CINCINNATI — Michael Busch’s encore to a solid rookie season has seen the Chicago Cubs first baseman evolve into a key piece in the lineup.

Busch entered Saturday owning the second-best OPS+ on the Cubs at 137, trailing only the currently sidelined Kyle Tucker (147). The 27-year-old first baseman reached a notable milestone in Saturday’s 6-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, hitting a solo home run to right-center field in the third inning for his 30th of the season.

Busch became the first Cub with a 30-home run season since 2019, when Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber both surpassed the mark. Anthony Rizzo was the last Cubs first baseman to reach it when he slugged 32 in 2017.

“It’s pretty cool just to be able to do it,” Busch said. “Any individual accomplishment is cool, but at the end of t

See Full Page