Cubs’ Carson Kelly is off to most improbable start to season in MLB history

Somehow, Carson Kelly's cycle already feels like a footnote.

That's not a knock on Kelly. It's simply because the Chicago Cubs journeyman catcher has since been on such fire that even a historic feat like a cycle is only part of the story.

Let's start with some stats. Kelly this season is hitting .419 with six home runs, 18 RBI and a 1.675 OPS.

His six homers have come in just 31 at bats, a rate of one every five-plus ABs.

And then there's this: Kelly ranks seventh in Major League Baseball in Wins Above Replacement, calculated by FanGraphs.

Kelly has played in 11 games. The six players ahead of him on the fWAR leaderboard have played either 20 or 21 games.

Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp

Wrigley Field's fans actually began chanting Kelly's name during his two-homer game on Friday when the Cubs stormed past the Diamondbacks late in a crazy 13-11 victory.

Kelly, the 30-year old, wasn't even necessarily supposed to be the Cubs' starting catcher. They have 26-year old Miguel Amaya, too.

Kelly has played for the Cardinals, the Diamondbacks, the Tigers and the Rangers before now. 

His best single-season batting average in any of those stops was .245, when he also slugged 18 homers in 2019 for Arizona.

Last season, Kelly batted .235 with a .634 OPS. His OPS so far this season is more than 1.000 points higher than last season.

There's pretty much no explaining a start like this. Kelly is on the best hot streak of his life.

The Cubs will ride it while they can, but inevitably the valleys of baseball will catch up with Kelly, too.

But in the meantime, holy cow. Kelly is currently the best hitter on the planet.

MORE MLB NEWS:

• Mariners' Rowdy Tellez lowers the boom in hit stick-like tackle
• Blue Jays accuse Seattle of sign stealing
• Braves outfielder celebrates what he thought was a homer, then gets thrown out
• Aroldis Chapman sets insane Red Sox franchise record with high velocity
• Royals' Seth Lugo throws 10 different pitches
• Tigers' No. 1 picks are delivering on their potential, finally