Chicago Cubs Season Report Card: Swanson, Suzuki |
We are almost finished with our Chicago Cubs season report card series as we cap off the position groups today. It is back to the outfield for part two of the outfield list, as one of these two players may not be here next season while the other eventually moved to full-time DH.
Both of these guys saw 95% of the games played in right field, and when healthy, they are the team's best hitters and arguably the best run producers. If you haven't guessed it by now, today is all about Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki as they are a massive part of the Cubs overall offensive success. Look no further than when either one of them is out of the lineup for an extended period of time. When that happens, the offense goes south, but when both of them are playing and producing at the level they expect, the Cubs' offense puts up numbers just as good as the Phillies, Dodgers, Padres, and Brewers. Both of these guys are important pieces to the Cubs' future, and should the Cubs lose one, if not both of them, they will have some serious work to do to gain that production back.
When the Cubs signed Bellinger to a one-year prove-it deal in 2023, they had no idea what to expect from the former NL MVP and Rookie of the Year. They got the best season since his MVP showing, as he led the Cubs with a .308 batting average, to go with 26 homers and 97 RBIs. That type of production made it an easy decision to bring him back as they agreed on a three-year 80 million dollar contract with an opt-out after the first two seasons. Season one of that deal was hit or miss when it came to overall production. Bellinger had another good season, but nowhere near the season he had in 2023. His average dipped 40 points to .266, while his power completely evaporated at times, as he finished with just 18 homers. He did manage to drive in 78 runs, which was second on the team, but the Cubs paid him to hit for power, and he didn't provide that this season. That brings into play the toughest question of the offseason for Bellinger: Will he opt into his deal, or will he not? If he does, the Cubs won't have much wiggle room regarding their free agent spending compared to opting out, which gives the Cubs more options. The problem with this season being a down year is that he won't get the same type of contract on the open market, which appears to be the reason why many feel he will opt back in. Season Grade B: From a production side of things, Bellinger did produce, even if it wasn't at the level he typically does. One of the biggest reasons for that is he has learned to be a better hitter with two strikes and has sacrificed the power for more contact and fewer strikeouts. As good as that is at times, Bellinger is being paid to hit for power, and the Cubs would gladly take more strikeouts for more power. That is the fine line that Bellinger is walking right now as the biggest decision of his career is looming.Cody Bellinger
Seiya Suzuki:
Three years into his five-year deal, Suzuki remains one of the biggest mysteries on this Cubs roster. Sure, when he is locked in, he is the Cubs' best hitter, and it isn't close as he can play at an MVP level for long stretches. However, there are also stretches where he looks completely lost at the plate, and thus, the consistency isn't quite there over a full 162-game season.
That has to be concerning for a lot of Cubs fans, as does Suzuki's injury history, as Suzuki has been hurt every year. At this point, Suzuki may never be the hitter the Cubs expected him to be, but given what he has shown so far, most fans feel like they know the type of hitter he is, which is a good to great hitter, just not elite.
You can live with that if your lineup has some star power in it, but when you have no bonafide Superstar, it makes things difficult if Suzuki is your most feared and trusted hitter. For the season, Suzuki hit .283, just shy of his .285 in 2023, while the 21 homers and 73 RBIs were a near carbon copy of his 20 homers and 74 RBI showing in 2023. That, at the very least, is consistent, but not good enough to carry a team.
Season Grade B: Like Bellinger, there is a lot of good that comes from Suzuki's bat, but also plenty of bad as the consistency over the course of an MLB season hasn't been there. Regardless, he has produced at a good enough level to be counted on in the middle of the lineup and there are times when he is hot enough to carry this team offensively.
The Cubs hope he can finally break out in 2025, as that would be a massive lift for this offense.
