It’s the first time this year that Kelly has hit higher than sixth. If the Cubs are suddenly buying into his red-hot start offensively, it’s fair to ask why he’s started just three of the team’s last seven games. Swanson probably deserves to be dropped to eighth with his ugly .232 OBP in 126 plate appearances. Busch, though, has been terrific in hitting .286/381/.549, even if that pales in comparison to Kelly’s ridiculous .341/.517/.854 start.

Kelly has been hotter than the surface of the sun of late with Friday’s two-homer explosion raising his full-season OPS to a surreal 1.675 mark. The 30-year-old backstop has never showcased this level of elite offensive firepower previously, so we’re anticipating some regression. However, that doesn’t mean his transformation into a viable mixed-league catching option isn’t real. Kelly should be rostered in all fantasy formats by this point after hitting .419 with six homers and 18 RBI in just 11 contests. He’s not going to catch every single day for obvious workload reasons, but he’ll be an impactful fantasy contributor when he’s behind the plate for Chicago.

The game was anything but wild for 6 1/2 innings, but after Corbin Burnes exited, the Cubs scored five times in the bottom of the seventh, giving them a 7-1 lead. The Diamondbacks responded with 10 in the top of the eighth, which included a grand slam from Eugenio Suárez and a three-run shot from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. However, the Diamondbacks were trying to avoid most of their top relievers today, and they let Bryce Jarvis and Joe Mantiply combine to give up six runs in the bottom of the eighth. Kelly, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki all homered in the frame. Ryan Pressly then calmly set Arizona down in the top of the ninth. Kelly is currently hitting an absurd .419/.578/1.097 in 45 plate appearances. Even though he debuted nine years ago in 2016, just these 11 games along have taken his career OPS from .681 to .701.

Kelly is back behind the dish after missing a pair of games following an early exit from Sunday’s showdown against the Dodgers with a wrist contusion. It doesn’t appear to be a serious concern moving forward.