The Cubs’ Lineup Has Been One of the Best in Baseball

As the season nears the end of April, the Chicago Cubs‘ lineup has been a force.

The Cubs entered Friday 16-10, the best record in the National League Central by three games and the fifth-best in Major League Baseball. This team has had a different feel to it than in recent years, and Wrigley Field has been rocking. In essentially a must-make-the-playoffs season, the Cubs look like a playoff team.

What’s been the driving force behind this hot start? Look no further than that Cubs lineup, which has been one of the top units in baseball.

The rotation has stepped up since Justin Steele was ruled out for the rest of the season. The starters have a 3.50 ERA, sixth-lowest in baseball. But there are still plenty of games to play, and with a big rotation trade unlikely to come anytime soon, it’ll be worth watching if the current starters and the depth pieces can keep it going.

Meanwhile, the bullpen has been a weak spot. The relievers have a combined 5.17 ERA (27th in baseball). They aren’t striking out enough hitters (18.9 percent K-rate, 28th), and they’re walking too many (11.2 percent BB-rate, 23rd).

President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has shown some urgency in bringing arms up and down and recently acquired veteran lefty Drew Pomeranz. Regardless of how it happens, they have to stabilize things in the bullpen.

Yes, this is an imperfect team. There were some concerns about the Cubs going into the season, and those haven’t all gone away. Regardless, even with 23 of 26 games coming against teams with top-10 records in baseball, it’s been a great first month. And the lineup has led the way.

How the Cubs’ Lineup Stacks Up to the Rest of MLB

It’s been an eye-opening first 26 games for this ballclub offensively. Even when the team is trailing, this Cubs lineup has provided the feeling that a comeback is just around the corner. It doesn’t happen every game, but the offense has often delivered.

The Cubs have faced some tough pitching in March/April, but the position-player group has persevered. And really, it has thrived. Here were some of the lineups’ rankings among all 30 teams entering Friday:

• wRC+: 127 (second)

• wOBA: .353 (first)

• OPS: .806 (first)

• ISO: .195 (second)

• AVG: .265 (first)

• BB%: 10.3% (sixth)

• K%: 20.7% (ninth)

• HR: 38 (third)

The name of the game is scoring runs, and the Cubs have done that the most in 2025. They’ve scored 163 times, which is 26 more than the closest team.

They’ve averaged 6.3 runs per game, and only seven teams have averaged at least six across a full season in the last 70 years. They have the most games with six-plus runs (14) and the most scoring in double digits (seven).

Scoring is tougher in the big moments, but this Cubs lineup has also gotten it done in those. In high-leverage spots (according to FanGraphs), their 116 wRC+ ranks eighth and their .788 OPS ranks sixth, to go along with 35 runs (third).

With runners in scoring position, they have a 137 wRC+ (second) and an .858 OPS (second) while easily scoring the most runs (125). And with runners in scoring position and two outs, those marks are again at or near the top: 141 wRC+ (second), .836 OPS (fourth), 56 runs (first).

The Cubs wreak havoc on the bases, too. Their 40 steals lead MLB, even as they’ve been caught stealing six times (t-18th). In terms of Base Running Runs Above Average (FanGraphs’ overall baserunning metric), the Cubs once again top the leaderboard (4.2).

Add that all up, and you’ve got a Cubs lineup that’s produced the second-most Wins Above Replacement thus far (7.1).

Which Cubs Are Leading the Way?

The blockbuster offseason trade for Kyle Tucker has helped transform the offense. He’s led the way with a wRC+ that ranks ninth in baseball (187), and he’s also produced the fifth-highest fWAR (1.6).

Others have had stellar first months, too. Michael Busch has put together a 171 wRC+, which slots in at No. 14 in baseball, while Seiya Suzuki has backed them up with a 148 wRC+ (27th). Pete Crow-Armstrong is riding a massive 14-game stretch that’s got him up to 28th in wRC+ (147). Plus, combined with his elite defense and baserunning prowess, his 1.9 fWAR ranks third in baseball.

Carson Kelly (265 wRC+) and Miguel Amaya (120) have given the Cubs a much more productive catching group than what they had for most of 2024. Ian Happ has been better recently and owns a 108 wRC+, while Nico Hoerner‘s is just above league average (102). The offense is humming, even with Dansby Swanson‘s slow start (69 wRC+) and a struggling third-base group (combined 44 wRC+).

The obvious caveat is there’s still over 80 percent of the season left to play. But with the easiest strength of schedule remaining in the regular season (according to Tankathon), it’s certainly possible this Cubs lineup can bring October baseball back to Chicago.