The Chicago Cubs are going to be under some pressure during the 2025 season to perform on the field.
They were one of the more disappointing teams in baseball last year, winning only 83 games despite the addition of manager Craig Counsell, which the franchise thought would put them over the top in the National League Central.
Instead, it was his former employer, the Milwaukee Brewers, who ran away with the NL Central as champions. They finished 10 games ahead of the Cubs, who tied with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Heading into this year, many view Chicago as the favorites in the division given how the offseason went for some of their rivals.
The Brewers look to have taken a step back after losing Willy Adames in free agency to the San Francisco Giants and trading star closer Devin Williams to the New York Yankees.
The Cardinals are in a state of flux and everyone is fortunate that the Pittsburgh Pirates don’t spend money since they have the starting pitching depth to be legitimate title contenders.
Terry Francona being hired by the Cincinnati Reds makes them an intriguing team, but the Cubs certainly have the talent to win the NL Central.
One of the players they will be counting on to help win games is first baseman Michael Busch.
Acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season, he took advantage of being a starter for the first time in his career.
Busch had a slash line of .248/.335/.440 with 21 home runs and 28 doubles. He knocked in 65 runs while scoring 73.
There are a few concerns with his underlying statistics, leading to some believing that he could regress and be a bust candidate this year.
But, if spring training is an indication of things to come, Busch is going to ascend to another level, not take a step backward with his production.
He has been excellent with the bat, recording a .452/.500/.677 slash line with one home run, two doubles and one triple in 34 plate appearances with 11 RBI. For a cherry on top, he has even stolen one base.
While that production at the plate is impressive, what has caught the attention of some within the organization is the strides he has made defensively.
“Busch should be in the Gold Glove conversation and has made consistent loud contact all spring,” said general manager Carter Hawkins, via Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required).
In 2024, he had a dWAR of -0.2, not consistently making an impact with the glove. It is an encouraging development to see things coming along in that regard to help make him more of an all-around player.
An improvement in the field will only raise his impact on the field, since it will help offset whatever regression he may have at the plate that can be attributed to a regression to the mean.