Chicago Cubs Might Get Used to This Frontrunner Thing

Is the race to win the National League Central already over?

You’re not supposed to start a story with a question. They teach you this stuff in journalism school, or at least they did back in the olden days when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and we communicated our thoughts about sports by etching random shapes like torpedo bats on the sides of caves.

Anyway. No question marks in the lede. That was the norm.

But the Chicago Cubs are breaking their norm this season, and maybe we should follow suit.

For 109 years, the Cubs have called Wrigley Field home. It’s a lovely ballpark tucked into a vibrant neighborhood, and even though recent renovations have replaced the area’s old-timey charm with a more modern and sterile (and expensive) vibe, there’s still nothing like an afternoon at Wrigley.

One of the many things to love about the stadium is that for decades and decades, it has been a pitcher’s park. And it has been a hitter’s park.

It all depends on the month.

In the early season, before the ivy turns green on the outfield wall, the park traditionally has favored pitching. It can be quite cold in April in Chicago, and the persistent winds off Lake Michigan can knock down fly balls without remorse.

Next comes the transition to warmer temperatures, and by the heart of the summer in late June, July and August, the ball absolutely jumps off hitters’ bats at Wrigley. A routine fly ball to left in some other ballpark easily can end up sailing over the wall and landing in the famed bleachers.

Pretty simple, right?

Cold games in the early season, less offense. Hot games in the heart of the summer, more offense.

Except this season already is different in Chicago. It’s the first week of May, and the Cubs are scoring runs as if July 4 is right around the corner.

Through their first 36 games, the Cubs rank first in the majors in batting average (.262), third in on-base percentage (.338) and third in slugging percentage (.456). That adds up to a .794 OPS, which trails only the New York Yankees (.811) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (.795).

The Cubs rank first in hits, fifth in doubles, first in triples and third in home runs. Oh, and by the way, they lead the majors with 46 stolen bases in 53 attempts.

Runs! We almost forgot runs. They entered Tuesday with 217 runs, which ranked first in the majors. The Yankees are second with 190 runs, which is substantially behind Chicago’s pace.

All of this is happening in the time of season when the Cubs are supposed to face their greatest challenges to score. If they’re doing this now, imagine what they might do when it’s 95 degrees and the sun is beating down.

Cubs catcher Carson Kelly said he and his teammates were scoring in a variety of ways.

“I mean, it’s incredible,” Kelly said after Monday’s 9–2 win over the San Francisco Giants. “You see it today — putting pressure on other teams could lead to some errors and could start a rally. I think that’s what’s so dynamic about this team is we have it in all different aspects.”

It’s a bit tongue-in-cheek to suggest that the NL Central playoff race is over, but the Cubs are in prime position to run away with the division as the season carries on.

Entering Tuesday, the Cubs were 22–14 and had a four-game lead over the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers. They had a five-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals and a 10-game lead over the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates.

Adding to the advantage is that the Cubs are finished playing the Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks for the rest of the regular season. The rest of their NL West schedule features six games against the Colorado Rockies and five games against the Giants.

So the Cubs have defied the odds to start the season as an offensive powerhouse. They’ve created separation against an NL Central division that does not seem to have a monster lying in wait, although the Reds are young and exciting. And they’ve already wrapped up their regular-season games against some of the tougher teams in the league.

Come the trade deadline, they are the team in the NL Central with the most ability to increase their payroll if they so choose. Their group down the stretch could be even stronger than the group they have today.

Is the race over?

It’s a valid question, even if this is just the beginning of the Cubs’ 2025 story.