The Cubs may go through lulls, but they're built to avoid disasters such as the one that sank last season

CINCINNATI — The week or so the Cubs spent in last place in the National League Central to begin the season — because of a quirk of the schedule after they went 0-2 in the Tokyo Series — are a distant memory.

On Friday, the Cubs entered a three-game series against the Reds with a three-game cushion atop the division. They had spent 48 days in first place.

The Cardinals made a recent push, including a nine-game winning streak this month, to move into second place. The Reds and Brewers entered play Friday tied for third, with the Pirates bringing up the rear.

For the first time in years, it’s truly the Cubs’ division to lose.

‘‘Ultimately, it’s about playing for six months,’’ president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said recently, ‘‘playing consistently, trying to do little things really well.’’

Hoyer has pointed to last season as a cautionary tale. A strong start gave way to a seven-week slump that ultimately sank the Cubs’ season.

The Cubs were the division favorites going into the season, but they spent only 13 days atop the NL Central, as the Brewers put together a surprising run.

This season already feels different, even though the team has battled through major blows to their pitching staff: season-ending elbow surgery to Justin Steele, a strained hamstring strain to Shota Imanaga and an oblique injury to Porter Hodge.

From an offensive perspective, the Cubs’ start has been one of the best in team history. They entered play Friday with their most runs through the first 50 games of a season (293) since 1930.

‘‘You have four guys that are red-hot, four guys that are kind of in the middle, then you have four guys that are kind of scuffling,’’ hitting coach Dustin Kelly said, referring to a baseball truism. ‘‘And those interchange a lot. We have more guys that can interchange into that red-hot [category].’’

The Cubs didn’t make many changes to their lineup this offseason, but the ones they did make, combined with internal development, have improved the depth of their batting order tremendously.

Right fielder Kyle Tucker, who has a top-five offensive fWAR, has been the difference-maker in the lineup the Cubs hoped he would be when they acquired him from the Astros. New catcher Carson Kelly, who leads the team in OPS, has blown well past any expectations.

Carrying over their offensive growth from the second half of last season, catcher Miguel Amaya is on pace for a career year and center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is putting together a compelling All-Star case.

Hitting clearly has been contagious, but the Cubs seem to have tapped into another element that might protect against the flip side of that cliché.

‘‘We’re celebrating all the little things that maybe not everybody sees,’’ Kelly said. ‘‘Say you have a nine- or 10-pitch at-bat and get out. That’s 10 pitches that the pitcher had to use on one guy.’’

When Kelly says ‘‘celebrating,’’ he really means it. Just take a look at the dugout’s reaction to a baserunner beating out a force play at second base, for example.

In meetings, the Cubs dig into video on such plays, from both their own team and others around the league.

‘‘They’re fun plays because they’re just baseball plays,’’ manager Craig Counsell said, ‘‘and they require you to be in the moment and in the game and process situations quickly.’’

They’re also plays that can be made regardless of how hot or cool the bats are.

‘‘There’s skill to them, too,’’ Counsell said.

The Cubs still will have lulls throughout the season, but they seem to be built to work out of them — at least before they stretch to seven weeks.