One month into the 2023 MLB season, there have been two big surprises. The first is the start that the Tampa Bay Rays are off in the American League East. The second? That just happens to be the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Central.
Overall, one quick look at the standings in the NL Central, it is weird to see the Pirates on top battling the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals sitting at the bottom behind the Cincinnati Reds. There are still five months remaining in the regular season and there are bound to be changes before game 162 is played. As the calendar turns to May, here is a bold prediction for each team in the NL Central for the next month.
Bold predictions for each NL Central team
Chicago Cubs bold prediction: Justin Steele will continue to lead rotation
One of the more surprising pitching stories in the first month of the season has been Justin Steele. The southpaw is 4-0 with a team-low 1.19 ERA in 30.1 innings with 29 strikeouts. He’s allowed just four earned runs.
Last season he went 4-7 in 24 starts, but he came back this season as a different pitcher. He has mixed in five pitches this season for manager David Ross, but relies mostly on a four-seam fastball and a slider.
Marcus Stroman is 2-2 through the first month for the Cubs, who brought in some veterans over the offseason in Dansby Swanson and Eric Hosmer in an attempt to take the next step in 2023 after a disappointing 2022. If they are going to hang around this season in the division, Steele will need to continue to lead the staff, something he seems up for the challenge early on.