he Los Angeles Dodgers traded Michael Busch and Yency Almonte to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Jackson Ferris and Zyhir Hope last January. Busch rose to the Dodgers major league roster in 2023 after they drafted him 31st overall in 2019. During that 2023 season, Busch went .169/.247/.292 with two home runs and seven RBIs during 26 game appearances. He never got an extended runway to showcase his talent at the MLB level, though.
The Dodgers didn’t have a spot for Busch heading into this year, so they made the deal to send him to Chicago, where he’s getting everyday playing time — and making the absolute most of it.
Busch tied a Cubs’ franchise record with five straight games with a home run, and has been one of Chicago’s best and most consistent hitters all year long.
Busch recently caught up with Bob Nightengale of USA Today, and said while there are “no hard feelings” after getting traded away by the team who drafted him, he now feels competitive about the prospect of facing his former team.
“I’ve got no hard feelings, there’s no bad blood, nothing like that,” Busch said to Nightengale. “Everybody gets in a sense. But I’ve got pride too. You want to beat them now. It’s that competitive spirit, almost like a brotherly competitive spirit.”
Busch has already gotten the chance to beat the Dodgers, with the Cubs going 2-1 against Los Angeles during their three-game home series earlier this year. Even better for Busch, he was dominant for the Cubs during that series.
During the Cubs’ first win against the Dodgers, Busch had his first home run in a Cubs uniform. Two days later, Busch had three RBIs during a dominant 8-1 win.
So far this season, Busch has hit .317 with six home runs and 13 RBIs. Busch and the Cubs are off to an overall successful start, beginning the year 11-7.
source: USA TODAY Sports
