Chicago Cubs DH wins acclaim as best in NL Central

The Chicago Cubs had been facing a bit of a dilemma with Seiya Suzuki as they worked their way through this offseason.

The 30-year-old former standout with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan and, arguably, Chicago’s most consistent hitter over the last three seasons, was extremely unhappy with his new role as the team’s full-time designated hitter.

From Disharmony to Acceptance

After being displaced by Cody Bellinger in right field last season, Suzuki would be displaced again when the Cubs acquired Houston Astros all-star right fielder Kyle Tucker.

The tension got so real that the team was reportedly pursuing a trade for Suzuki, even asking the right-handed bat for a list of teams he’d be willing to exclude from the “no trade” clause in his contract.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell, however, has insisted that the heat is over and Suzuki has accepted the realities of his role with the team.

“Seiya’s gonna DH a lot,” Counsell said in a panel discussion at the Cubs Convention. “That’s what’s gonna happen…But we’ve talked to Seiya this week about that and he understands that and he’s on board with that…He wants to play the field but he understands that right now, this is where the team kinda sits.”

Moving Forward At DH

So, with that apparently out of the way, Suzuki can focus purely on hitting– something which many feel will allow him to reach even greater heights in 2025.

Pat Manser of Cubbies Crib already regards the Japanese star as the best DH in the NL Central division.

Per Manser:

“It seems like it’s been difficult for folks around Major League Baseball and even Cubs fans (myself included) to grasp that Suzuki is an All-Star level player but he definitively is. Suzuki finished 7th in the NL in OPS last year, just under Freddie Freeman and Kyle Schwarber and right above Francisco Lindor (who was a legitimate MVP candidate). The Japanese slugger is an elite combination of slugging and on-base skills, with a Statcast report filled with percentiles that reflect that. It’s tough to see him making an All-Star team with Ohtani in the NL, but I can see Suzuki getting a healthy dose of mid-ballot MVP votes with improved park factors at Wrigley and a healthy season.

Despite the alleged consternation from his agent about being a full time DH, he definitely belongs out of the field- the defensive metrics and eye test align in saying Suzuki is a decidedly sub-par fielder. The disastrous gaffe against the Cardinals in 2023 stands out, but he has had plenty of other conspicuous misplays as well and has played his way out of a full-time role in the field. Regardless, having Suzuki as your second-best hitter should be recognized as an enviable spot for any team (maybe besides the Dodgers) to be in.”

A Chicago Cubs Top Asset

Suzuki has been the Cubs’ most reliable hitter since joining the team in 2022, finishing last season with a solid .283 batting average and a career-best 21 home runs. Over the past three years, he’s proven himself to be one of the club’s steadiest offensive forces, hitting .278 with 55 home runs and 193 RBIs overall.

According to Fangraphs, his offensive numbers have seen a slight uptick as a designated hitter, batting .298 in that role during the 2024 season compared to .266 when stationed in right field.

With an outfield full of Gold Glove-quality defensive assets, Suzuki’s best spot IS at DH. If he truly embraces the role, 2025 should be a fun year for him and the team in general.

Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-dh-suzuki-nl-central?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicago-cubs-dh-suzuki-nl-central