5 important things we learned about the Cubs in April

5 important things we learned about the Cubs: #4 - Cody Bellinger is very much back and ready to regain his former MVP standing

Yeah, I did it. Back in early April, I threw a little money down on, that's right, Cody Bellinger winning NL MVP. Is it a bet that's particularly likely to pay out? Probably not. But those wild betting success stories don't happen when you pick the odds-on favorites, right?

Through the first month of the season, Bellinger has very much looked like his former self, slashing .297/.371/.604 with seven home runs and 18 RBI to go along with 22 runs. He's dramatically cut down on the strikeouts, posting his best K% since, you guessed it, 2019 - the year he won National League MVP.

The best part, as I laid out last month, is there's still very clear room for improvement. Bellinger's hard hit rate and average exit velocity still both check in well below even league average - and if he figures that out, the bleacher bums are going to be in for a rowdy summer at the Friendly Confines.

The Cubs picked Bellinger up knowing that, worst-case scenario, he struggled and they cut bait at year's end. But so far, it's been more of a best-case set of events taking place, with the 27-year-old outfielder figuring some things out at the plate in a big way.