PITTSBURGH – Seiya Suzuki recognized the two-strike changeup early and sat back, driving it the other way for an RBI double.
“Just wanted to make sure I didn’t strike out in that situation,” Suzuki said through interpreter Toy Matsushita after the Cubs’ 10-1 win against the Pirates on Sunday. “It was a changeup that kind of hung. I’m glad I was able to get some good barrel on it.”
Three weeks ago, making sure he didn’t strike out might have resulted in an awkward half swing. But Suzuki has been on a roll since temporarily moving into a platoon in early August. Since being out of the starting lineup for four straight games against Braves and Mets right-handed pitchers, Suzuki is batting .390 with four home runs.
“I was able to think about the approach getting into the game, even things that are not affiliated with baseball, just trying to reset my feelings, my mental state,” Suzuki said of the time off. “And I think that’s why I’m doing pretty well right now.”
With his performances Saturday – recording two doubles and two walks in five plate appearances – he extended his hitting streak to 10 games, a new career record.
His surge has helped boost the middle of the order and give Cody Bellinger, the team’s best hitter this year, some protection. The Cubs are heading into a stretch of schedule that includes the other two top teams in the division, followed by two NL Wild Card contenders.
The Cubs entered Sunday tied with Atlanta for the most runs scored since the All-Star break (242). But they’ll need the middle of their lineup at its best to make up ground – or at least maintain it – over the next two weeks.
First up, they head back to Wrigley Field to face the Brewers, who are on an eight-game winning streak.
“Milwaukee may be one of the hottest teams in baseball right now,” manager David Ross said. “Maybe them the Diamondbacks, all the people that are either chasing us or we’re chasing. So, we’re looking forward to it.”
Ross has used the power of rest before to get his players back on track. It worked with Christopher Morel early in the year. Morel was on a seven-game hitless streak when Ross sat him for three games in early June. When Morel returned to the lineup, he recorded 11 hits in the next seven games.
“When you’re able to sit over here and watch the game, you’re like, ‘Oh, wow, this looks obvious from over here,’” Ross said. “The game slows down a little bit. You’re able to take yourself out of the competition and just really focus on slowing the game down and seeing what a pitcher may be doing to other hitters and watch the game in a different way.”
That change in perspective seemed to be exactly what Suzuki needed.
“I just feel really good,” Suzuki said. “I think I’m being very aggressive in the box, taking good swings. So I just want to make sure I continue this.”
Suzuki doubled again to lead off the eighth inning Sunday, this time turning on a changeup down the middle to hit a line drive into left field.
It was Suzuki’s time to show his prowess on the base paths. He tagged up and took third base on a long fly from Yan Gomes. Then, on Jeimer Candelario’s swinging bunt, Suzuki raced home.
“When he’s swinging it well offensively and has confidence, the rest of his game has been ticked up,” Ross said. “And I think that’s just playing free, having confidence in yourself, having some joy in your game and some fun out there.”