The Chicago Cubs have raced out to a 10-6 record in the surprisingly competitive National League Central division to start the 2024 campaign, and they opened their series with a hard-fought 3-2 victory in 11 innings over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night. If it weren't for Michael Busch's latest home run, though, the game wouldn't have made it to extra innings in the first place.
Busch made his 27-game MLB debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023, but he wasn't particularly effective, and he ended up getting traded to the Cubs over the offseason. He's made quite an impact for his new team early on at first base, with his latest home run in the win over Arizona being the fifth-straight game in which he hit a ball out of the park, tying a Cubs franchise record in the process.
Michael Busch homers AGAIN š¤Æ
That's FIVE home runs in five straight games!#YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/O8GCayKVSc
ā Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 16, 2024
Michael Busch could find himself standing alone in Cubs history
Busch's numbers through the first 16 games of the season have been strong (.327 BA, 6 HR, 12 RBI, 1.141 OPS), but he's really been on a tear over the past five games (.471 BA, 5 HR, 7 RBI, 1.983 OPS). This sort of production is obviously not sustainable, but it's been a welcome sight from a guy the Cubs likely weren't expecting much from this year.
With this latest feat in the books, Busch has a chance to truly cement his place in franchise history on Tuesday night when the Cubs take on the Diamondbacks in the second game of their series. If he manages to hit a home run in his sixth straight game, it would officially result in him holding the franchise record to himself, which would be a wild accomplishment for him.
After hitting his fifth-straight dinger on Monday, Busch joined an exclusive club of players who have homered in five straight games throughout the Cubs storied history. Fellow teammate Christopher Morel achieved this feat just last season, with the other three guys who have managed to pull this off being legendary sluggers Sammy Sosa, Ryne Sandberg, and Hack Wilson. That's some prestigious company to say the least.
It'd be a bit strange to see Busch be the guy to separate himself from that group, but he has a great shot to do just that on Tuesday night. And while hitting a home run is obviously easier said than done, given the tear he's been on as of late, it may not exactly be a wise move to bet against Busch making history by putting his name above the other four players on this list.
Of course, as long as Chicago goes out and wins games, everyone will be perfectly content, but you can bet that Busch will be looking to capitalize on his hot streak and make some history in the process. Everyone will be tuning in to see whether or not he can accomplish it, and if he can, it would certainly be a massive accomplishment given how the past few months have played out for him.
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