Cubs’ depth prevails whereas Seiya works to rejoin lineup

NEW YORK — With his Cubs hat flipped round backwards, Seiya Suzuki went by means of his pregame batting observe at Citi Field on Tuesday afternoon. Based on the road drives and homers launched, onlookers wouldn’t guess this was a slugger mired in a persistent, punishing stoop.

“I don’t feel bad at all during practice,” Suzuki stated through his interpreter, Toy Matsushita. “But when I get into the game, I guess I get too eager to get those results. And so, to get those results, I feel like I need to relax a little bit more.”

Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Mets marked Suzuki’s fourth consecutive recreation on the bench, providing the outfielder a psychological break to work on his swing and strategy behind the scenes. At the identical time, Cubs supervisor David Ross has been sticking with a bunch of hitters who’ve helped the lineup function as one in every of baseball’s finest models over the previous few weeks.

Ross famous that Suzuki can be again within the lineup for Wednesday’s finale in opposition to the Mets.

The arrival of Jeimer Candelario on the Trade Deadline gave Chicago a strategy to give Suzuki this runway again to the lineup. Candelario took over full-time duties at first base, permitting Cody Bellinger to stay to heart area. Mike Tauchman — who was enjoying heart on days Bellinger acquired the nod at first — has shifted to proper area for now.

“I’m not in the best condition right now,” Suzuki stated. “All the guys that are out there are the guys that are getting results. That’s just part of the game. So that’s where I’ve got to step up and make sure I can get my spot back.”

To that finish, righty Jameson Taillon’s stellar seven-inning outing was backed by homers from each Bellinger (solo blast within the fourth) and Tauchman (go-ahead solo shot within the eighth). Candelario additionally chipped in a pair of hits for a Cubs offense that has led the National League in runs (169) because the All-Star break. Chicago has gone 17-8 in that stretch.

The aspect advantage of this nice stretch for the Cubs’ lineup as a complete has been giving hitting coach Dustin Kelly and the group’s hitting group time to dedicate to cage work and conversations with Suzuki. Ross stated the progress made on that entrance will affect the timing of Suzuki’s common return to the lineup.

“He knows he’s a much better player than what the scoreboard numbers say,” Kelly stated. “The depth of our lineup helps everybody. It’s going to help Seiya that Tauchman’s playing really, really good. It gives him a chance to take a breather.”

Suzuki acquired off to a robust begin this season, delivering a .293/.385/.487 slash line over his first 42 video games throughout the primary two months. Over June and July, that manufacturing cratered to a .212/.282/.296 displaying, resulting in the choice to take away him from the beginning lineup for a interval.

One obvious concern has been Suzuki’s manufacturing in opposition to fastballs. Here is a month-by-month have a look at his slugging proportion (and anticipated slugging) in opposition to heaters of all varieties:

April: .533 SLG (.492 xSLG)
May: .490 SLG (.406 xSLG)
June: .227 SLG (.384 xSLG)
July: .288 SLG (.389 xSLG)
August: .167 SLG (.175 xSLG)

“He cares intensely about his craft. He’s a guy that works tirelessly,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner stated. “He’ll end up hopefully looking back on this time just as something that he learns from, and I expect him to be a big part of our rest of our season and an impact guy.”

Ross has described Suzuki as being caught “in between” together with his swing these days, which is an indication of a hitter battling timing and choosing the mistaken pitches to assault. Kelly stated the hitting group has been specializing in getting Suzuki to concentrate on fastballs first, then reacting to different choices.

“When you start guessing wrong, then you’re lost. You’re kind of in no-man’s land of what pitch is coming,” Kelly defined. “So we’re just trying to get back to the basics of, ‘You do really, really well on this in this part of the zone. So that’s where you’re going to hunt. That’s where your damage is.’”

Asked if he has realized something about himself throughout this robust stretch, Suzuki contemplated his reply earlier than replying: “When you think about too many things, it’s not going to be good for you.”

Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson stated that’s an all-too-familiar drawback that each hitter encounters at totally different factors.

“It’s so easy to overthink in this game,” Swanson stated. “It’s so humorous, as a result of on this recreation, man, whenever you’re going good, persons are like, ‘What’re you fascinated about?’ You’re like, ‘Nothing. I’m simply enjoying. Just having enjoyable.’ I’m convicted to a plan and I simply persist with it and if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. But at the least I went down with what I wished to do.

“I think the biggest thing is learning how to give yourself grace for not being perfect. That can be hard.”