Michael Busch wasn’t shy about where he stands on Cubs ace Shota Imanaga. After Imanaga tossed seven shutout innings in a 6-0 win over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday night, the slugging first baseman summed it up: “He’s one of the best pitchers in the world.” And frankly, it’s getting hard to argue with that.
Fly the W 🙌@Ken_Rosenthal spoke with Michael Busch after the Cubs shutout win against the Red Sox at Wrigley ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/sd2BlHBjYz
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 20, 2025
Imanaga has been nothing short of elite since returning from a hamstring injury in late June. In five starts since being activated from the IL, he’s gone 4-1 with a sparkling 1.78 ERA. Against two of the most iconic franchises in baseball — the Yankees and the Red Sox — the left-hander gave up just one run over 14 combined innings, with 11 strikeouts and only two walks.
On Saturday, the Red Sox had no answers. Imanaga scattered seven hits but didn’t allow a run, keeping Boston hitters off-balance with precision and poise. His performance helped Chicago (59-39) leapfrog Detroit for the best record in baseball.
“It’s mentally tough when that first pitch gets hit — especially for a double,” Imanaga said, reflecting on Rob Refsnyder’s leadoff knock. “At that moment, I thought that it’s OK if I gave up a run. It’s more important to stack up outs.”
Cubs win the series over Red Sox, will go for the sweep on Sunday
Stack them up he did. Imanaga struck out Romy Gonzalez and Roman Anthony to end the first, then kept cruising from there. Cubs manager Craig Counsell praised the 31-year-old's ability to lock in, saying, “That’s the nature of pitching. You get locked in for 90 pitches, and the next start doesn’t promise you anything. Shota is just so good at getting people out.”
Behind Imanaga’s brilliance, the Cubs offense gave plenty of support — and Busch got things started early. Batting leadoff for the third straight game, the 27-year-old took the first pitch he saw, a 96.3 mph sinker from Brayan Bello, and deposited it into the left-field bleachers for his 20th homer of the season.
“I’ve done a little [leadoff hitting] in college and the minors,” Busch said. “It’s a little different, but it’s kind of like leading off an inning. You just try to have your at-bat.”
The Cubs followed his lead. Kyle Tucker went yard four pitches later, and Matt Shaw, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Ian Happ added solo shots to complete the five-homer night. The Cubs are now 31-9 in games where they hit at least two homers, and they’ve gone back-to-back 12 times this season.
Busch’s breakout campaign continues to fuel Chicago’s rise. After a solid rookie season in 2024, he’s now batting .289 with a .374 OBP, .926 OPS, 20 home runs, and 60 RBIs — ranking among the top offensive producers on the roster.
“He’s just become a complete hitter,” Counsell said. “He’s dangerous. He’s got good plate discipline and power. That’s a pretty darn good combo.”
The Cubs made a lineup tweak heading into the All-Star break, using Busch in the leadoff spot against righties and Nico Hoerner against lefties. That shift also moved Ian Happ down in the order — a move Counsell said he hopes will spark Happ offensively. The three-time Gold Glove winner came into Saturday batting just .129 with 17 strikeouts since June 26 but launched a solo homer in the eighth to help pad the lead.
“Happ’s an important part of this offense,” Counsell said. “I think he’s going to have a big last two and a half months.” With elite pitching, timely power, and a quietly dangerous lineup, the Cubs aren’t just winning — they’re proving they’re built for October.
