MLB playoffs 2017: 5 reasons Cubs will make it
4. Supremely talented, compared to division
This goes along with having plenty of depth on the roster, but the Cubs are supremely talented, compared to the rest of the NL Central. This is not a knock on the division, but just look at how loaded the Cubs’ roster is.
Essentially, the Cubs have the same, if not even better, team as last season. Kris Bryant may not be having quite the same season he had a year ago, batting around .290 with 27 home runs and only 67 RBIs. He is one of the best young hitters in baseball and will perk up when playoffs come around — he also has a clutch factor to hit game.
Speaking of clutch, Anthony Rizzo can also step up when it matters. He’s one of the best players in baseball. Period. He has 32 homers and over 100 RBIs this season even though his average is slightly under where he’d like it to be — hovering around .280.
On top of that, the Cubs are loaded with talent like Javier Baez, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber (despite 2017 struggles), Wilson Contreras, Jake Arrieta, Jose Quintana, Jon Lester, Pedro Strop and Wade Davis. This team has supreme talent at just about every position.