Brutal Cubs' All-Star snub brings home hardware to remind everyone how good he is

Michael Busch is becoming one of the Chicago Cubs' most reliable hitters, and he added another accolade to his resume this week.

No, I'm not talking about an All-Star appearance. Busch was unfortunately one of the many Cubs players who were snubbed this year, despite the fact that he is leading all MLB first basemen with a 167 wRC+. This past week propelled Busch's numbers into the stratosphere, and he likely would have been included on the Midsummer Classic's reserve list if his Fourth of July heroics had come a week or two earlier.

This performance included a three-home run barrage against the Cardinals last Friday, which comprised three of the nine hits Busch collected in the series victory over the Redbirds. Busch's historic weekend did nab him co-National League Player of the Week honors after the 27-year-old posted a 1.789 OPS, six extra-base hits, and seven RBI.

Michael Busch is blossoming into a star right before our eyes

Some people scoffed when the Cubs traded for Busch prior to the 2024 season. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer had to part with Jackson Ferris, who was one of the organization's top pitching prospects at the time. Outfielder Zyhir Hope was the other player involved in the deal. Although he was relatively unknown at the time, Hope has risen to become the Dodgers' no. 2 prospect while Ferris is currently their best pitching prospect.

But it was a deal definitely worth making even before Busch's breakout this year. He filled a major hole at first base that Chicago had been struggling to fill since they traded Anthony Rizzo at the 2021 trade deadline. After establishing himself as a solid defender and decent enough bat in 2024, Busch is taking his game to a new level in his second full year in the majors. He currently leads the Cubs in batting average (.297), OPS (.950), and slugging percentage (.566). He is also third on the team with 18 home runs, behind only Seiya Suzuki (25) and Pete Crow Armstrong (23).

Busch is under contract in Chicago through the 2029 season, when he will be 31 years old. Given his current production on both sides of the ball, I'd say the future is bright for Busch and the Cubs.