Michael Busch's first Cubs home run could not have been more perfect

Michael Busch got sweet, sweet revenge on Friday afternoon.

The Chicago Cubs acquired Busch from the Los Angeles Dodgers in an offseason trade. The Dodgers' No. 2 prospect at the time of the trade, Busch was buried behind Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy on the depth chart. Then, he was dealt to Chicago, and the rest is history.

Or, perhaps more accurately, history is still unfolding right before our eyes.

Busch was tabbed as the Cubs' starting first baseman in spring training. He appeared in 27 games with the Dodgers last season, slashing .167/.247/.292 with two home runs and seven RBI across 72 AB. Ahead of Friday's game for Chicago, the 26-year-old registered 20 plate appearances and 16 at-bats and appeared in all six games to open the 2024 campaign.

Not only has Busch been promoted, but he's carrying his weight at the plate. He entered Friday's game with a .313/.400/.313 line. It's early, sure, but Busch is considered a top prospect for a reason. He's about to age out of the "prospect" label for good, especially if this swing against Dodgers right-hander Dinelson Limet is any indication.

Cubs' Michael Busch cracks first HR of season against Dodgers

The towering solo shot to right field increased the Cubs' lead to 6-2 at the bottom of the third. It was Busch's first home run in a Chicago uniform, and frankly, it couldn't have happened under more ideal circumstances.

First, he did it at Wrigley Field, to a loud round of cheers from the Cubs faithful. It was a day game, with the ball soaring just over the (still very brown because of winter) ivy in classic Chicago fashion. More perfect still, the ball bounced back into the field. Not only was it an impressive swing of the bat, but now Busch doesn't need to negotiate with a fan to retrieve his his home run ball. That's a free memento.

Of course, the real "hell yeah!" stems from his opponent. Busch surely found a bit of extra motivation for Friday's game, having once been thought of as the future of Dodgers baseball. Los Angeles traded him for a couple of prospects. They said, "no thanks." Now, he's helping the Cubs (potentially) topple the MLB's highest payroll.

One swing doesn't make a trade, but Busch has delivered on the hype for Chicago so far. He looks the part of an everyday first baseman who can pummel righties at the plate. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are probably just fine. We still have to believe Busch got some extra pleasure out of hitting a moonshot against his former club, though.