The Chicago Cubs are thick in the battle to keep the top Wild Card spot with the San Diego Padres and the Philadelphia Phillies. As the Cubs season comes to a close, they'll need all hands on deck if they're to give their pitching staff the defense that's been so highly spoken of all season long. Among the important defenders on the infield plays Michael Busch, the Cubs first baseman.
Saturday saw Busch slam his 20th home run of the season, breaking up a 2-2 tie in an important victory over the Cincinnati Reds. With the Cubs so tightly locked with the other Wild Card teams, Busch's offense came at the right time, again proving why Busch has such a secure spot on the Cubs infield.
Michael Busch has rebuilt his season when the Cubs needed him most
Busch's development into the Cubs steady first baseman didn't exactly happen overnight. His breakout came in 2025, when he slashed a .261/.343/.523, with 90 RBIs and 34 home runs. That big leap in production is exactly why Busch came into 2026 with heightened expectations.
When 2026 arrived, Busch came out of the gate with less than great numbers, only hitting for a .188 through April, though he improved that number up to .300 for May. His 2026 season batting average sits at a respectable .239, though there's been flashes of better hitting.
It's imperative that the Cubs capitalize when they have runners in scoring position, and Michael Busch's .350 OBP is exactly the kind of thing that will help them along.
Busch's patience becomes even more valuable when it's paired with his ability to leave the ballpark. Though he hasn't recreated last year's 34-home run breakout, 20 home runs following his rough April shows a respectable ability to hit the ball, and it helped him to stabilize his season.
As the Cubs head into October baseball, they won't need Busch to carry the lineup, they have PCA for that. But they will need Busch to prove how effective he can be at the plate, and at the corner. With Busch reaching base, and providing his signature steady presence at first, he could easily become one of Chicago's most important players in the playoffs.
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