Baseball is better when teams as historic as the Chicago Cubs are good. More games from the friendly confines of Wrigley Field get played on national television, so more people get to witness the sheer majesty of the historic baseball landmark.
This year, the Cubs have been more than just "good," they have been great. They have played to a 21-13 record through their first 34 games, good enough for first in the National League Central, and tied for the fourth-best record in MLB.
While many can point at the NL Central leader as a laughing stock in most years, that is just simply not the case for Chicago. Their strong record out of the gate has come from more than just beating up on the lesser-thans in the division, and they lead MLB with their very promising record against teams better than .500.
Of the Cubs' 34 games, 26 have come against teams with more wins than losses entering Sunday. Of those 26, they have a Major League-leading 15 wins.
That includes 11 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and Arizona Diamondbacks, one against the Philadelphia Phillies, and two against the Texas Rangers. All of those teams are looked at as legitimate powerhouses, and Chicago is right there with them.
The addition of Kyle Tucker over the offseason has been a big part of the team's success. After playing in only 78 games in 2024, Tucker currently leads the National League with 34 games played. In that time, he has batted .284/.390/.575 with nine home runs, 30 RBI, and a 172 OPS+ across 159 plate appearances. His .965 OPS is tied for fifth in MLB among all qualified batters and ranks third among right fielders.
The success that Chicago has had this year has been highly reminiscent of the 2016 Cubs that went all the way. While that team held a 26-8 record through their first 34 games, this year's team has scored three more runs across the same stretch. The offense is on fire this year, and it will only improve as the weather heats up.
It is an exciting year in Chicago. For the first time in nearly a decade, there is a team on the field that feels like it has a legitimate chance of bringing home the hardware at the end of the campaign. And with how they have played against other contenders to this point, that assessment is not unfounded.
