Week In Review: Cubs Create Distance With Division Foes

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We all have unrealistically high expectations of what the Chicago Cubs should be. They are meeting them all, so far.

Image courtesy of © David Banks-Imagn Images

Much more than laying the foundation for winning baseball in 2025, the Cubs have outplayed a slate of daunting opponents. Raised eyebrows at some questionable non-moves this winter have, by and large, given way to raised arms at the corner of Clark and Addison. It's a misnomer to call any part of a 162-game major-league season easy, but compared to what they've just come through, the Cubs should find the next month or so a good bit less stressful.

The journey to October is well underway, tedious but necessary roster moves and all. As the club will at times demonstrate, not every deficit can be erased, and the team (while verging on elite) has some serious concerns in the bullpen to shore up. As Ryan Pressly puts in good work in his last few outings, shaking his "Ryan Stressly" moniker, Porter Hodge—12 years Pressly's junior—continues to look reliable. Hodge creates a lot of swing-and-miss. Beyond those two, it's not yet clear who will emerge as consistent and trustworthy for Craig Counsell.

With the remainder of the National League Central faltering, the North Siders are well-positioned to maintain their lead through the coming summer months. There's still miles to go before we see the most complete version of this ball club. Even the most brightly optimistic supporters of this squad, like me, know that the Cubs aren't as dominant as they have sometimes appeared. But, already winners of six series on the season against stout opponents, they're pretty darn good. The weekend's series loss to the Phillies was a sobering reminder that big tests remain, even after the team finished their regular-season slates against the Diamondbacks, Padres and Dodgers. After an impressive opener, the Cubs dropped the next two contests to the visitors from Philadelphia, including an extra-inning pitcher's duel where Aaron Nola delivered his best outing of the 2025 season. Jameson Taillon also settled in nicely, and the team will need him to keep being that good in the weeks and months ahead. 

One aspect of this club's success that simply can't go unnoticed is the quality of skipper Craig Counsell. In his second year with the Chicago Cubs, Counsell feels more like the baseball wizard fans thought they were getting when the organization announced his astonishing hire. Simply put, he seems like he's happy to be a Cub.

This isn't a direct quote, but Bruce Wayne, the protector of Chicago's alter ego Gotham City, preached the notion that the city deserves to have something to believe in. The North Siders have provided that hope this spring. Now, they need to keep it alive all summer.

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