Why Cubs’ Michael Busch Was Robbed Of NL Silver Slugger Finalist Nomination

The National League Silver Slugger finalists were announced for the ‘25 season. The award is given to the best all-around offensive player at each position in the National League, and is based on stats like RBI, home runs, batting average, and more.

There are three players named at each position, voted on by coaches and managers across the league. A trio of Chicago Cubs were nominated, but there is one player who was left off, who arguably should not have been.

Kyle Tucker (outfield), Pete Crow-Armstrong (outfield), and Nico Hoerner (second base) were the team's finalists this year.

While the organization is over the moon to have three players nominated for this prestigious award, they should have one more — first baseman Michael Busch. The 27-year-old had by far the best season of his young career and ranks amongst the best at his position across the board.

The nominees for the National League at first base are Pete Alonso (New York Mets), Freddie Freeman (Los Angeles Dodgers), and Matt Olson (Atlanta Braves). There is no argument that Alonso should be on this list, as he will probably win the award, but Busch could have most certainly been in one of the other two spots.

Busch’s ‘2025 Season vs. Freeman and Olson

	Michael Busch	Freddie Freeman	Matt Olson
Total At-Bats	524	556	624
Runs	78	81	98
Hits	137	164	170
Doubles	25	39	41
Triples	5	2	2
Homeruns	34	24	29
RBI	90	90	95
Walks Drawn	56	60	91
Strikeouts	139	128	176
Batting Average	.261	.295	.272
On-Base Percentage	.343	.367	.366
Slugging Percentage	.523	.502	.484
OPS	.866	.869	.850

Looking at the first base candidates (minus Alonso) there is no clear one player that should have been chosen over the others, at first. Yes, Olson has more hits, more runs, and more doubles, but he had significantly more chances at the plate than the other two, especially Busch.

The Cubs first baseman had the fewest chances to swing a bat this year, but has more home runs, more triples, a comparable amount of RBI, and a better OPS than Olson. This was a fantastic year for him, and his contributions to the Cubs were astronomical.

Michael Busch — Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Busch had a great outing for his first trip to the playoffs, and even though postseason accolades don’t go into consideration for this honor, it is impossible to skip over his stats. He finished play in October with a 1.128 ERA and a .741 slugging percentage — both are second-best at any position (minimum 8 games).

Did Freeman get his nomination for simply being on the Dodgers? Who knows at this point, but Busch should have been included as a finalist. He contributed so much to a Cubs 90+ win season, and on a team full of sluggers, he was one of the best.

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