The Chicago Cubs enter the final stretch of the regular season with their eyes on October and a lineup that now puts one of baseball’s most dynamic players at the top of the order.
Before Tuesday’s series opener against the Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field, the club posted its batting order and confirmed that Pete Crow-Armstrong will hit leadoff, via Underdog MLB.
Crow-Armstrong has been the face of Chicago’s offense for months. His combination of speed, defense in center field, and extra-base power has made him the leading candidate for National League Most Valuable Player.
Moving him to the first spot is both a statement of confidence and a practical attempt to maximize his at-bats while the Cubs chase the top wild-card seed and the home-field advantage that comes with it.
The timing is no accident. Chicago has two series left: three games against Miami at home, then a road trip to Boston.
The Marlins are out of the race but still capable of playing spoiler, and the Cubs cannot afford to drop games they should win if they want to control their postseason path.
Manager Craig Counsell’s group has shown it can score in bunches; putting Crow-Armstrong on base more often is meant to ignite that attack from the first inning.
The rest of the lineup follows a familiar pattern. Seiya Suzuki bats second, Michael Busch holds down first base, Michael Conforto is the designated hitter, Ian Happ is in left, Nico Hoerner at second, Pablo Ramírez at third, Carson Kelly behind the plate, and Dansby Swanson at shortstop.
Shota Imanaga gets the ball on the mound. It is a group built to put pressure on opposing pitchers immediately, especially with Crow-Armstrong’s ability to steal bases and take extra bases once he reaches.
For Cubs fans, the move feels like a culmination of Crow-Armstrong’s rapid rise. What began as a promising call-up has become a cornerstone season.
His presence at the top of the order also sends a message to the rest of the National League: Chicago is not easing into the playoffs. They intend to finish strong at home, stack wins against Miami, and then take that momentum into Fenway Park.
Whether the adjustment pays off immediately will be tested over the next three nights. The Marlins will try to disrupt Chicago’s rhythm, and Imanaga will need to set a tone on the mound.
But the decision itself is clear. With two weeks of regular-season baseball remaining and a wild-card race still unsettled, the Cubs are betting that their most electric player should be the first one the opposing pitcher has to face.
If Crow-Armstrong continues to produce at the rate he has all year, that bet could help determine how far this team goes in October.
