Once the Cubs fell just short of a playoff berth this past season, everyone supporting the North-siders knew that President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer needed to go all in to win a wide-open NL Central division in 2025. But I doubt many of those fans expected the Cubs to be one of the best and easily the most exciting teams in the majors a month into the season, especially with how rough their schedule looked on paper. So, let's take a look at how they were able to not only survive this early West coast stretch, but for the most part dominate it.

Early West Coast Gauntlet

· Split @ D-Backs (2W-2L)

· Sweep @ Athletics (3W-0L)

· Series Win vs Padres (2W-1L)

· Series Win vs Rangers (2W-1L)

· Series Win @ Dodgers (2W-1L)

· Series Loss @ Padres (1W-2L)

· Series Win vs D-Backs (2W-1L)

· Sweep vs Dodgers (2W-0L)

In the month of April, the Cubs had the toughest strength of schedule record wise in the majors with their opponents win percentage being .573 through the first 29 games of the season. But on the flip side, they now have the MLB’s easiest strength of schedule remaining this season with those opponents having a win percentage of just .469 through the first month. Hopefully this early tough stretch has made the team more battle tested and confident as they continue their quest for a division title and perhaps even more.

The Bats Are Hot!

(Team stats & rankings as of May 3rd)

For me, what makes this Cubs team so much fun to watch is the fact that pretty much every game you assume that they’re going to score at least 5 runs. But on top of that, they are electric on the base paths (especially PCA). That has allowed their offense to reach elite status that Cubs fans have not seen since the 2016 team that broke the century-long World Series drought. As of the beginning of May, the Cubs offense ranks in the top 3 in the majors for nearly every hitting stat.

· Batting Average: .266 (1st in MLB)

· Home Runs: 49 (3rd in MLB) (2nd in NL)

· RBIs: 198 (1st in MLB)

· Hits: 310 (1st in MLB)

· Stolen Bases: 44 (1st in MLB)

· Run Differential: +62 (1st in MLB)

Only time will tell just how long they can maintain this hot streak, but so far, it’s been a thrill to watch as a fan and I can’t even imagine how much of a confidence boost it is for the players in the clubhouse.

New Star Power

(Kyle Tucker Impact)

Kyle Tucker’s arrival in Chicago has been a transformative force for the Cubs' offense in the 2025 season. Through 33 games, Tucker is slashing .285/.394/.562 with 8 home runs and 29 RBIs, ranking him among the league leaders in both categories. His .955 OPS places him eighth in MLB, underscoring his elite production at the plate. Notably, Tucker's disciplined approach has yielded a team-high 15.3% walk rate and a 12% strikeout rate, second only to Nico Hoerner on the Cubs. This combination of power and plate discipline has provided a consistent offensive presence in the heart of the lineup, making it one of the most dangerous in baseball from top to bottom.

Breakout Young Star

(PCA)

The recent offensive eruption from the Cubs’ most electric player, CF Pete Crow-Armstrong, has been my favorite storyline on this team in 2025. After struggling at the plate during his first full-year stint in the majors, there were questions about if and when PCA was going to reach his potential as an elite 5-tool player at the major league level, as he is already one of the best defensive outfielders and base runners in the game. Well, it looks like those questions have begun receiving positive answers. During the month of April, PCA had a slash line of .312/.340/.613 along with 6 HR, 19 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases. If he is able to keep his hitting numbers at a consistently above average level going forward, he has a good chance of becoming one of the most dangerous players in all of baseball.

Looking Ahead

With the toughest parts of their schedule already out of the way, the expectations for the Cubs in 2025 have only grown larger. What was initially projected to be an 87–90-win team coming into the season, has now shifted to fans fully believing that they can make a deep postseason run and potentially play for a World Series this October. However, it is still very early in the season and anything can still happen. But as of right now, the Chicago Cubs are the most exciting team to watch in MLB in 2025.

Cubs Power Through Early-Season Gauntlet: Are They WS Contenders?