ESPN MLB insider Buster Olney declared the Chicago Cubs the best defensive team in baseball Monday, positioning the club as a legitimate threat in the National League this October.
Appearing on ESPN’s “Get Up,” Olney left little room for debate.
“No question about it. … They’re the best defensive team in baseball. They’ll be dangerous when we get to October,” he said while discussing the Cubs’ postseason prospects.
The comments came as the Cubs sat at 69-50 through 119 games, second in the NL Central and 5.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers. Chicago owns a .580 winning percentage and ranks among the National League’s top contenders for a wild-card berth, with playoff odds exceeding 98 percent according to recent projections.
Olney’s assessment centered on the Cubs’ elite defense, which has stood out across multiple advanced metrics. Entering recent games, Chicago led Major League Baseball with 58 Outs Above Average, more than double the total of the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks at 29. The club also ranked first with a 62 Fielding Run Value, far ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays’ 27.
Individual contributions have driven the numbers. Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong paced the team with 22 OAA and 24 FRV. Shortstop Dansby Swanson added 15 OAA and 10 FRV, while second baseman Nico Hoerner, third baseman Alex Bregman, first baseman Michael Busch and outfielders Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ all posted positive marks.
The defensive excellence has helped limit opponents despite a pitching staff that ranks 12th in ERA at 4.05. The Cubs have allowed 507 runs in 119 games while scoring 614, producing a run differential of plus-107. Their Pythagorean expected record sits near 69-49, closely matching their actual mark.
Offensively, Chicago ranks second in the majors in runs scored and first in on-base percentage at .339. The lineup has drawn a league-high 508 walks while posting a .250 batting average, .417 slugging percentage and 148 home runs.
Manager Craig Counsell’s club has shown consistency in recent weeks. From late June through early August, the Cubs went 23-12 in one stretch. They took two of three from the Kansas City Royals over the weekend, capped by a 10-2 victory on Sunday that improved their record to 69-50.
Betting markets reflect the growing respect. DraftKings listed the Cubs with the fourth-shortest odds to win the National League, trailing only a handful of traditional powers. The assessment aligns with Olney’s view that Chicago’s gloves will make the team particularly difficult to face in a short series.
The Cubs’ defense has reached near-historic levels. Their 62 FRV ranks among the highest single-season marks since tracking began, approaching the 64 posted by the 2018 Diamondbacks. The 2017 Minnesota Twins still hold the OAA record at 66, but Chicago remains on pace to challenge it.
As the season enters its final six weeks, the Cubs continue to chase the Brewers while solidifying their postseason positioning. With a strong supporting cast of position players and a defense that converts potential hits into outs at an unmatched rate, the club enters the stretch run with momentum.
Olney’s endorsement underscores a broader narrative around the North Siders. Once viewed primarily through the lens of offensive potential, the 2026 Cubs have built their identity on preventing runs through superior fielding. That foundation, combined with timely hitting and a capable rotation, has elevated them into serious National League contention.
Whether the defense sustains its pace or the offense provides additional support, the Cubs have positioned themselves as more than a dark-horse entry.
As October approaches, the league’s best defensive unit will give opposing hitters little margin for error.
