These 3 2023 Cubs stats are absolutely mind-blowing

I am here to inform you that, once again, the Chicago Cubs are back. Winners of four straight, the team's postseason odds - which sat at just a tick above 6% back on July 20 - are now at 92%. The Brewers' lead in the NL Central is down to 1.5 games and the Phillies have just a one game edge over the Cubs for the top NL Wild Card berth.

It's been a season of ups and downs, to put it mildly. But the team appears to be peaking at precisely the right time, poised for a potential October run. It's taken all sorts of things breaking their way in the second half, from Cody Bellinger playing like an MVP to Justin Steele pitching like a serious Cy Young contender - and everything in between - but here we are.

3 absolutely mind-blowing Cubs stats: #3 - The chasm between Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson's and every other MLB double play combo

It's not just that the Cubs' middle infield tandem is the best in baseball (they are) - it's that they've been nearly twice as good defensively as any other second baseman and shortstop tandem in the entire league.

After the Cubs signed Swanson last winter, Hoerner - who put up elite numbers at shortstop in 2022 - shifted back to second base, where he was a Gold Glove finalist back in 2020. The results clearly speak for themselves: Chicago has the most valuable defensive combination in the sport and with both guys locked up for years to come, there's no reason to think this is just the beginning of something special.