Chicago Cubs: Examining the team’s options in the leadoff spot

Another veteran option – but can he play daily?

It’s not a matter of whether or not outfielder Jon Jay can physically play on a daily basis. Rather, it’s the emergence and outstanding defense of Albert Almora that could hamper any plans for Jay to lead off for Chicago.

There’s scarcely a hotter bat to be found on the North Side. Jay owns a .366/.469/.463 slash-line through Tuesday, including a .417 mark against southpaws. Granted, it’s a smaller sample size, but, by all indications, he’s proven himself in the season’s first month.

In his career, he owns a .344 OBP out of the leadoff spot. Even that comes in virtually even with what the Cubs have gotten from Schwarber this season. Moving Schwarber down in the order and letting Jay give you the same production makes a lot of sense.

His veteran mentality and knowledge of winning (he spent most of his career with the Cardinals) makes him infinitely valuable to a struggling Cubs team.

"“I take pride in that — doing extra work or whatever it takes to be ready,” Jay told CSN Chicago recently. “There’s no excuses. Your name gets called — you wanna be able to go up there and deliver and help the team, so I just try to stay ready as much as I can.”"

That approach may get him more starts in center field as the season progresses. And, if he’s in the lineup, he represents one of the team’s top candidates to lead off.