Chicago Cubs’ Bottom of the Order: The Unlikely Heroes of MLB
CHICAGO — Picture this: It’s a Friday night at Wrigley Field, and the crowd is buzzing with excitement. The Chicago Cubs are in the midst of a thrilling comeback against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the unlikely hero of the night is none other than Carson Kelly. Batting eighth in the lineup, Kelly has already smashed two home runs and driven in five runs, helping the Cubs secure a wild 13-11 victory.
As Kelly steps into the batter’s box for his fourth at-bat in the eighth inning, he hears something unexpected from the stands: “Car-son, Kel-ly. Car-son Kel-ly.” It’s not every day that a catcher batting at the bottom of the order gets such a reception, but then again, it’s not every day that a player has the kind of month Kelly is having.
“I had to take a step out,” Kelly told ESPN with a smile the next day. “‘Wait, is that actually what they’re saying?'”
Fast-forward a couple of days, and the Cubs’ No. 7 hitter, Pete Crow-Armstrong, is getting the same treatment. During a two-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Wrigley Field crowd chants, “P-C-A, P-C-A,” as Crow-Armstrong puts on a show, slugging .897 against the Dodgers in the seven-game season series.
The Cubs’ 7-8-9 hitters are making headlines, and for good reason. Chicago has vaulted to the top of the run-scoring leaderboards in MLB, averaging 6.3 runs per game. That’s nearly a full run higher than the next best team, the New York Yankees, who average 5.5 runs. The bottom of the order, featuring Crow-Armstrong, Kelly, and fellow catcher Miguel Amaya, has been the key to this offensive explosion.
“This team is a completely different ballclub than the one we saw in Tokyo,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “They’re playing a lot better.”
The Cubs’ trip to Japan in mid-March was a low point, as they scored just four runs in two losses to the Dodgers. But something clicked for Crow-Armstrong and Amaya late last season, and their improvements have carried over into this year. Crow-Armstrong, a former first-round pick by the New York Mets, has shown why he was so highly regarded, while Amaya has overcome injuries to find his form at the plate.
Kelly, a free-agent acquisition, has been a revelation, posting a 1.413 OPS in 14 games. His production has been so impressive that Crow-Armstrong jokes about not wanting to steal bases when Kelly is at the plate. “It looks like he’s seeing f—ing beach balls,” Crow-Armstrong quipped.
The Cubs’ offensive depth is on full display, as evidenced by Kelly getting a day off after hitting for the cycle earlier this month. “The fact that he gets an off day the day after he hits for the cycle and the day after a two-homer game is pretty funny,” Crow-Armstrong said with a laugh.
Kelly’s resurgence has been a pleasant surprise for the Cubs, as he struggled to reach his potential during his time with the Diamondbacks. “Carson Kelly is a way different player than when we had him,” Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said. “Good for him. We always believed in the potential. It seems like it’s coming together for him.”
The Cubs’ offense is firing on all cylinders, leading the majors in home runs from their 7-8-9 hitters. According to ESPN Research, that’s as many home runs as 21 other organizations have from their 1-2-3 hitters and as many home runs as two entire teams have overall, Boston and Toronto.
“Last year, I felt like our offense really struggled because the bottom of the order really wasn’t producing,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said.
The Cubs are the first team in major league history to compile 35 home runs and 35 stolen bases in the first 25 games of a season. They lead all of baseball in batting average (.265), on-base percentage (.346), stolen bases (40), and OPS (.806) while tied with the Yankees for first in slugging and third in home runs.
While the bottom of the order has been the difference-maker, one player near the top is doing his part as well. Kyle Tucker has been every bit as good as advertised in his first month with the team, becoming the first Cubs player since 1900 to record at least seven home runs and seven stolen bases within the team’s first 26 games.
“He’s unbelievable,” Crow-Armstrong stated simply.
It’s not all perfect for Chicago, as they have a glaring hole at third base and shortstop Dansby Swanson is off to a slow start. But even Swanson got into the flow in a recent win over the Dodgers, going 2-for-4 and driving in two runs.
Swanson, like the rest of the team, recognizes the importance of the bottom of the order. “Seeing a guy like Miggy or Pete grow up is really fun to see,” Swanson said. “The work, the conversations, the advice, you start to see it show up in real time. As a group, it’s a huge reason we’ve had the start that we’ve had.”
The Cubs are ending the toughest strength-of-schedule month of any team in baseball this season, having already won season series against the Dodgers and Diamondbacks while splitting six games with the San Diego Padres. Easier days should be ahead, but for now, the Cubs are enjoying their time at the top of the standings.
Originally Written by: Jesse Rogers
