The Chicago Cubs began the 2025 season with a significant degree of uncertainty.
Among the many question marks was the team’s offensive productivity, which had flat-lined for large chunks of 2024.
The trade for multi-tool right fielder Kyle Tucker would definitely help in that area, but the team had also lost offensive asset Cody Bellinger. Sophomore center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong’s output had mostly been isolated to a one-month stretch in 2024, and young catcher Miguel Amaya had yet to truly hit his stride in any one area of the game. Seiya Suzuki had been grumbling about having to be the full-time DH.
Slated for third base was top prospect Matt Shaw, who had yet to take a single major league at-bat. Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner, meanwhile, had undergone offseason surgery.
However, as things would turn out, the Cubs would have nothing to worry about in the area of offense.
Chicago Cubs’ Offense Has Been Insane
Tucker has been Tucker. PCA has been otherworldly. Just about everyone and everything else has been stellar. Even offseason free agent acquisition Carson Kelly had provided the team with a considerable and entirely unexpected power boost earlier in the season.
The numbers tell the story of a fully-actualized Cubs offense that can win with power, speed, and/or contact hitting on any given day. They are currently no. 1 in MLB when it comes to runs scored, no. 2 in batting average, no. 5 in home runs, no. 3 in on-base percentage, no. 3 in slugging percentage, and no. 3 in stolen bases.
Saturday’s All-Power Game
In Saturday’s win over the Detroit Tigers, owners of MLB’s best won-loss record, the Cubs’ power was showcased. They would fail to place any runners in scoring position during the 6-1 victory, getting all their runs from the long ball. Of their 7 hits, 5 would be home runs (Two by Suzuki, one by Crow-Armstrong, one by Michael Busch, and one by Matt Shaw).
“I think it speaks to, just, a different way to win a game,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters after the game. “We hit some homers today, but didn’t do much else…but homers are good. Hit five homers and that’s a pretty good day…The guys did a good job at getting the ball in the air and getting some pitches to drive.”
So Many Ways To Score
Jameson Taillon, who was the co-star of the game, allowing just 1 earned run on 3 hits over 7 innings, would give props to his team’s potent offense following the victory.
“It’s a really deep lineup,” Taillon said. “We can beat you by hitting homers. We can beat you by stealing bases, taking the extra base, working counts. Some days we’re aggressive when that’s the game plan. Some days we’re letting pitchers come to us a little bit and getting guys out early in games. It’s been a lot of fun to watch.”
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch would also marvel at the Cubs’ offense.
“They are a high-contact team and they have power and all five homers were off secondary pitches,” Hinch told media. “They did the opposite of what we did. They were on at least one speed of pitches and we couldn’t keep the ball in the ballpark. They say the solo home run can’t beat you. It can when you give up a bunch of them.”
There’s plenty of baseball still to play, but it doesn’t appear likely that this offense, which is now cooking in all nine lineup slots, will suffer any significant regression.
Although the 2025 Cubs may end up living or dying on the strength of their pitching as the playoff race truly heats up, their versatile and exceptionally well-constructed offense should keep them competitive.
No matter what, though, this will make for an exciting and entertaining rest of the season.
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