2026 NL Central Power Rankings: Week 26

The Brewers extended their winning streak to 5-1 this week with victories over the Pirates and a sweep of the Orioles, powered by home runs from Jackson Chourio, Bo Naylor, and William Contreras, while Robert Gasser delivered a dominant seven-inning shutout. The Cubs moved to 87-69 and are one win away from clinching a playoff spot, with Pete Crow-Armstrong hitting four homers and collecting ten hits in the week's performances. The Pirates rebounded from early losses to the Brewers by winning four consecutive games, including a sweep of the Royals, led by Brandon Lowe's four home runs and eight RBIs. The Cardinals struggled again, dropping four of six games to the Giants and Nationals, while the Reds continued their poor form by losing five of seven games to the Dodgers and Cubs.

Summary written by MLB Feed Network based on the original reporting. How we write summaries