Re-Grading the Cubs' 2024 Offseason Additions After First 3 Weeks

2. Michael Busch: A

On the same day, the Cubs signed Shōta Imanaga, they acquired first baseman Michael Busch and relief pitcher Yency Almonte from the Dodgers in exchange for some minor-league prospects. Busch was drafted by the Dodgers in 2019 and spent the first three and a half seasons in their farm system before getting called up in the middle of the 2023 season.

Busch had 72 at-bats with the Dodgers in 2023. Of those at-bats, Busch had nine hits, seven RBI, and nine strikeouts. Those are fine numbers for a player's first 27 games in the majors but the Dodgers decided to move on after building a "dream team" in the offseason.

Well, with the way Busch has started his season with the Cubs he might be making the Dodgers regret that decision. Over his first 18 games, Busch has 21 hits on 66 at-bats with nine walks and six home runs. That play has earned him an on-base percentage of .400. That's the best on-base percentage of any Cubs player so far this season.p

Busch also had one of the most impressive early-season five-game stretches hitting one home run in five straight games. If Busch keeps playing this well, he might be the Cubs' future at third base.

3. Yency Almonte: B

Yency Almonte was the only reliever the Cubs added to their bullpen this offseason. Almonte began his career in 2018 with the Colorado Rockies and spent five seasons with them before signing with the Dodgers in 2022. In 2023, Almonte allowed 43 hits and 30 runs and had a 5.06 ERA in 49 games pitched.

Adding that to an already questionable Cubs bullpen seemed like a bad idea. So far, that's exactly what it turned out to be. Almonte has pitched 8 2/3 innings this season and has allowed six hits and five runs, walked six batters, and has an ERA of 4.15. The only reason Almonte doesn't have a lower grade is because the bullpen didn't get worse by adding him. Instead, it just stayed the same. 

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