Michael Busch Could Take the Cubs Offense to Another Level
With just thirteen regular-season games remaining in the 2026 season, the Cubs lead the MLB in several offensive categories.
That’s interesting for plenty of reasons, especially when you factor in how Michael Busch’s season compares to last year.
A season ago, Busch was one of, if not the best, hitters on the Cubs. This year, while he is an above-average hitter, it hasn’t been quite the same as his breakout season in 2025.
But with the regular season winding down, Michael Busch may have found something.
Looking at Busch’s slash lines this season and last, you can see his slugging percentage has dropped significantly. In 2025, he slashed .261/.343/.523 and had an OPS of .866. In 2026, he currently has a slash line of .237/.345/.396 and has an OPS of .741. Those lines make it clear his batting average and on-base percentage are very similar, but his slugging percentage has dropped from .523 to .396.
That said, the current MLB average slugging percentage is .401. So even with this lowered slugging percentage, Busch is still right at league average.
Recently, Michael Busch has seemingly turned a corner. In September, his slugging percentage is noticeably higher at .459. That same trend goes back to when the Cubs were in Seattle near the end of August; his slugging percentage since then is .455.
If this were to continue for the rest of the season with the playoffs right around the corner, the Cubs offense, which is already the league’s best, could get a whole lot better. Busch leads the Cubs lineup, which is already filled with some of the league’s best hitters, including Alex Bregman, Seiya Suzuki, and the 2026 National League MVP frontrunner Pete Crow-Armstrong. While Busch has been effective for this year’s squad, if he continues to raise his slugging percentage, this offense could reach a new high.
The exciting part about Busch’s recent success is that it is coming at the perfect time. With only a handful of regular-season series left for the Cubs, Busch may be finding his stride just in time for the playoffs.
The Cubs currently lead MLB in home runs with 206. Michael Busch has hit 19 homers this season, the fifth-most on the Cubs.
That is a good amount of home runs since he’ll most likely tack on a few more with what’s left of the regular season.
But considering Busch had the most on the team last year with thirty-four long balls, it wasn’t the amount Cubs fans most likely envisioned him having at this point in the season.
It’s exciting to think about the new heights this Cubs offense and team as a whole could reach with Michael Busch at his best.
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Categorized:Cubs