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

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

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.

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.