Can Chicago Cubs' Star Outfielder Carry Success Into This Season?
Seiya Suzuki took the MLB by storm in the second half of last season and proved he could be a legitimate starter at the highest level. In the second half of the season, he posted a .938 OPS.
He played his second MLB season, both with the Chicago Cubs, in 2023. He played in 138 games and slashed .285/.357/.485 with 20 home runs and 31 doubles.
MLB.com's Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru asks if Suzuki can carry his success from the second half into 2024. Sepe-Chepuru acknowledges that his first half wasn't poor, but due to the injuries he dealt with, it made sense why he found his groove in the second half.
The question for Suzuki is if he can do this for an entire season.
A .938 OPS for an entire season would put him up there with some of the best hitters in the game. If he had posted that for a full season, he would've had a better OPS than Juan Soto, Yainer Diaz, Bryce Harper, Kyle Tucker, and many other stars.
His full season OPS of .842 ranked 22nd, ranking higher than Jose Ramirez, Adolis Garcia, and many others of the game's best.
As the Cubs' lineup currently stands, Suzuki will likely struggle a bit at times next season. There isn't much protection around him and given Cody Bellinger hasn't re-signed, it's uncertain if Chicago will get a deal done.
While not adding above-average hitters to this lineup isn't a guarantee to slow Suzuki down, it certainly doesn't help.
That's something to look for in 2024 if the Cubs enter the season as constructed.
