Michael Busch Is No Longer a Platoon Piece - And the Cubs Are Better for It
For Cubs fans who’ve spent the past two seasons holding their breath every time a left-handed starter was announced, wondering if Michael Busch would once again be glued to the bench - you can finally exhale. The days of seeing one of the team’s best bats sidelined due to matchup data are over.
At Cubs Convention this past week, manager Craig Counsell made it clear: Michael Busch is going to be in the lineup every day, regardless of who’s on the mound. It’s a shift that signals not just a change in philosophy, but a vote of confidence in a hitter who earned it with his bat in 2025.
Busch’s Breakout Year Deserved More Than a Platoon Role
Let’s not bury the lede: Busch was the offensive engine for the Cubs last season. He led the team with 34 home runs and posted a 140 wRC+, making him the most productive hitter in the lineup. His slash line - .261/.343/.523 over 592 plate appearances - wasn’t just solid, it was the kind of production you build a lineup around.
Against right-handed pitching, Busch was especially lethal. In 497 plate appearances, he posted a 151 wRC+, showing off his power and ability to get on base with consistency. But when it came to facing lefties, Counsell was cautious - maybe too cautious.
In 2024, Busch saw just 100 plate appearances against left-handed pitching out of 567 total. That number dropped even further in 2025, with only 95 of his 592 plate appearances coming against southpaws. For a team that needed consistent offense, it was a curious limitation on one of their most potent bats.
A Tale of Two Halves vs. Lefties
The hesitation wasn’t without reason. Through the first three months of 2025, Busch struggled mightily against left-handed pitching.
In 43 plate appearances from March through June, he slashed just .105/.209/.132. No home runs.
Just four walks. Ten strikeouts.
A 5 wRC+. It wasn’t pretty.
But something clicked in the second half.
From July through the end of the season, Busch looked like a different hitter against lefties. In 52 plate appearances, he launched four home runs and slashed .286/.327/.551 - good for a 143 wRC+.
Yes, the strikeouts were still there (16 in that span), but so was the power. He wasn’t just surviving against lefties - he was doing damage.
It’s a small sample size, sure. But it showed growth.
And more importantly, it showed potential. For a player who had previously been labeled as a platoon-only bat, Busch’s second-half surge forced a re-evaluation - and Counsell clearly took notice.
Career Numbers Tell a Story - But Not the Whole One
Zooming out, Busch’s career numbers against lefties still lag behind his overall production. He’s hitting .230/.295/.366 against them in his MLB career, with an 87 wRC+. That’s not elite, but it’s also not unplayable - especially when you factor in his development curve and the adjustments he made late last season.
The truth is, young hitters need reps to grow, and limiting Busch’s exposure to lefties may have slowed that development early on. But now, with his breakout 2025 in the rearview and a strong finish against left-handed pitching, the Cubs are ready to take off the training wheels.
Postseason Performance Sealed It
If there were still any doubts about Busch’s readiness to be an everyday guy, his postseason performance helped put them to rest. In the NLDS, he went 4-for-11 against lefties, including a solo home run in Game 4. It wasn’t just timely - it was a continuation of the progress he’d shown down the stretch.
That kind of production on the biggest stage is exactly what you want from your middle-of-the-order bat. And it reinforced what the numbers had already started to suggest: Busch is ready to take on all comers.
What This Means for the Cubs in 2026
With Counsell now fully committed to Busch as an everyday starter, the Cubs’ lineup becomes more dangerous and more stable. No more shuffling based on handedness. No more losing one of your top power threats just because a lefty is on the mound.
This is a win for the Cubs - and for Busch, who’s earned the opportunity to prove he can handle the full workload. If his second-half surge against lefties was any indication, the best may still be ahead.
And if that’s the case, the rest of the NL Central better start paying attention.