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Player Outlook
Michael Busch fits best defensively at designated hitter, but it's still to be determined whether his bat will produce enough value in the majors to be worth playing at the bottom of the defensive spectrum. With the addition of automated balls and strikes, the Pacific Coast League was even more of a hitter's paradise than in the past, and Busch took full advantage, slashing .323/.431/.618 with 27 home runs, an 18.8 K% and a 13.9 BB% in 98 games. In addition to the cartoonish hitting environment he played in, Busch was 25 years old, so there would be no excuse for him not to mash Triple-A pitching. Even in that juiced environment, Busch only managed a .795 OPS with two home runs in 167 plate appearances against lefties, so he may be platooned if he doesn't become passable somewhere defensively. He only got 81 plate appearances in the majors, struggling to an unlucky .167 average with 27 strikeouts, eight walks and two home runs. He is eligible at third base in 2024 but may not have anywhere to play for the Dodgers in the short term. There are some Quad-A hitter red flags, and Busch may need a trade to get a chance to show he belongs.

Fantasy Stats

Year fpts
Fantasy Points
fpts/g
Fantasy Points per Game
r
Runs
hr
Home Runs
rbi
Runs Batted In
bb
Base on Balls (Walk)
sb
Stolen Bases
avg
Batting Average
2024 .000
2023 33.51.2 9 2 7 8 1 .167
2020 .000
3y Avg. 33.51.2 9 2 7 8 1 .167
Projections Powered by
Fantasy Performance by Week
37%
Roster
12%
Start
#30
3B Rank

Fantasy News

  • Cubs' Michael Busch: Settling in at first

    Busch, who primarily played second and third base the last few years, said recently he is feeling more comfortable at first, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports. Busch is expected to make an impact with his bat, but the Cubs would also like to get solid defense at first base. Manager Craig Counsell noted that Busch's athleticism is helping him make the transition, and the team seems to be happy with what it is seeing so far in camp. If Busch can hold his own at the position, he should be in line for a fairly steady amount of playing time this season.
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  • Cubs' Michael Busch: Hits first spring home run

    Busch went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Reds. Busch took Cincinnati fireballer Hunter Greene deep for his first home run of the spring. The 26-year-old projects to be Chicago's primary option at first base heading into the regular season. Busch has some upside and looked great in the minors last year, though he's yet to get extended run in the majors, so there may be some growing pains as he settles in with the Cubs.
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  • Cubs' Michael Busch: May see less playing time

    Busch could see his role reduced somewhat now that Cody Bellinger has agreed to return to the Cubs, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports. Bellinger agreed to a three-year, $80 million deal Sunday and will likely split his time between center field and first base just like he did last year. Busch is likely the top option at first whenever Bellinger is in center, but the former's role could still be reduced due to the new addition to the roster. Fantasy players will want to keep an eye on the situation, but for now, Busch may be an up-and-down option, at least in the early going as things shake out.
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  • Cubs' Michael Busch: Likely to play first base

    Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Saturday that while Busch's ultimate position will be up to manager Craig Counsell, he expects the 26-year-old to play first base, Jared Wyllys of AllCHGO.com reports. "He's certainly going to play. There's no question. It's up to Craig where. I think first base is obviously a natural spot for him. He's played there a lot," Hoyer said at the team's Cubs Convention. Most of Busch's playing time with the Dodgers in 2023 came at third base, and it's possible he could wind up there if the Cubs bring in another first baseman. However, the consensus seems to be that the defensively-challenged Busch fits best at first base. If Busch is indeed confined to first, it puts a damper on Matt Mervis' dynasty outlook.
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  • Cubs' Michael Busch: Dealt to Cubs

    Busch was traded from the Dodgers to the Cubs along with Yency Almonte on Thursday in exchange for two unknown minor leaguers, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports. Busch, who fits best at first base or designated hitter, was never going to get an extended run at those positions in Los Angeles, so this boosts his fantasy value. He is currently the favorite to beat out Matt Mervis for the starting first base job, but the Cubs aren't necessarily done making moves -- they have been linked to free agent Rhys Hoskins. Busch is already 26 and needed to repeat Triple-A to master the level (102 wRC+ as a 24-year-old in 2022, 150 wRC+ as a 25-year-old in 2023), so he could still end up being a Quad-A bat when it's all said and done. The lefty-hitting slugger will be eligible at third base to start the year. With righties Patrick Wisdom, Christopher Morel and Alexander Canario all still on the roster, it's possible Busch will sit against lefties.
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  • Dodgers' Michael Busch: Sent back to OKC

    The Dodgers optioned Busch to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports. Busch slashed .111/.167/.333 across 30 plate appearances during his latest two-week stay on the major-league roster. J.D. Martinez (groin) is returning from the injured list in a corresponding move ahead of Friday's series opener against the Nationals.
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  • Dodgers' Michael Busch: Goes deep in loss

    Busch went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Thursday in a loss to Atlanta. Busch hit one of four Dodgers long balls in the contest, launching his to right field in the seventh inning. It was his second homer since being recalled from the minors Aug. 22, but just his third hit. Busch has struggled since the promotion, slashing .130/.192/.391 with eight strikeouts over 26 plate appearances.
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  • Dodgers' Michael Busch: Hits first big-league homer

    Busch went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against Cleveland. Busch smacked a 401-foot solo shot off Gavin Williams in the fourth inning for his first long ball as a major leaguer. He added a sacrifice fly in the fifth frame to finish with his first multi-RBI effort. Busch has gone 1-for-7 since being recalled from the minors Tuesday. He had been tearing up Triple-A prior to the promotion, slashing .379/.458/.777 with 11 home runs, 27 RBI and a stolen base across his last 25 games.
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  • Dodgers' Michael Busch: Recalled from OKC

    The Dodgers recalled Busch from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA reports. Busch has struggled in limited action at the major-league level, but he boasts a .323/.432/.615 batting line with 24 homers and 82 RBI across 88 games this season at Triple-A. The 25-year-old should get some starts on the Los Angeles infield while also cycling into the DH role as J.D. Martinez (groin) heads to the 10-day injured list.
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  • Dodgers' Michael Busch: Possible waiver wire pickups

    We saw Busch once already this season at a time when the Dodgers were short on infielders, but he didn't really have a place to play and hardly made an impact in Fantasy. He arrives now with Max Muncy sidelined by a hamstring injury and indeed has made back-to-back starts at third base, including once against a fellow left-hander. The natural second baseman had recently transitioned to that position in the minors, almost as if the Dodgers saw this coming, and the timing couldn't be more perfect on the offensive side either. In his last nine games for Triple-A Oklahoma City, Busch hit .472 (17 for 36) with four home runs, most of them monstrous. His combination of power and plate discipline has stood out from the day he was drafted and makes him a reasonable Muncy facsimile. We'll see if he sticks this time.
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  • Dodgers' Michael Busch: Recalled from Triple-A

    Busch was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday, Matthew Moreno of DodgerBlue.com reports. Busch was recalled to take the place of Max Muncy, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a hamstring strain. In 19 at-bats with the Dodgers earlier in the year, Busch slashed .211/.348/.211 with four walks and nine strikeouts over seven games. The 25-year-old is considered one of the better prospects in the Los Angeles system, but it's not yet clear what role he'll have during this big-league stint.
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  • Dodgers' Michael Busch: Optioned to Triple-A

    Busch was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City by the Dodgers on Thursday. Busch didn't play a ton during his first stint in the big leagues, getting five starts over a two-and-a-half week period. He's clearing out to make room for J.D. Martinez's return from the injured list.
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  • Dodgers' Michael Busch: Gets call at second base

    Busch is starting at second base and batting ninth for the Dodgers in Monday's game versus the Phillies, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports. Busch started the first three games after being promoted before then sitting out the last three before this one. He's 1-for-10 with an RBI and a 5:1 K:BB in his first go-round in the big leagues.
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  • Dodgers' Michael Busch: Batting seventh in MLB debut

    The Dodgers recalled Busch from Triple-A Oklahoma City, and he'll serve as the team's designated hitter and No. 7 batter in his MLB debut Tuesday in Pittsburgh, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports. Busch is joining the 26-man active roster as a replacement for Max Muncy (personal), who was placed on the paternity list. One of the top position prospects in the Dodgers' system, Busch has delivered encouraging offensive numbers throughout the upper minors, including a .337/.461/.506 batting line across 102 plate appearances this season at Oklahoma City. He may only be up with the Dodgers for the duration of Muncy's absence, though that could change if Busch turns in a big series in Pittsburgh.
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  • Dodgers' Michael Busch: Tuesday's Waiver Wire Targets

    Busch is a top-100 prospect getting the call, which is typically the kind of player we all rush out and grab. In this case, I'm not sure he really needs to be a high priority. Busch is a career .277/.363/.484 hitter with 23 homers in 132 Triple-A games, and if he was going to get a chance to play every day, I'd be pretty intrigued by him getting the call. However, it seems unlikely that his stay in the majors will be a long one, as he's getting called up to replace Max Muncy, who is going on the paternity leave list. That will likely be just for a day or two, and Busch could be back in the minors when Muncy is back. So, don't make him a high priority, but if you have a roster spot to play with, Busch is a talented player who could get more run than expected if you want to take a flier.
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  • Dodgers' Michael Busch: Headed to big leagues

    Busch is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports. He's taking the roster spot of Max Muncy, who was placed on the paternity list. Busch has posted a .967 OPS with two home runs at Oklahoma City this season after submitting an .881 OPS with 32 dingers between Double-A Tulsa and Oklahoma City in 2022. He'll be making his major-league debut when he gets into a game, although Busch could be in store for a short stay when Muncy returns before the weekend.
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  • Dodgers' Michael Busch: Hits second spring homer

    Busch went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a double in a Cactus League contest against the Royals on Saturday. Busch was optioned to minor-league camp nearly two weeks ago, but he's shown that he can hold his own against major-league pitching this spring. The 25-year-old has posted a .937 OPS over 36 plate appearances while driving in four runs. Busch will begin the campaign with Triple-A Oklahoma City but is likely to make his big-league debut at some point this season.
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  • Dodgers' Michael Busch: Optioned to minor-league camp

    Busch was optioned Monday to minor-league camp by the Dodgers. Busch has struggled in his brief Cactus League sample, with a slash line of .150/.320/.300 with one homer in 25 plate appearances. Those struggles have very little to do with why he's opening the season in the minors, however, and the 25-year-old could be an option for the Dodgers at some point this summer as one of the club's best hitting prospects.
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  • Dodgers' Michael Busch: Mixed bag in Triple-A

    Busch has a .240/.298/.474 line with 10 homers, two steals and a 13:65 BB:K in 42 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City. He started off ice cold after being promoted in mid-May (.203 over 16 games), but Busch has hit much better over his last 26 contests, putting up a .262/.308/.542 line with eight of his Triple-A home runs. Even over the course of this relatively hot streak, though, he's been striking out at an alarming rate -- an even 35 percent -- while not drawing many walks (6.8 percent; 7.1 percent overall since being promoted). The new level has not been kind to him in that regard, as Busch had a spectacular 17.6 percent walk rate in Double-A alongside a more manageable 26.3 percent strikeout rate. With that in mind, the Dodgers will likely let Busch bide his time in the minors for most (if not all) of 2022 so that he can improve his plate discipline against higher-grade pitching.
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  • Dodgers' Michael Busch: Invited to big-league camp

    Busch was invited to the Dodgers' major-league camp Tuesday, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports. Busch will get the benefit of working with the team's big-league coaching staff for a few weeks, though he's not particularly close to joining them on a permanent basis. He has a promising bat and could eventually hit for both power and average, but he's played a grand total of 10 professional games and hasn't advanced beyond Low-A.
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