If sending teams to the postseason is the preferred measure of the strength of a division in Major League Baseball, then the National League Central was the best in pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Four of the NL Central’s five teams made it to the playoffs. The division-winning Chicago Cubs led the way and were followed by the St. Lous Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers.

However, all for teams had early postseason exits as they combined to go 1-8 in the wild card round. Following an offseason in which three of the four teams – the Cardinals being the exception — made more moves to subtract talent than add it, the pundits declared coming into this season that the NL Central could be the worst in the sport.

However, Cardinals manager Mike Shildt, whose team was favored by the oddsmaker to win the division heading into the season, does not believe that to be the case.

“There are a lot of quality teams in our division,” Shildt said. “There is going to be a lot of good competition all season long. We look forward to the challenge and it has been a challenge and it is going to be a challenge.”

The Cardinals are now meeting that challenge after a so-so start to the season. They have won three games in a row and nine of their last 11 to improve to 21-14.

The hot streak has vaulted the Cardinals into first place in the division, two games in front of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Strong pitching has been the key for the Cardinals. They are giving up 3.94 runs a game, which ranks eight in the major leagues.

No. 1 starter John Flaherty and closer Alex Reyes are leading the way.

Flaherty is 6-0 with a 2.83 ERA in seven starts as the 25-year-old continues to ascend the ranks of the top starting pitchers in the major leagues. After years of injury concerns, the hard-throwing Reyes has found his niche as the closer by converting all 10 save opportunities and allowing only one run in 17 innings.

Ageless Adam Wainwright remains the spiritual leader of the pitching staff at 39. However, the pitchers now take their cues from Flaherty.

“It’s representative of all our guys,” Shildt said of Flaherty’s performance. “You’re seeing a guy that’s trusting his fastball, using his fastball, got good life to his fastball.

“He’s throwing to both sides of the plate, he’s in control completely of what he’s doing. And if he has a small miss, he gets right back to making a pitch wants to make.”

The offense was a concern coming into the season even after they traded with the Colorado Rockies for five-time All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado two weeks before the start of spring training.

Yet the Cardinals have been solid in that aspect of the game, ranking 13th in MLB by scoring 4.60 runs a game.

It has been a group effort. The Cardinals do not have anybody in the top 10 in the NL in batting average or home runs.

“I think top to bottom, we have some threats and I think that’s our identity as an offense,” shortstop Paul DeJong said. “We want everyone to contribute, and we need everyone to contribute, so no we're not just riding on one or two horses. We’re all going to be the horse.”

Arenado has heated up after a slow start and his 23RBIs are tied for third in the league. He also has a .281 batting average and six home runs in 35 games.

“Nolan’s a true professional,” left fielder Tyler O’Neill said. “It's great to see day in and day out how he goes about his business and his work ethic. It’s something to follow. He sets the example for the rest of us guys there.”