Michael Busch Fantasy Stats

Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch has looked good so far in July, going 11-for-38 (.289) with a home run, three doubles, three RBI, and six runs scored in 10 games played and 44 plate appearances. But after a breakout 2025 campaign in which he hit .261/.343/.523 with an .866 OPS, 34 home runs, and 90 RBI in 155 regular-season games, he has underwhelmed for fantasy managers in the first half of 2026. Busch went into this week's All-Star break with a .239/.368/.395 slash line, a .763 OPS, 11 home runs, 49 RBI, 40 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 95 games across 424 plate appearances. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter's expected batting average of .231 and xwOBA of .345 (wOBA of .342) don't give his fantasy managers much hope for a rebound in the second half. The good news is that Busch's strikeout rate sits at a career-low 22.2%, and he's walking at a career-high rate of 14.9%. However, his quality of contact is lacking, ranking in the 48th percentile in hard-hit rate and the 63rd percentile in barrel rate while sitting in just the 53rd percentile in expected slugging. Busch is still an asset in OBP leagues, but fantasy managers shouldn't suddenly expect a power outburst in the second half.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch broke through as a regular in 2024 and emerged as a solid fantasy starter in 2025. He posted a .261/.343/.523 slash line with 34 home runs, 90 RBI, 78 runs scored, and four stolen bases. He was able to reduce his strikeout rate from 28.6% in 2024 to 23.5% in 2025 while increasing his barrel rate from 11.2% to 17.1% and his hard-hit rate from 39.9% to 47.3%. While he had lopsided platoon splits last year, struggling against southpaws, manager Craig Counsell said earlier in spring training that Busch has earned the right to play full-time and is not expected to be platooned to start the year. Busch's power production is excellent at his current ADP, and he is a legitimate bat to add once the elite options are gone at 1B. He's the No. 12 1B in RotoBaller's rankings, and his ADP is climbing based on the expectation that he'll be in a full-time role to start the season.

After breaking out as a solid regular in 2024, Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch took his game to another level in 2025. Across 592 plate appearances, the 28-year-old posted a .261/.343/.523 slash line with 34 home runs, 90 RBI, 78 runs scored, and four stolen bases. Busch slashed his strikeout rate from 28.6% in 2024 to 23.5% in 2025 while boosting his barrel rate from 11.2% to 17.1%. If there's one negative in the lefty-swinging Busch's profile, it's his lopsided platoon splits. Across 95 plate appearances against left-handed pitching in 2025, Busch hit .207/.274/.368 with a 27.4% strikeout rate. Chicago signed right-handed hitting first baseman Tyler Austin over the offseason, so Busch appears likely to lose playing time against lefties for a second straight season. Still, Busch was able to rack up counting stats in the potent Cubs lineup even while being platooned in 2025. He's a legit power bat whose current average draft position of pick 112 could be a value selection for fantasy managers in 2026.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch had an extremely productive night in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Busch led off the game with his 29th home run of the season and didn't stop there, finishing 3-for-4 with an additional run scored and a walk. The 29-year-old has put together a very strong season in his second year with Chicago, slashing .259/.337/.498 with an .835 OPS. The lefty has picked up nine hits in his last six games and is heating up at the right time for a Cubs team looking to make a strong push in the playoffs.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch is retreating to the bench with a tough left-hander on the mound in Sunday's series finale at Wrigley Field against the visiting Boston Red Sox. Veteran Justin Turner is at first base and will bat eighth versus Red Sox southpaw Garrett Crochet. Although Busch is having a great year for the first-place Cubbies, he has struggled against lefties this year, going 11-for-56 (.196) against them with only two of his 20 home runs, five walks and 17 strikeouts in 62 plate appearances. The 27-year-old lefty hitter just needs two more home runs in 2025 to set a new career high in his second season with the Cubs. Busch is also slashing a strong .289/.374/.552 with a .926 OPS, 60 RBI, 47 runs and four steals in 92 games. Turner has faced Crochet only three times in his career and has one hit. He'll be a poor DFS play in the eight-hole.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch led the charge for his team on Friday, hitting three of his team's franchise-record eight home runs in their 11-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Busch went four-for-four in total with five RBI. For the season, he's now hitting .288 with 17 home runs, 55 RBI, 41 runs scored, and four stolen bases. Improving upon his breakout 2024 season, Busch has reduced his strikeout rate from 28.6% to 22.4% while also boosting his barrel rate from 11.2% to 13.6%. He's still mostly a large-side platoon bat, as he's logged just 47 plate appearances against left-handed pitching this season, hitting .119 with zero home runs. However, Busch has proven himself to be extremely productive in his role and a useful fantasy option at first base.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch continued his hot month at the plate during Thursday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Busch got the fun started off early with a solo home run off right-hander Andre Pallante in the second inning. The left-handed slugger has been outstanding with a .311/.386/.608 slash line with six home runs in the month of June. He finished this game 2-for-4 with a homer, one RBI, and two runs scored in the 3-0 victory. Fantasy managers looking for a boost on offense should consider adding Busch while he's hot.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch is out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Busch only has four hits against left-handed pitching this season, so unsurprisingly he'll head to the bench. He's coming off a solid series against the Seattle Mariners where he recorded five hits, one home run, and five RBI over the three-game series. In his absence, Justin Turner will take over at first base and bat eighth versus left-hander Matthew Liberatore.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch swatted one of the team's five home runs in a 6-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday. Busch's 10th homer, a two-run, 414-foot shot off right-hander Keider Montero, gave the Cubs a 3-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning. He finished the day 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout, extending his hitting streak to eight games. The lefty-swinging Busch is not a fantasy-relevant option versus southpaws, but he's a terror against righties. He's now slashing an excellent .276/.377/.521 line with 38 RBI across 223 plate appearances. He'll take on another righty, Jack Flaherty, on Sunday.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch will sit out of Friday's lineup against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park with tough left-hander Tarik Skubal on the mound. Veteran Justin Turner will make the start at first base and will hit eighth in the batting order. Busch is currently in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak in which he's gone 10-for-23 with two home runs, so he'll be hoping to continue that streak when he returns to action on Saturday. The 27-year-old left-handed hitter is a big reason why the Cubs have had one of the best offenses in baseball this year, slashing .275/.374/.508 with an .882 OPS, nine home runs, 36 RBI, 27 runs scored and three steals in 189 at-bats. Turner has slowed near the end of his career and is no longer an everyday bat, making him one to avoid near the bottom of the lineup against one of the best pitchers in MLB.