Let's Talk About That Cubs Trade!

Entering the offseason, the Cubs identified a clear need for additional power in their lineup, with a preference for a left-handed hitter. The obvious solution was to re-sign Cody Bellinger. While that’s still an option, it hasn’t panned out, and Spring Training is right around the corner.

So, kudos to Jed Hoyer for his aggressive move on Thursday in acquiring Los Angeles Dodgers infield prospect Michael Busch and reliever Yency Almonte.

Michael Busch brings a potent left-handed bat to the Cubs. While concerns linger about a potentially high strikeout rate, it's noteworthy that Busch's strikeouts stem more from a patient approach, bordering on passivity, leading to numerous two-strike counts.

This reminds me a lot of White Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada, who possesses one of the best feels for the true strike zone in baseball, sometimes resulting in frustratig called third strikes.

Hopefully, for the Cubs, Busch can eventually learn to leave the fate of his plate appearance in the umpires’s hands less than Moncada has on the other side of town.

Heading into spring training, Michael Busch is slated to be the Cubs' primary first baseman.

Busch hit .323 with a 1.049 OPS, 27 home runs, and 87 RBIs in 98 games in Triple-A last season. He also logged 81 plate appearances for the Dodgers, hitting just .167 while striking out at a 33.3% clip.

Fangraphs has Busch’s ZiPS looking like this for the Cubs in 2024:

.243/.326/.453
110 OPS+
24 HR, 88 RBI
2.5 fWAR

Not too shabby. Especially considering the Cubs can still land Cody Bellinger, as was the initial plan for this position, and Bellinger presents them with more positional flexibility.

Yency Almonte's addition to the Cubs' roster addresses a critical need for bullpen depth. The Cubs bullpen was taxed by the time September rolled around last fall, so that additional arm will help.

Almonte owns a 4.51 lifetime ERA in six seasons with the Rockies and Dodgers. Almonte struggled last season in Los Angeles, posting a 5.06 ERA in 49 appearances, but turned in an excellent 2022 campaign with the Dodgers that featured a 1.02 ERA in 33 appearances and an 8.41 K/9 ratio.

Reader Question

“It seems like many Chicago front offices are focusing on a slow, methodical rebuild while preaching continuity and patience. Davidson and the Blackhawks have been transparent about this, the Bears keeping Eberflus broadcasts this, the Bulls and their lack of moves reeks of it, and the Cubs not being overly aggressive (except for Counsell) indicates they are being patient. At this point, which franchise's process do you trust most with building a consistent winner, and why?” — Brendan B.