The Chicago Cubs had an interesting offseason. After missing the playoffs a season ago, no one really knew what direction the organization was heading. But with no clear cut favorite in the NL Central, it is possible that a couple of notable additions could put them in a position to win their division.
President Jed Hoyer finally took a big swing, acquiring outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros in a trade that has so far been a genius move: Tucker is hitting .324 this season with four home runs. But while adding Tucker has been huge for the Cubs, it was the move that Hoyer did not make this offseason that is flying under the radar.
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Chicago Cubs keeping Seyia Suzuki proving to be smart decision
If the Cubs had decided to reshape their future, 30-year-old outfielder Seiya Suzuki would have likely been one of the top trade pieces to ship off. In fact, there were rumors that Hoyer and the Cubs’ front office had weighed the options of trading Suzuki after the deal for Tucker — especially with Cody Bellinger still in the fold, Chicago's outfield was looking awfully crowded. But Hoyer eventually shipped Bellinger to New York and held on to Suzuki, despite his discomfort with being a full-time DH. Nine games into the season, Chicago is glad he did.
Suzuki has put up impressive power numbers over the last week, hitting four home runs and driving in 11. Those 11 RBI are good enough for second in all of the National League. Suzuki’s average is currently sitting at .275 but if he continues showcasing a great deal of power, he doesn’t have to hit .300 to give the Cubs the production they are looking for.
In arguably the weakest division in MLB, the Cubs will likely stay in contention for the postseason all year long and be buyers at the deadline. One can’t help but wonder if their offense would be rolling like it is if they had chosen to trade Suzuki this past offseason.
The Cubs started a series with the undefeated San Diego Padres on Friday afternoon and will look for Suzuki to continue producing runs at the top of their order. Between Tucker and Suzuki, a lot of weight is coming off Hoyer’s shoulders.