Suzuki Provides Immediate Lift For Cubs In Big Series Win
Seiya Suzuki joined his Chicago Cubs teammates in Los Angeles for the key three-game weekend series against the Dodgers.
With Suzuki in the lineup, it gave a glimpse into the future of how good the Cubs can be.
Suzuki crushed a 406-foot home run in the opener and the Cubs went on to win two of three.
While Suzuki finished 2-for-13, his presence was evident.
The 28-year-old Suzuki is entering the second season under a five-year, $85 million contract. In 111 games in 2022, he slashed .262/.336/.433 with 14 home runs and 22 doubles.
Suzuki had been sidelined with a strained left oblique and he hit a home run for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs on Wednesday.
It may take Suzuki a little while to regain his stroke, but that mammoth home run was a heck of a start.
“It gives us that extra length and pushes everybody down one spot,” Ian Happ told reporters of Suzuki's return. “His at-bats are always really good and consistent. And for him to hit a homer tonight and start that way was really awesome. And really big for us.”
With Suzuki, Happ, Nico Hoerner and their $177 million shortstop in Dansby Swanson, among others, the Cubs boast plenty of offense.
The pitching staff was improved dramatically in the offseason with Jameson Taillon, Drew Smyly and Brad Boxberger.
The Cubs last won a World Series title in 2016.
Suzuki believes another championship is on the horizon.
"Our ultimate goal is to win the championship," Suzuki said via his interpreter, Toy Matsushita, on Friday. "And I think we have all the pieces to do that. I want to be a good piece in that plan and make sure we win a lot of games."
With a healthy Suzuki in the field and in the lineup, the Cubs will surely win a whole lot of games. How many depends on many factors. But this weekend series showed Cubs fans what they had been missing.
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