Inside The Cubs

Chicago Cubs See Rise in MLB Power Rankings Following Promising Start

The Chicago Cubs have seen their place in the MLB power rankings rise after a strong start to the 2023 MLB season.

Kade Kistner

Chicago Cubs See Rise in MLB Power Rankings Following Promising Start
Chicago Cubs See Rise in MLB Power Rankings Following Promising Start /
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The Chicago Cubs have had a promising start to the 2023 MLB season. They sit at 4-4 and have played well against the Milwaukee Brewers and a very tough Texas Rangers team. The latter they nearly swept but came up short on Easter Sunday.

With a ranking of 21 heading into the season, MLB.com's latest power rankings have Chicago at 20 now. 

Yes, it's only a jump of one spot, but this early in the season these power rankings tend to not fluctuate much due to limited sample size. 

Still, the offense has looked good, especially newcomer Dansby Swanson as well as his middle infield counterpart Nico Hoerner. 

Ian Happ has had encouraging play in his walk year and even Cody Bellinger might just be around the corner from breaking out. 

The back half of the bullpen has looked great, especially Michael Fulmer and Brad Boxberger. 

The rotation, outside of Drew Smyly, has looked very promising with Marcus Stroman looking every part the ace. He has thrown 12.0 innings of scoreless baseball to open the season. 

Justin Steele has been great as well, as he holds a 0.75 ERA after two starts. 

Jameson Taillon has struggled, but his stuff has looked fine. It's just a matter of time for the veteran. And of course Hayden Wesneski had a first rough start, but if three earned runs over 4.2 innings pitched is his "disappointing" start, the team will take it. 

Overall, this team is underachieving in most facets and has still found a way to sit right at .500 after facing the Brewers, Cincinnati Reds, and a tough Rangers squad. So to see an improvement of even just one spot in the power rankings is a win in our book. 

Now, Chicago will host the Seattle Mariners for a three-game set that will begin on Monday.

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  3. Hoerner is the Cubs Shortstop of the Future
  4. Cubs Could Give Canario a Shot in September
  5. Could the Cubs Land Trea Turner in the Offseason?
  6. Chicago Cubs Have a New Top Prospect in Their Rankings
  7. Is This Top Cubs Prospect Destined for the Mound at Wrigley?
  8. Steele Offers Glimpse Into Future of Cubs Rotation
  9. Do the Chicago Cubs Have the National League's Best Bullpen?
  10. Can Christopher Morel be a Long-Term Solution in Center Field

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Kade Kistner
KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Cubs. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.

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