On April 26, the Cubs reached their high water mark at 17-9. That was a start so fantastic that the Cubs could go .500 the rest of the way and they’d win 85 games. 85 wins would have reached the playoffs last season and figures to be within a game or two this year at worst.
As we all know, the bottom fell out after that great start. It seems like that happens to a team or two every year. They shoot out of the gate. Sometimes it is due to an easy early schedule. But, the Cubs played some decent teams over those first 26 games.