 100-plus mph.

Jacob Misiorowski showed MLB glimpses of what was to come in 2025. In his brief introduction, he posted a mediocre 4.46 ERA in 66 innings, but past the surface-level numbers, it was clear he was a different animal.

The strikeout numbers were perilous, and the pitch data was fascinating. This kid was throwing the baseball as almost nobody had ever done before — and he was doing it as a starting pitcher.

Misiorowski is just another example of the Milwaukee Brewers being ahead of the development curve. When he was drafted, scouts had concerns about his longevity, health, and, primarily, his command.

Fast forward to this season, and “The Miz” has taken baseball by storm.

After one of the most provocative All-Star selections in modern baseball history, Misiorowski is back with a vengeance to solidify his ascension.

This season, in 155 innings, the 24-year-old is sporting a glittering 1.97 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and 208 ERA+, while striking out 13.2 batters per nine innings.

Other challengers for the award include the aforementioned Sale, Phillies’ Christopher Sánchez, and Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Fortunately for Miz, the numbers lean his way across the board, and he’s shown no signs of slowing down.

“Miz-magic in Milwaukee” might just thrust the Brewers into World Series contention, and if his hot streak holds down the stretch, it’ll be another notch in the belt of a steadily improving NL Central.

The NL Central Has the Rookie of the Year in Its Palms

Normally, in a regular season, the MVP and Cy Young races dwarf the rest of the awards talk. In 2026, that is not the case.

The National League Rookie of the Year award has picked up steam down the stretch and is turning into a remarkable conversation.

The two frontrunners, JJ Wetherholt and Sal Stewart, are NL Central kin from the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds, respectively.

Wetherholt has pieced together a fabulous campaign on all sides of the ball. He’s an above-average hitter out of the leadoff spot (106 OPS+), has sneaky pop (17 home runs), runs the bases very well (95th percentile baserunning value), and has one of the best gloves in baseball (22 outs above average).

Conversely, Stewart is an offense-minded first baseman who has made the small walls of Great American Ballpark his personal showcase.

Through 607 plate appearances, Stewart has already clubbed 31 home runs, driven in 105 runs, stolen a sneaky 12 bases, and holds a 126 OPS+. His knack for the big moment has fueled the hype, as he’s bashed opposing arms for a 1.043 OPS in high-leverage situations.

Besides those two key players, Rockies’ TJ Rumfield and Mets’ Carson Benge and Nolan McLean are the following suitors — all of whom are having very solid seasons.

The intrigue behind this race comes from a place of disconnect. Some believe that Stewart’s raw numbers and flashy play have set him up to run away with the award.

However, modern analytics value Wetherholt at nearly double Stewart, as he’s accumulated twice the bWAR (4.7 to 2.2) and has a +28 run value to Stewart’s +11.

It’s a battle of brains versus bronze, and in reality, neither side is wrong. Both players bring specific strengths and weaknesses to a roster, and it simply depends on what fans and voters look for in their stars of the future.

For a Reds team that plays in a bandbox, Stewart’s slugtastic mannerisms feel like home. As for the Cardinals and their groundball-oriented pitching staff, Wetherholt’s platinum glove defense up the middle has saved more than a few games.

Unfortunately for St. Louis fans, Wetherholt spiraled offensively in the second half and recently landed on the injured list with wrist tendinitis.

With every Stewart home run, RBI, and fiery double celebration, Wetherholt loses ground — and he’s stuck on the shelf.

Still, the intrigue remains. How will voters digest the two contrasting paths to success? It’s a clash of modern analytics and old-school bombs — and it’s been a fantastic watch.

Between PCA’s friendly confines heroics, The Miz’s Charizard-infused fastball, and the resplendent rookie race between Stewart and Wetherholt, NL Central fans have had plenty to watch.

The rest of MLB has slept on both Central divisions for too long, but maybe making baseball history and taking home an MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year will demonstrate just how flavorful baseball has become between the Cubs, Cardinals, Pirates, Brewers, and Reds.