The National League Central has had a strong 2026, from the Brewers’ MLB-best 95-58 record to MVP favorite Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cy Young frontrunner Jacob Misiorowski or a pair of leading Rookie of the Year candidates. A trio of the division’s stars could additionally make some unique offensive history.
The Cardinals’ Alec Burleson (111), the Reds’ Sal Stewart (109) and the Cubs’ Crow-Armstrong (105) enter Friday as the top three RBI leaders across MLB. Should they remain in the top three spots through the regular season’s end, they’d become the first group of top-three RBI finishers to ever come from the same division, according to OptaSTATS. Divisional play began in 1969.
There will be competition down the stretch for this to happen, of course. Orioles slugger Pete Alonso, fresh off his 300th career home run, has 102 RBIs as he tries to will Baltimore to a late postseason push. Burleson’s teammate Jordan Walker reached the century mark as well with 100 and could join his division rivals. Longtime American League MVP favorite Yordan Alvarez is also in striking distance with 99.
Will Burleson, Stewart and Crow-Armstrong get it done? PCA may need a hot finish to his historic season to hold the No. 3 spot. His Cubs have series remaining with the Reds, the Marlins and the Red Sox.
Alonso and the O’s face a tough stretch (Brewers, Blue Jays, Yankees), while Alvarez and the Astros have perhaps the most favorable finish: four games against the A’s at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park.