What a month it was for the Chicago Cubs, accomplishing something only two other teams in franchise history have done.

Currently 18-12 and fighting for the top spot in the National League Central, the Cubs have played better than maybe anyone expected coming into the year. After an offseason that saw them make multiple moves, the players the front office landed have been a big help to their early success.

According to Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network, it was just the third time in franchise history that Chicago has won 17 games in the month of April.

What makes it even more impressive is the fact that they have a new manager and were dealing with multiple injuries.

Their ace Justin Steele didn’t pitch, Cody Bellinger got injured and sat the last week of the month, Seiya Suzuki missed more than half of April, and other important pieces in the rotation have gotten banged up as well.

The season is still young and it’s important for the Cubs to not get too excited over this start. However, it’s a promising sign that they can compete the way they have with all of the injuries they’ve dealt with.

When they get healthy and add other players around the deadline, the sky seems to be the limit for this team.

Manager Craig Counsell has found success in his long coaching career, winning at nearly every step of the way. Outside of the additions to the roster, Counsell’s impact has been as big as anyone’s in baseball throughout the first 30 games of the season.

Chicago dropped the final game of the month to the New York Mets but will have a chance to get back on track in Queens during their four-game series.

After that, they’ll head home to take on a longtime rival and Counsell’s former Milwaukee Brewers team in an important matchup for division superiority.