On Sunday afternoon, outfielder Jorge Soler, one of the Chicago Cubs‘ many elite prospects, returned from a sprained ankle he sustained on Jun. 1. With his return should come a return to prominence and stability of a Cubs lineup that has shown flashes in his absence, but hasn’t been able to sustain success.

Leading up to his injury, the Cubs were averaging 4.1 runs per game as an offense. Since Soler left the lineup, the team has averaged 3.8 runs per game. The difference is subtle, but the real difference Soler should make is providing stability to a lineup that has been in flux since he went on the DL.

Soler makes the lineup much deeper, being able to slide into the order anywhere from the No. 2 spot through the six-hole. His presence in the middle of the lineup should instantly benefit sluggers Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant as well.

Those two are already putting together good seasons, driving in a combined 93 runs through July 4. If Soler hits in front of them, they will likely have more RBI chances with Soler getting on base ahead of them. If Soler hits behind them, they will likely get more pitches to hit since pitchers aren’t going to always be willing to go after the 6-foot-4 rookie outfielder.

Before going down with his ankle injury, Soler was slumping a bit, but his mere presence makes the Cubs lineup better. They no longer have to scramble to put together their outfield with the likes of Matt Szczur, Mike Baxter and Chris Denorfia. Nothing against any of those players, but they shouldn’t be everyday pieces on a playoff contender. Soler should be.

As Soler grows into his own and continues to develop, he could become a scary hitter. He’s already shown flashes of what makes his power special this season. If he picks up big league pitching as quickly as Bryant has, the Cubs lineup could get hot in the second half. That could mean some baseball in Chicago this October.