Breaking Down Cubs Team Superlatives for May's Fantastic Performance

Here are the team superlatives for the Chicago Cubs in the month of May

Jun 1, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) gestures after hitting a one run single against the Cincinnati Reds during the third inning at Wrigley Field. | David Banks-Imagn Images

 It was another fantastic month for the Chicago Cubs in May, with the franchise continuing to prove they are one of the best teams in the National League.

Despite a fantastic record, the Cubs did have to deal with some adversity in the month. The starting rotation suffered major blows with Justin Steele being ruled out for the year and Shota Imanaga also getting injured.

While the rotation might be an issue come October, the unit has done well enough and the franchise has been carried by arguably the best offense in baseball.

Chicago figures to be a team that will have to add a couple of arms, but their offense is electric and might have gotten even better in May than they were in April.

With it being another great month of baseball for the Cubs, here are their team superlatives.

Most Improved

Even though the offense was seemingly firing on all cylinders in April, there were a couple of players not quite living up to their potential. One of those hitters was shortstop Dansby Swanson.

In April, he slashed .188/.233/.333 with three home runs and 11 RBI. Those numbers are way down from the level that he usually produces. However, it was a nice bounce-back month for Swanson in May. Last month, he slashed 293/.360/.495 with six home runs and 15 RBI.

The talented shortstop looked much more like himself in May compared to April and was one of the best hitters in a loaded lineup.

Cy Young

There were some strong performances out of the bullpen surprisingly for the Cubs in May, but the best pitcher for them was Daniel Palencia. The 25-year-old was able to make a positive impact on the unit in different types of high-leverage situations, gaining the trust of Craig Counsell quickly.

In May, he totaled a 1.50 ERA, with five saves and four holds. With the calendar turning to June, it very much appears like it is going to be Palencia as the closer going forward for the club based on how May ended.

Chicago needed a pitcher to step up in high-leverage spots, and the young reliever has certainly done that.

MVP

The choice for the MVP of the Cubs in May is a challenging one, but the edge will go to Pete Crow-Armstrong. While Kyle Tucker has been fantastic, PCA can do it all when he is hitting up to the level he currently is.

In May, Crow-Armstrong slashed .269/.296/.593 with nine home runs, 29 RBI, and five stolen bases. Tucker shockingly beat him out in steals last month, but it was the young outfielder who led the team in both home runs and RBI in May.

PCA is becoming a true star not only for the Cubs, but the entire league to begin the season.