One of the biggest signings the Chicago Cubs made in 2022 was signing outfielder Seiya Suzuki.
Suzuki comes from the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan.
He got off to a good start with the Cubs in his major league rookie season.
However, he’s been in a batting slump as of late with the team.
Does this mean he’s fizzled out already, or is he experiencing typical growing pains of adjusting to the majors?
Suzuki Was Seen As A Rookie Of The Year Candidate In April
When Suzuki got his first taste of playing in the majors, he made an impact.
During the month of April, he was the Player of the Week and he had a nine-game hitting streak.
Per the Cubs: Seiya Suzuki has the longest hitting streak to start an MLB career (nine games) witht he Cubs since Andy Pafko achieved the same feat in 1943.
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) April 19, 2022
With that hitting streak, the Player of the Week award, and everything else going right, he was on top.
It even had people buzzing about his potential as the Rookie of the Year for 2022.
Everything for him was trending in the right direction.
However, things have changed for him since his nine-game hitting streak.
The once dependable bat is now silent in Chicago.
Is Suzuki’s Last Six Games A Sign Of Trouble For Him?
Slumps happen in Major League Baseball all the time.
It’s exactly what Cubs fans are seeing with their outfielder currently.
However, with the hype around Suzuki, that slump is raising questions about his abilities at the plate.
On the latest Cubs Talk Podcast, @GDubCub and @tim_stebbins discuss Seiya Suzuki's recent slump at the plate, recap the White Sox series and look ahead to this weekend's matchup against the Dodgers.
Listen: https://t.co/zudhix6LO5
— Cubs Talk (@NBCSCubs) May 6, 2022
In his last six games, he’s 1-23 with one RBI, one walk, and eight strikeouts.
He can change those numbers with some work on his end.
However, that work comes with him needing to be a little less patient when batting.
While patience can help, it has hurt him as strikeouts pile up with Suzuki.
He’ll need to focus on making good contact, and not just look for the best pitch thrown.
But is there hope he can turn things around with the team facing the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend?
Suzuki Can Let A Dominate Dodgers Pitching Staff Mesmerize Him
Anyone that’s a great pitcher knows how to paint the corners.
With the Japanese star waiting for the perfect pitch to hit, they can easily trick him into taking a strikeout.
However, if he can show a little aggression while batting, he might break out of his slump.
But until he shows that aggression, pitchers will continue to mesmerize him with each plate appearance.
He’ll need to start swinging at balls near the strike zone, instead of letting them get by him.
His slump will continue without him changing his batting strategy.
Pitchers study their opponents, and they’ve figured out Suzuki, for the time being.
So he’ll need to work with Greg Brown, the team’s hitting coach, to find the right strategy for him against pitchers.
The season is still young, and there’s plenty of time for him to make his improvements.
However, the sooner he works on his hitting adjustments, the sooner he’ll be helping the Cubs win games again.
Until those important adjustments are made, things could continue downward for Suzuki in 2022.
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