These 3 Cubs stats are absolutely mind-blowing

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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.

Is this good? @nico_hoerner @LieutenantDans7 pic.twitter.com/rEn6Ucw69h
— Cubs On Tap (@CubbiesOnTap) September 6, 2023

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.

3 absolutely mind-blowing Cubs stats: #2 - This team has the most 10+ run games of any Cubs team dating back to 1935

That's right. The last time a Cubs team hung 10 or more runs on the board this many times in a single season, the country was in the midst of the Great Depression. Franklin Delano Roosevelt wasn't even through his first term in the White House and World War II was still several years from starting.

Obviously, Bellinger has been a huge part of that equation, as he's on pace to be the Cubs' first 30/100 guy since Kris Bryant in 2016. But he's far from the only driving force here. Mike Tauchman, despite a cold spell of late, has sparked the lineup with long at-bats at the top of the order. Hoerner continues to pile up hits and Yan Gomes is turning in his best offensive season in years.

Early in the year, Patrick Wisdom was hitting the ball out of the yard at a staggering rate - and now in a more diminished role, is finding consistent success with favorable matchups. Christopher Morel, well, what can we say? This kid has a flair for the dramatics and a penchant for coming up in big moments.

All together, the Cubs rank third in the NL in on-base percentage, RBI, stolen bases and run differential and fourth in team OPS. It's a balanced attack - and one that feels far more sustainable than the powerful, but inconsistent version of the club we saw back in 2016 and the years that followed.

3 absolutely mind-blowing Cubs stats: #1 - Cody Bellinger is putting together a monster second half heading into free agency

There's nothing I can tell you about Cody Bellinger you haven't already heard at this point. If not for missing a month early in the summer, he may very well be a contender for National League MVP. He's a shoo-in for NL Comeback Player of the Year and you can bet Scott Boras is seeing dollar signs right now, with Bellinger set up for a massive payday this winter in free agency.

In the second half, Bellinger boasts a 1.001 OPS that ranks ninth in all of baseball. He's slugging over .800 in September and continues to be an elite defensive player, regardless of whether he's patrolling out in center field or handling business at first.

Not only does his bat speak for itself, but there's just so much more to Bellinger's game than driving the ball into the Wrigley Field bleachers. He runs tremendously well (his 19 steals is second only to Nico Hoerner on the team) and has great baseball IQ. He's transformed his swing and approach at the plate, delivering monster numbers against lefties and turning him into one of the most well-rounded offensive threats in the game today.

The Cubs might have a balanced offense with multiple weapons and a mix that can string together hits and manufacture runs with the best of them. But it's no mistake that when Chicago wins, Bellinger's OPS is nearly 150 points higher than when they lose. He's more than capable of putting a team on his back, as he's shown demonstrated time and time again down the stretch.

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