Seiya Suzuki returned to the lineup for the Cubs’ 3-0 victory Saturday against the Reds and picked up right where he left off, going 2-for-2 with two walks. A sprained right ankle had sidelined him for two games.
Suzuki (.283, 21 home runs, 73 RBI) essentially has replicated his production from 2023 in a season in which offense is down MLB-wide. And, again, he’s finishing on an especially high note. He entered Saturday hitting .330 with a .976 OPS in the last five weeks, putting him in the top 10 among qualified hitters in both categories.
Manager Craig Counsell praised Suzuki for his all-around offensive season and lamented the oblique strain that sidelined him for 3½ weeks in April and May.
“I think Seiya was going to have a monster season, a really big season,” Counsell said. “And on the way back in, it cost him some consistency. He was really locked in, and I think we would have seen even a little bit more there.”
Since mid-August, Suzuki primarily has been serving as the designated hitter. That can be a tough transition for some hitters, unused to filling that much time between at-bats. But Suzuki developed a successful routine — stationary bike, medicine ball, jumping rope, sprints in the hallway.
“I want to get that same feeling as when I’m playing right and then going into the box while I’m DHing,” he said. “So just getting creative with stuff I’m doing between at-bats. . . . I might be more tired than playing the outfield.”
Imanaga gets Sunday off
Left-hander Shota Imanaga will not start for the Cubs on Sunday, Counsell said, closing the book on an impressive rookie season. Rookie right-hander Caleb Kilian will take the mound instead.
Imanaga had a 2.91 ERA in his first season stateside, making a smooth transition from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball to the majors. Among qualified National League pitchers entering Saturday, he was third in ERA and second in walks per nine innings (1.45).
Whether Imanaga, who already had made 29 starts and pitched 173⅓ innings, would start the season finale remained up in the air for the last week. So he prepared as if he was going to pitch. Then right-hander Jameson Taillon pitched seven scoreless innings Friday against the Reds, giving most of the bullpen a day off.
“We really feel like we’ve covered the innings for the rest of the season, essentially,” Counsell said. “[Taillon’s] start was a big deal in that yesterday. And just the risk-reward benefit was not there.”
Prospect Smith at Wrigley
Third baseman Cam Smith, the Cubs’ 2024 first-round pick, visited Wrigley Field on Saturday.
“This is pomp and circumstance; it’s not going to help him play his first game,” Counsell said. “But he had a great [professional] debut, and I think that’s the most important thing. And for him to finish the season and reach Double-A, perform in Double-A, he’s got reason to be really excited and make the offseason really impactful and be eager for next spring.”
Smith climbed rapidly through three levels of the Cubs’ farm system — Single-A, High-A and Double-A — in less than two months.
“I like the aggressive decisions they made,” Smith said, admitting that even he was surprised by how quickly he rose. “It’s very encouraging. It just shows that they’re paying attention, and they’re watching you.”