Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch had a remarkable 2025 season against the rival St. Louis Cardinals, setting multiple records in just 12 games. His offensive output included nine home runs and a .438 batting average, contributing to key victories for the Cubs. Busch's feats added a new chapter to the long-standing Cubs-Cardinals rivalry.
The Cubs-Cardinals rivalry, dating back to the 19th century, has seen iconic moments like Hack Wilson's fan altercation in 1928 and the 1998 home run chase between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. In 2025, Michael Busch etched his name into this history with an extraordinary performance against St. Louis.
Over 12 games and 52 plate appearances, Busch batted .438 with a .481 on-base percentage, 1.146 slugging percentage, and 1.627 OPS. He recorded nine home runs, five doubles, one triple, 17 RBIs, 16 runs scored, and 55 total bases. Busch reflected on the rivalry's appeal, saying in September, “Anytime you can do it against anybody [it’s cool], honestly. But from a fan base perspective, being able to do it against your rival makes it a little sweeter.”
A highlight came on July 4 at Wrigley Field, where Busch hit three home runs in an 11-3 Cubs win, part of a team-record eight homers that day. He tallied four hits, five RBIs, and 13 total bases, marking the third such three-homer game in Cubs history against the Cardinals—all on Independence Day, joining Moises Alou (2003) and Hank Leiber (1939).
Later, on September 27, Busch nearly hit for the cycle in a 7-3 victory, with four hits including a double, triple, and two home runs for another 13 total bases. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol intentionally walked him in the eighth, drawing boos from the Wrigley crowd. Teammate Dansby Swanson joked afterward, “I guess I’d be a little bit sick of watching him hit a lot of homers and all that kind of stuff, too.”
Busch's stats set Cubs and MLB records against the Cardinals (minimum 50 plate appearances), surpassing Rogers Hornsby's 1929 marks in slugging and OPS. His .438 average ranks third in Cubs history behind Hornsby (.506) and Lenny Randle (.469 in 1980). He tied the Cubs record for nine home runs against St. Louis, achieved in fewer games than Ernie Banks (1955) or Wilson (1929). Notably, Busch became the first player with his surname to homer in Busch Stadium.
These achievements position Busch's 2025 season as one of the greatest single-year offensive outbursts against the Cardinals, rivaling Sandberg's 1984 heroics.
