The Chicago Cubs officially punched their ticket to the postseason for the second straight year, sealing their berth with a clutch 2-1 win over the Marlins last Thursday. Now, they’re looking to lock up that No. 4 seed, exactly where they landed last season. This isn’t just a fluke, folks. This is the second consecutive time this crew has made the playoffs as a wild card, following a four-year rebuild by club president Jed Hoyer. The question on everyone’s mind is, can they break through for a deeper run this time?
Pete Crow-Armstrong is 40-40, But This Offense is WAY Deeper
Let’s be real, this Cubs offense is absolutely stacked. They lead the majors in runs scored and slugging percentage, and they’re in a three-way battle for the top spot in on-base percentage. Need a homer? They’re second in the league in long balls. And yeah, Pete Crow-Armstrong, wow. This dude is legit, earning NL MVP nods after a ridiculous 40-40 season, making him only the seventh player in MLB history to pull that off. Seriously, think about that!
But it’s not just PCA carrying the load. Alex Bregman has been an absolute machine since the All-Star break, one of the best hitters in baseball. Seiya Suzuki is consistently productive, and even the guys lower in the order can absolutely mash. Plus, their bench is one of the best around, with Pedro Ramirez, Matt Shaw, Michael Conforto, and Tyrone Taylor all having big moments despite not being regular starters. The catching duo of Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya have combined for over 3 WAR, too. This is a well-rounded lineup that can beat you with power, small ball, or speed, boasting three strong stolen base threats.
The Cubs’ Defense Is Quietly The Best In The League
You want to talk about how to win games? Defense, baby! And the Cubs have the best defense in baseball. Period. We all know those old fielding percentage stats don’t tell the whole story, because range matters big time. A guy with great range might make more plays and get more errors than a slowpoke who can’t even get to the ball. With the Cubs, it’s the best of both worlds: they have exceptional range and still manage to make very few errors. In fact, they lead the league with the fewest errors and the best fielding percentage. When you factor in range, the numbers don’t lie, this defense is elite.
Last year, this squad won their Wild Card Series at home but then fell in five games to their division rival, the Milwaukee Brewers. Guess what? The Brewers are NL Central champs again. Can this balanced team, riding the offensive explosion of Crow-Armstrong and backed by an ironclad defense, finally make that deeper run everyone in Chicago is hoping for?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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