1. Cubs are desperately hoping this is the real Pete Crow-Armstrong
Pete Crow-Armstrong has been on an insane heater over the last six-plus weeks, not only playing the elite center field defense we've come to know and love, but carrying the team offensively, as well.
Dating back to Aug. 9, the Cubs rookie is slashing .296/.354/.508 - raising his OPS+ on the year to 91, which is more than respectable given his defensive prowess. The big question 2025 will answer is whether or not this is what we can expect from Crow-Armstrong moving forward or if it'll be more of a middle-ground between this recent stretch and what we saw earlier in the year.
If this is the new 'normal' for PCA, the Cubs have one of the best outfielders in all of Major League Baseball. Regardless of whether or not Cody Bellinger is back next year, Crow-Armstrong is the Opening Day starting center fielder - if he can replicate his late-season production over the course of 162 games, this could be a lineup far more steady than the one we saw this year.