This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian's Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
CHICAGO -- The home run that Seiya Suzuki launched in Cincinnati on Sunday was jaw-dropping, even by the standards of a slugger who has earned a reputation for making extremely hard contact in his time with the Cubs.
“He killed it,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said.
The obliterated pitch in question was a 97.2 mph sinker from Reds reliever Luis Mey that tailed inside and found the barrel of the red-hot Suzuki. Chicago’s designated hitter pulled it to left with an exit velocity of 116.2 mph, marking the hardest-hit homer by a Cubs hitter since Kyle Schwarber belted one at 117.1 mph on April 24, 2018.
Not only was the home run a Statcast spectacle, but it was a three-run shot that put the Cubs ahead in the eighth to complete an 11-8 comeback victory. It was an exclamation point amid an overwhelming offensive stretch for Suzuki, who was named the National League’s Player of the Week on Tuesday.
“His ability to hit and to continue to develop hitting premium velocity has been really important,” Hoyer said. “I just see a guy that’s more aggressive both in demeanor and also in counts. He was a little bit more passive at the plate before. He’s got guys on base and he’s looking to do damage, and he has.”
After receiving the second weekly honor of his career, Suzuki then delivered an RBI single on Tuesday to become the first player to reach 50 RBIs this season in the Majors. He kept his foot on the gas on Wednesday, crushing a pitch 111.7 mph to the wall in left-center at Wrigley Field for an RBI double.
That is just how things have been going of late for the Cubs’ No. 3 hitter.
“I don’t know if I can say it’s the best [stretch of my career],” Suzuki said via his interpreter, Edwin Stanberry. “But I feel like I’ve been doing really well. Obviously, I’m going to have moments where the performance isn’t as good, and I’ll talk to the coaches and see what adjustments I need to make. But I’m happy with how it’s gone so far.”
The NL Central-leading Cubs -- featuring one of the best offenses in the game this season -- have certainly been thrilled.
During his standout week, Suzuki slashed .480/.552/1.000 with three homers, four doubles, four walks, nine runs scored and 10 RBIs for the North Siders. Through 52 games overall, he has hit .273/.333/.569 with 14 homers, 16 doubles and 51 RBIs, while spending most of his days batting behind star outfielder Kyle Tucker.
“He’s been right in the middle of everything. It’s important,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s hitting behind a really good hitter. And sometimes you could say it puts pressure on him. But other teams have to pitch to Kyle often, and that’s a good thing for us.
“[Suzuki] is doing everything required of that. And he’s carrying a big weight. He’s carrying a big load for us, for sure.”