While his overall offensive numbers were around league average, Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki entered his four-hit outburst Tuesday night slashing .198/.268/.270 since June 1.
Lifting his second home run in his last 41 games, and driving in more runs (three) than he had for all of July up to that point, felt to Suzuki every bit the breakthrough that it looked like from the outside.
“I feel like I haven’t played up to my expectations yet,” Suzuki said Wednesday through an interpreter. “I can’t really say that I’m playing really bad. I’ve just been playing really inconsistent. But in regards to [Tuesday], I feel I was able to find that one thing that clicked for me.”
Suzuki said he made a litany of adjustments in his batting-cage work, but what stood out to him in Tuesday night’s surge was how well he felt he was seeing the ball. While giving deference to Suzuki’s track record, manager David Ross said he noticed dating back to last season that Suzuki’s pregame work was heavily dependent on the opposition, rather than a personal routine he completed every day.
Ahead of games against a starting pitcher with a riding four-seam fastball, Ross said Suzuki might focus on drills off a high batting tee to prepare for swinging at the top of the zone.
Before facing a pitcher with a two-seamer that bores inside, Suzuki would focus on keeping his swing inside the baseball and spraying drives to right-center field.
“There’s also a lot of value in coming in every day and having your routine that’s just for you,” Ross said. “He’s learning that being around Dansby [Swanson] and [Ian Happ] and some of these guys that come in every single day and do what they do best and form their plan of attack, rather than adjusting to who is on the mound. I think it creates the most consistency.”
How well the process worked out Tuesday gives Suzuki something to buy into moving forward.
“Whatever I feel during practice, if I can put that out when I get into the game and get those results, I feel really good and I’ll get more confidence,” Suzuki said via an interpreter. “Even in certain games where I got a couple hits and still wasn’t able to feel some satisfaction. But obviously I have some confidence now in what I’m trying to do.”
Infielders on the mend
Nick Madrigal was seen fielding grounders at third base, running the bases and taking batting practice as he ramps up activity. The infielder has been out the last two weeks with a right hamstring strain.
Less conspicuous was the work of Swanson, who the Cubs said increased his baseball activities Wednesday as he works back from a left heel bruise. Ross even said Swanson possibly could return during this weekend’s series against the Cardinals.
Draft class coming together
The Cubs announced the signings of 10 more members of their 2023 draft class. Third-round pick Josh Rivera, a shortstop from Florida, and fourth-round pick Will Sanders, a right-handed pitcher from South Carolina, head up 17 players who have signed out of the 20 selected.
Second-round pick Jaxon Wiggins, a right-handed pitcher from Arkansas, is the highest Cubs draft selection who has yet to sign.
