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The Chicago Cubs made an under-the-radar trade during the MLB offseason with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a trade that brought rookie first baseman Michael Busch to town.
While it wasn't known just how important that trade would end up being when it happened, it has ended up being a major steal looking back on it.
Busch has become a key player for the Cubs right off the bat to begin his Major League career. He is also projecting as the team's long-term starter at first base.
There is still a chance that Chicago could look into a major upgrade at first base. Pete Alonso is a name that they have been connected to for years and they've already been rumored as a potential landing spot for him looking ahead to the upcoming offseason.
However, it seems unlikely that the Cubs would spend huge money at first base with Busch already on the roster.
Bleacher Report recently offered some high praise for Busch. They have released their top 10 first baseman rankings for all of baseball. Busch was given the No. 7 spot in the rankings.
Ranking that high as a rookie is a very impressive feat for Busch.
During the 2024 MLB season thus far, the 26-year-old first baseman has played in 129 games. He has hit 16 home runs to go along with 52 RBI, while batting .253/.340/.435.
Putting up that kind of production as a rookie is more than impressive. He has become a serious threat at the plate each and every game.
Keeping in mind that he is just 26 years old, Busch has a ton of room to grow and develop his game as well. He hasn't come close to reaching his full potential just yet.
As Chicago looks to find a way back into World Series contention, Busch appears to be a piece that will be a key part of reaching that goal. If he can continue improving, he has a chance to rise up higher in the first base rankings as well.
All of that being said, the trade to acquire Busch has gone down as a major win for the Cubs. Jed Hoyer has received a lot of backlash for many of his decisions, but the trade for Busch is one that no one in Chicago could have an issue with.
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Orioles give concerning injury update on young star
BOSTON — After missing more than a month with a left oblique strain, there was some concerning news about the other side of Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman on Tuesday. Rutschman was a late scratch from the lineup on Tuesday night as the Orioles wrapped up a quick two-game series at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox. The 27-year-old catcher was originally slated to hit second for Baltimore, but he was replaced in the lineup after reporting right abdominal discomfort during pregame batting work. Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino gave Rutschman credit for reporting the injury and not trying to push through it. "There was some side soreness that popped up a little bit. I'm learning now, but it sounds like yesterday he had some general soreness in the opposite side that he injured earlier," Mansolino said. "He came in today and started his cage routine. Didn't feel good, so wisely stopped. We'll get him checked out tomorrow and see the severity of it." The Orioles have an off day on Wednesday before starting a series at Camden Yards against the Houston Astros. Rutschman did not play against the Red Sox on Monday, but Mansolino insisted that was "a planned off day." Rutschman caught all three games for the Orioles in Houston before the trip to Fenway, going 2-for-15 at the plate. "It was all by design," Mansolino said of the off day, trying to alleviate concerns about Rutschman being out of the lineup yet again. Rutschman's trip to the injured list with the left oblique strain was his first time on the IL in his four-year career. It's part of a season that has been disappointing for the former top overall draft pick as he is just 3-for-29 over his last seven games, lowering his slash line to .227/.310/.373 in 308 at-bats. He is also batting just .138 with runners in scoring position, the third-lowest average among all MLB hitters with a minimum of 50 at-bats. Rutschman's soreness comes at a time when the Orioles are also without infielder Jordan Westburg, who left Monday's game in the top of the first inning with a sore right ankle. "It's not been fun. The injury situation and the injury bug that we've had, it's been pretty wild," Mansolino said. "At some point, the baseball gods will take their foot off our necks in some way. "But, nonetheless, we still have a game to go play. I like the nine guys we got out there. They might not be some of the regular names that we've seen here over the years, but I like what's out there. I like what we have on the mound, and I feel like we have a chance to go play a good game." All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Shaquille O'Neal makes peace with longtime enemy — mostly
Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard patched things up Sunday after years of feuding. But even while describing their rapprochement, O'Neal couldn't keep from teasing his longtime nemesis. The "Big Aristotle" was at the BIG3 playoffs Sunday to watch Howard's L.A. Riot play the Chicago Triplets. In the middle of describing to Rachel Nichols how he and Howard had made peace, O'Neal broke off his explanation to make fun of Howard for missing a dunk. The two Hall of Fame centers had sparred for years, despite their common ground as former members of the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers. Some of the tension seemed to be due to Howard adopting O'Neal's "Superman" nickname, though O'Neal claimed to Nichols that he was simply being tough on Howard to motivate him. That explanation doesn't account for the time O'Neal mocked Howard for playing basketball in the Taiwanese league or the decade-plus he's spent roasting Howard on his podcast, in public appearances and on "Inside the NBA." Still, it appears that the two have made peace. Despite O'Neal being left off the original list of presenters, he insisted that he'll be among a group of Hall of Famers inducting Howard Sept. 6, including Dominique Wilkins, Robert Parish, Dennis Rodman and Patrick Ewing. It means that two of the most dominant big men of their eras have finally buried the hatchet. It's added a new level of interest to the Hall of Fame ceremonies, and it should be a sweet moment between O'Neal and Howard. As long as Howard doesn't mention Superman.
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Three-time NASCAR champion to retire after 2025 season
A storied NASCAR career will come to an end after 2025. Three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion and 15-time race winner Matt Crafton will retire following the Truck Series championship race at Phoenix Raceway, concluding a NASCAR career that has spanned 25 years. Crafton, 49, has spent the entirety of his NASCAR Truck Series career — save for 2004 — with ThorSport Racing. His partnership with Menards has made his No. 88 truck iconic. Following Friday's eero 250 at Richmond Raceway, Crafton has made a total of 585 Truck Series starts and 592 across the top-three series of NASCAR competition. His last Truck Series victory came at Kansas in July 2020. Crafton failed to qualify for the 2025 Truck Series playoffs and will not compete for a fourth title in his final season. 2025 marks the second consecutive year that Crafton has missed the postseason and the second time he's missed it since NASCAR instituted the playoffs in the Truck Series in 2016. Through 18 races in 2025, Crafton is 16th in the Truck Series standings with three top-10 finishes. Defending Truck Series champion and ThorSport driver Ty Majeski will take over the No. 88 in 2026.
Draymond Green Calls Out Alperen Sengun With Three-Worded Message
It's no secret that the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets aren't fans of each other. If that much wasn't evident before the 2025 NBA Playoffs, it's definitely evident now. Whether it's Dillon Brooks and Steph Curry or Draymond Green and Alperen Sengun, there are multiple players with animosity on both teams. When it comes to Sengun in particular, though, he really wasn't a fan of the officiating against Golden State. “The Warriors were probably the one team that would have given us the most trouble, and we drew them," Sengun said in a recent interview with Socrates Dergi. "They’re a very experienced team, and they fouled a lot. In the playoffs, they don’t call it. But they were the ones crying all series about fouls not being called." “When it comes to us, we’re not really allowed to complain. It’s more of an internal thing. Ime Udoka doesn’t allow it. He loses his mind if we complain," Sengun added. Draymond Green's Response to Sengun If anyone expected Draymond Green to stay quiet after Sengun's words, they'd immediately be wrong. When the Golden State Warriors star saw the quote on Threads, he gave a blunt three-word response. "Hold that L," Green said to Sengun It didn't stop there for Green, though. He doubled down on his statements toward Sengun, adding further insult to injury. "That's a tough thing to say after you lose," Green said. "You have to win to stuff like that." Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets Rivalry Throughout Steph Curry's tenure with the Golden State Warriors, they've absolutely decimated the Houston Rockets. Curry has defeated them three times in the playoffs and has a 28-17 record against them all-time. During the 2025 NBA Playoffs, it looked like the Warriors were about to blow a 3-1 lead against Houston before ultimately winning. However, it'll be much harder for the Warriors to replicate the same success against Houston there, especially with Kevin Durant on the team now.
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