Taylor Swift seems to be everywhere these days and now, she is being credited for another team’s winning streak. No — it’s not the Kansas City Chiefs, the 32-year-old superstar, who has been in the spotlight of the sports world since her whirlwind of a romance with Travis Kelce, is currently making headlines at MLB! Recently, Chicago Cubs manager, Craig Counsell, credited Taylor Swift for the team’s success—talk about that Swiftie magic! The Cubs won five of the six games they played and according to their manager, it’s the ‘Taylor Swift candle’ that’s making it happen.

The 2024 MLB season has been full of such quirky team traditions. Earlier this year, the Minnesota Twins marked their home runs by tossing some summer sausages at each other; then, in June, the New York Mets joined the Grimace mascot craze. And now, it’s the Cub’s turn and they have been killing it. Moreover, after three years without playoffs, the Chicago Cubs and their fans needed this pace. Counsell’s strategies and leadership have made a tremendous difference. So, now that things are in their favor, he’s bringing in that lighthearted energy and is more than happy to share the spotlight with Taylor Swift!

Craig Counsell credits Taylor Swift over the Cubs’ wins

The Cubs have been on a roll and, and it’s no surprise given Craig Counsell joining in to propel the team forward. He signed a $40 million deal, the highest-paid manager contract during the off-season. Recently, just ahead of the Chicago Cubs game with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday, Counsell was asked about the Taylor Swift fans who follow the Cubs. There, he revealed getting a gift: a Taylor Swift theme candle. Craig affirmed lighting it before the games, so maybe, that’s what brought in the ‘good luck charm’! Counsell told Marquee Sports Network’s Taylor McGregor, “I was gifted a Taylor Swift candle, and we’ve been lighting that before games in my office—clubhouse manager Danny Miller [and I]. We’ve been on a nice little run here, so we’re going to credit Taylor Swift.”

But humor aside, over the past two weeks, the Cubs have proved their mantle—they scored 74 runs, the second most in MLB within that time. Not just that, the squad also ranks third in slugging and doubles and has managed to keep the strikeouts to a low, sitting at twenty-six. Because of this, they have made a major leap and now, are finding themselves two games over .500.

Craig Counsell’s not discrediting himself or the team with that comment, he is just bringing in some nice humor and lightness to the atmosphere. Before he signed the mammoth contract with the Cubs, he was with the Milwaukee Brewers for nine years and managed the team to three NL Central titles. And given the changes with the team, seems like he is working his magic here too! But one cannot discount the fact that they have a standout player, who is carrying the team forward – Seiya Suzuki.

Seiya Suzuki steps up his game, big time!

The right-fielder of the team Seiya Suzuki has been bringing his A-game forward, just when the team needed it most. The Cubs have just 29 games remaining on their schedule and by winning seven out of the ten games over the past weeks—they are standing strong. A major part of that credit goes to Suzuki. Over the last seven games, he has gone 14 for 30—a .467 batting average. That’s including a standout 4-for-6 performance with three runs in the Cubs’ 18-8 win over the Pirates on August 26. 

And Seiya didn’t stop there, following up with a game-tying two-run bomb the very next day, in the fourth inning off Jared Jones. Talk about keeping the momentum going! Right now, Suzuki is leading the Cubs, with a batting average of .276 and is second on the club in home runs and RBIs. But he credits the entire team for this upsurge, Seiya Suzuki mentioned to The Associated Press: “The team, we’ve always played together. I think, right now, everybody is playing well.”

Craig Counsell, echoing this sentiment, mentioned how being consistent has helped the team. Plus, of course, he believes the Taylor Swift candle had its lucky charm! Right now, the team is in the best spot, and given their absence from the playoffs for three long years—this is a welcome change. What do think about their recent upward surge? Let us know in the comments.