3 reasons the Chicago Cubs are World Series contenders

Nearly a quarter of the way through the season, the Cubs are serious contenders.

Yes, the Chicago Cubs should indeed be regarded as a legitimate World Series contender this fall. The North Siders improved to 11-3 on the year after defeating the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night, officially giving them the best winning percentage in baseball.

There are any number of qualifiers skeptics can make: the bullpen is a mess, Kris Bryant is struggling and the team has had a fairly friendly schedule thus far.

But you can only play the teams on the schedule, and the Cubs have made quick work of a number of opponents thus far.

Here are three reasons the Cubs can win the World Series, starting with a unit once perceived to be a potential weakness.