Busch channels Rizzo with perfect dive over Wrigley tarp

CHICAGO – When Anthony Rizzo was back at Wrigley Field earlier this month with the Yankees, Cubs first baseman Michael Busch had a question for the four-time Gold Glove Award recipient. The rookie wanted to know if Rizzo had any insight or tips on how to handle popups near the rolled-up tarp.

“I think he just said, ‘Go for it,’” Busch said with a smile.

It was not exactly a detailed defensive breakdown of how to navigate the tarpaulin that rests along the right-field wall at Wrigley Field, but Busch still managed to apply that simple bit of advice. In the eighth inning of Friday’s 3-1 win over the Nationals, the young first baseman indeed went for it, pulling off one of the catches of the year for the Cubs.

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Cubs reliever Tyson Miller sent a 1-1 sweeper that tailed high and inside on lefty-hitting José Tena. The Nationals’ third baseman got his bat to the pitch, sending the ball arcing high over foul territory beyond the first-base line. Busch began his pursuit, drifting onto the warning track, where he tapped his glove on the tarp while eyeing the pop fly to check his positioning.

“The sun didn’t help,” Busch said. “But I think it was high enough over there to where I got over there early enough to kind of adjust around the tarp. The tarp’s given me a little trouble this year -- missed a few balls that I would’ve liked to have caught.”

What happened next?

“It was sick!” Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong declared from the locker next to Busch.

Busch leaned into the tarp and then lunged quickly into an all-out dive. The first baseman snared the ball just before crashing into the netting and landing atop the short brick wall. Second baseman Nico Hoerner ran over with his arms skyward and a big grin on his face.

When Busch rolled to his feet – the ball secured in his glove – the first baseman joked with Hoerner that he finally “conquered the tarp.”

In the dugout, Cubs manager Craig Counsell was jolted by the celebratory reaction of pitching coach Tommy Hottovy.

“It feels like that ball is always pushed into the stands on days like today,” Counsell said. “I thought it was a foul ball, honestly. And then Tommy, next to me, started yelling, so I knew he made a great catch.”

It was reminiscent of any number of plays Rizzo made around the tarp in his days with the Cubs.

In 2013, Rizzo made a similar diving grab and found himself wedged between the tarp and the side wall. In 2015, the first baseman hopped onto the tarp, stepped on top of the wall and then reached into the stands to rob Ryan Braun of another pitch. In ‘16, Rizzo sidestepped the tarp and again used the wall to make a grab.

Busch was asked if he thought about jumping up onto the tarp for his play.

“I jumped on the tarp early in the year,” Busch said. “I did think about it. I didn’t think I needed to, but yeah, if you can get over there early enough and jump on the tarp, I think it helps.”

The catch was another example in a line of defensive highlights in Busch’s first campaign as a full-time first baseman. Acquired from the Dodgers last offseason, Busch spent the bulk of his Minor League career at other infield spots. With Chicago, he has piled up eight Defensive Runs Saved and three Outs Above Average in a strong debut at the position.

“Defense is a big part of the game. It always has been,” Busch said. “I know a lot of people talk about hitting, but defense is just as important. You can take away a lot of outs.”