Chicago Cubs infielder Michael Busch is not in the team's starting lineup for Game 1 of a twin bill on Saturday against the Miami Marlins and left-hander Jesus Luzardo. The lefty-swinging Busch is off to a massive start to the season but has struggled in limited time against same-handed pitching. Busch has hit .317 with six home runs, three doubles, and a 1.067 OPS across 70 plate appearances on the season but is just 1-for-9 (.111) with a walk across only 10 trips to the plate against southpaw pitching. All nine of the 26-year-old's extra-base hits have come against right-handers. Despite his struggles against lefties, Busch has cemented himself as a strong fantasy asset, even at the first base position, with a history of hitting for big-time power in his minor-league career.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch and catcher Yan Gomes are not in the starting lineup on Friday against the visiting Miami Marlins and left-hander A.J. Puk. Garrett Cooper is playing first base and batting seventh in the lineup, while Miguel Amaya is doing the catching and batting in the nine-hole against Puk. Busch had a streak of five straight games with a home run come to an end this week and he's hitting a strong .317 (19-for-60) overall with six total long balls, 13 RBI and 10 runs scored to start his first year in Chicago. He's hit just .167 (4-for-24) and has yet to homer against a left-hander in his career, though, so he'll likely occasionally be rested against lefties this year. Cooper has never faced Puk in his career, while Amaya has a hit and RBI in his only career at-bat against the southpaw.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch has been feeling really comfortable so far in his first year with the Cubs and he extended his home run streak to five straight games in Monday's 3-2 extra-inning win over the Arizona Diamondbacks by going 1-for-3 with a solo home run, two walks and two strikeouts. The 26-year-old has now tied the franchise's longest home run streak and has six long balls in the early going, necessitating a pickup off your league's waiver wire if he's somehow still available. Busch's homer binge obviously won't last, but he's so far been a fantastic late-round value pick by fantasy managers in 2024. After Monday's game, he's hitting .327 (17-for-52) with six homers, 12 RBI and nine runs scored in his first 16 games with the Cubbies.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch has been off to a red-hot start to begin the season. On Sunday, Busch went 2-for-4 with a home run in the 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners. The left-handed slugger has now homered in four straight contests. He's slashing an impressive .327/.393/.694 heading into Monday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Fantasy managers better make sure Busch isn't on the waiver wire or sitting on the bench heading into next week.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch homered in his third straight game on Saturday in a 4-1 victory over the Mariners. Busch finished 2-for-4 and is now 6-for-14 (.428) over his last four games with a double, three home runs, two walks, four RBI and three runs scored. He's also hit safely in nine of his last 10, with a BA of .311 on the young season. The 26-year-old didn't have much success last season in his debut with the Dodgers but has hit the ground running in Chicago. The former top-100 prospect is rostered in just 37% of Yahoo leagues, so managers in need of depth should consider picking him up, and he's also eligible at both first base and third base which gives managers added flexibility.

Chicago Cubs infielder Michael Busch is out of the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Colorado Rockies. This marks the first time this season that Busch will take a seat. This makes sense to give Busch some rest against a left-handed starting pitcher. In his place, Garrett Cooper will cover first base and bat seventh versus southpaw Kyle Freeland. This is a favorable matchup for Cooper, but he won't be anything more than a deep league streaming option.

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell has liked what he's seen from infielder Michael Busch as he tries to get more comfortable with the move to first base with his new team after primarily playing second and third base the previous three years. "I've seen the same thing with Michael at first base as in the box," Counsell said. "He's just steady and consistent. That's what it's felt like. Probably the thing you notice is there is athleticism." The 26-year-old left-handed slugger and former first-round pick in 2019 put up impressive numbers in the minors in the Dodgers organization, but he looked overmatched in 27 games in his MLB debut last year. The good news is that Busch is expected to see most of the playing time at first base in Chicago, which will at least make him worthy of fantasy consideration in NL-only leagues in 2024.

Chicago Cubs infielder Michael Busch went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer off of Hunter Greene against the Cincinnati Reds in Thursdays Cactus League matchup. The round-tripper would be the first of the spring for the Top-100 prospect. He is now hitting .250 with one homer, two RBI and two stolen bases over his first 16 at-bats. Busch, 26, was acquired this offseason after spending his professional career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and will finally have a fair chance to prove his worth at the big-league level without being blocked. Busch has been playing first base with the expectation that he will be there on most days for the Cubs, but the recent extension of Cody Bellinger doesn't help his cause. Dynasty managers have known about Busch for a few years and with enough playing time he can be an intriguing late-round selection in mixed redraft leagues.

Chicago Cubs infielder Michael Busch is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut on Monday. Cubs' manager Craig Counsell mentioned that Busch has been dealing with some shoulder soreness early in camp. That being said, the Cubs have been extra cautious because it's the beginning of spring. The early expectation was that Busch would see regular time at first base this season. However, the Cubs came to an agreement on a three-year deal with Cody Bellinger on Sunday. Busch will most likely end up falling into a bench role to start the 2024 campaign.

The Chicago Cubs acquired infielder Michael Busch and reliever Yency Almonte earlier this week from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for lefty Jackson Ferris and outfielder Zyhir Hope. The Athletic's Keith Law thinks Busch is a natural first baseman and will almost certainly play there for the Cubs. He also has experience at second and third base, although he's much more comfortable at the keystone. The 26-year-old gives the Cubs more left-handed thump in the lineup and hits southpaws well enough to project as an everyday player. Busch has been on Law's preseason top-100 prospect rankings for the last three offseasons and is an advanced hitter who has hit for power and hard contact for three straight years in Double-A and Triple-A (79 homers in the last three seasons). In a full-time big-league role, though, Busch is expected to be more of a doubles guy with more of a line-drive swing.

Along with reliever Yency Almonte, the Los Angeles Dodgers are sending infielder Michael Busch to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, according to a source. We still don't have the return confirmed on what is going back to the Dodgers, so stay tuned for more details. The 26-year-old former first-rounder was being blocked at the major-league level in Los Angeles, so a move to Chicago should give him more of an opportunity to crack the big-league lineup in 2024 and beyond. The left-handed-hitting Busch made his big-league debut for the Dodgers in 2023 but went just 12-for-72 (.167) with two home runs and seven RBI in 27 games played. He's likely to compete for the third-base job in Chicago in spring training and could become a platoon option for the Cubs at the hot corner against right-handed pitching.

On Thursday, Los Angeles Dodgers infield prospect Michael Busch made an impact by launching a 401-foot shot off Guardians right-handed pitcher Gavin Williams, delivering his first major league home run. The 25-year-old, was serving as the designated hitter in place of the injured J.D. Martinez (groin). He received his call-up from Triple-A Oklahoma City just two days prior. Despite his recent promotion, Busch has had a tough time offensively when up with the Dodgers, going 10-for-52 at the plate while driving in six runs in 17 games.

The Los Angeles Dodgers recalled infield prospect Michael Busch from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday to take the roster spot of designated hitter J.D. Martinez (groin), who was placed on the 10-day injured list. Busch, the club's No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline, struggled in his first 15 big-league games earlier this year, going 9-for-45 (.200) with no homers, three doubles, four RBI, 16 strikeouts and six runs scored in 51 trips to the plate. The 25-year-old left-handed hitter has batted .323 (114-for-353) with 24 home runs, 82 RBI, three steals and 76 runs scored in 88 games for Oklahoma City in 2023. Between second base and DH, Busch could see a decent amount of at-bats for a potent Dodgers lineup, making him worth a waiver-wire pickup in deeper fantasy leagues for the time being.

Los Angeles Dodgers third base prospect Michael Busch went 2-for-3 with two singles and two walks on Tuesday in Triple-A. Since the beginning of June, Busch has been batting .356 with 20 home runs and 54 RBI in 46 games. The second-ranked prospect in the Dodgers' system also has 30 walks and 44 strikeouts in that span. Busch had opportunities in the majors before but was lackluster in those chances, striking out over 31% of the time. The 25-year-old has improved his plate discipline and should get another opportunity to display his abilities. Busch also started in left field and threw a runner out at home. Adding defensive versatility bodes well for his chances of a promotion. Busch is one of the most valuable players in dynasty leagues and would be a strong add in redraft leagues if the Dodgers chose to call him up soon.

Los Angeles Dodgers second base prospect Michael Busch hit his 19th home run of the season, his sixth home run of the last nine games for Triple-A Oklahoma. He was 2-for-5 with two RBI. The 25-year-old has had two major-league stints this season, slashing .200/.294/.267 with a 31.4% strikeout rate in 15 games with Los Angeles. The UNC product has been on a tear since the All-Star break, slashing .346/.414/.692 in 17 games, raising his season-long OPS to 1.032 through 72 games with Oklahoma. Busch may get another call to appear at the major-league level this season, making him a stash option in redraft leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers second base prospect Michael Busch hit his third home run of the last five games for Triple-A Oklahoma. He was 2-for-4 with a walk and three RBI. The UNC product is slashing .301/.423/.559 with 12 home runs, 50 RBI, and 49 runs through 58 games this season with Oklahoma. The 25-year-old has played at the majors in two different stunts this season, ultimately slashing .200/.294/.267 with a 31.4% strikeout rate in 15 games with Los Angeles. Busch could still make another appearance at the major-league level this season, making him a stash option in deep leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers infield prospect Michael Busch remained hot with his fourth homer in his last five games for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Busch has been sizzling of late and finished the game 3-for-4 with a triple and three RBI. The 25-year-old saw some time at the big-league level earlier this season, but struggled with just four hits in 19 at-bats with no homers. Despite that, it was a very small sample size and Busch is tearing Triple-A pitching apart with a .320 batting average to go along with seven homers and 38 RBI in 172 at-bats. As is the situation most of the time with the Dodgers, it has been hard to find Busch consistent playing time in the big leagues and he is better served getting everyday at-bats on the farm. Busch should get another opportunity this season and is worthy of scooping up in all formats when that time comes.

Los Angeles Dodgers second base prospect Michael Busch hit his third home run of the last four games for Triple-A Oklahoma. He was 3-for-6 with two runs and three RBI. He recently won Triple-A Pacific Coast League Player of the Week honors, going 13-for-26 with three homers, 11 RBIs, and a .533 OBP. The UNC product is slashing .310/.427/.518 with six home runs, 34 RBI, and 36 runs through 43 games this season with Oklahoma. The 25-year-old debuted at the majors earlier this season with a .558 OPS and a 39.1% strikeout rate in seven games. Busch should make another appearance at the major-league level this season, making him a stash option in deep leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Michael Busch is back in Monday's starting lineup and hitting ninth against Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker. It's Busch's first appearance since April 27 while he starts at second base for the first time in the big leagues. The 25-year-old is just 1-for-10 with a walk in the big leagues to this point but he clobbered Triple-A pitching prior to his promotion. Busch hit .337 with two homers, one stolen base, and a .967 OPS across 21 Triple-A contests this season after clubbing 32 homers between Double-A and Triple-A last season. Chris Taylor is the notable omission from the lineup as Mookie Betts will start at shortstop Monday.

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Michael Busch is getting called up to the big league roster. The 25-year-old is set to join the Dodgers for their series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday. The team is in need of another bat with Max Muncy gone for a few days on the paternity leave list. Busch is slashing .337/.461/.506 with two homers, 16 RBI in 21 games in Triple-A this season. He has certainly earned a chance to play on the big league roster. Sadly, he probably won't be on the roster long enough to warrant adding in most fantasy leagues right now.