The thriller ailment to Seiya Suzuki remained a secret Tuesday night time at Wrigley Field, although the Chicago Cubs proper fielder was again within the beginning lineup for the rain-delayed 11-3 rout of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“My body feels really good,” Suzuki mentioned by way of an interpreter. “These past couple days I’ve just been dreaming. … I’ve been having those dreams of getting bullied. But I feel like I’m back.”
That additionally seemed like an ideal rationalization for what has been ailing the Cubs, who returned from a 4-6 West Coast journey 9 video games underneath .500 after beginning the season 12-7.
Maybe all of it has been only a dangerous dream, and the Cubs immediately will get up towards the division-leading Pirates, whom they play 5 instances of their subsequent eight video games in home-and-away sequence.
The Cubs have been pushed round since their scorching begin, posting a .362 profitable share (17-30) and threatening to fall into sellers on the commerce deadline for the third straight season underneath President Jed Hoyer.
Can they punch again, or is that this group destined to hitch the lengthy listing of Cubs groups that teased followers with a pleasant begin solely to point out their true colours by the point the ivy bloomed?
Now is an effective time to seek out out. Taking 5 of six from the Pirates would put them proper again within the National League Central race, whereas dropping each sequence may put them right into a deep sleep and drive Hoyer to contemplate transferring gamers reminiscent of Marcus Stroman, Cody Bellinger, Drew Smyly and different veterans.
Only two months in the past Hoyer mentioned the Cubs had been “on the front edge of where we want to be.” If that is the entrance edge, one thing is improper.
“Our biggest thing, and I would think everyone would agree with this, is like, we have to continue building and finding our identity as a group because that’s going to pay us the biggest dividends,” shortstop Dansby Swanson informed me Tuesday.
“Playing our version of baseball every day, no matter who we’re playing, is what we need. We did that in San Fran. We played well the first two days there. Slowly but surely we’re finding our rhythm.”
The Cubs had performed 40% of their season already. Shouldn’t they’ve discovered their id by now?
“For sure,” he mentioned. “But when I say that it’s like continue to build on what winning baseball looks like and how we are cultivating that as a group, right? We’re slowly but surely starting to find that and understand roles and where guys are best suited. You’ve seen some of the differences in lineup changes and trying to get the right pieces in place because we’ve got a lot of really good players here.”
Manager David Ross used a set prime of the lineup for a lot of the first two months, with Nico Hoerner, Swanson, Ian Happ and Suzuki, respectively, as his Nos. 1-4 hitters. Journeyman Mike Tauchman was again within the leadoff spot Tuesday, whereas Hoerner dropped to second, Happ to the cleanup spot and Swanson again all the way down to the No. 5 gap.
Individually, Hoerner, Swanson, Suzuki and Happ have put up respectable numbers and been the least of Ross’ issues. But he needed to attempt one thing new, and Swanson mentioned he’s comfy batting anyplace.
“If it jump-starts us one way or another,” he mentioned.
Ross prompt this Pirates sequence was no completely different from some other, repeating his mantra from the final, oh, three years.
“We need to play our best brand of baseball,” he mentioned, including “not one game is more important to me than the next.”
Confirmed.
There was some excellent news to report Tuesday. Justin Steele, second to Stroman amongst National League ERA leaders, may return from the injured listing through the weekend sequence towards the Baltimore Orioles. And Bellinger, out since May 16 with a bruised left knee, was scheduled to start his rehab stint Tuesday night time at Triple-A Iowa, enjoying first base. While Bellinger’s Gold Glove-caliber protection in middle was one of many causes for the great begin, Ross sounded as if he’s OK with leaving Tauchman in middle and sticking Bellinger at first when he’s able to return.
“Tauchman is swinging the bat really well and held down center field well,” Ross mentioned. “Just trying to find the best lineup whenever Belli gets back. He’s pretty darn good at first base and has been. Having another option over the makes sense. … First-base production hasn’t been one of our strengths this year. Got to get somebody going over there.”
That means Matt Mervis, the extremely touted prospect hitting .170 since his mid-May call-up, is likely to be enjoying on borrowed time. Cubs first basemen — particularly Mervis, Trey Mancini and the lately launched Eric Hosmer — entered Tuesday ranked third worst amongst major-league groups with a mixed .329 slugging share.
Except for a quick surge from Frank Schwindel within the closing two months of 2021, the place has been a black gap because the Cubs dealt Anthony Rizzo to the New York Yankees two years in the past. Ross known as Mervis a younger participant “trying to find his way in the major leagues,” including “the bats have been fine.”
In different strikes Tuesday, the Cubs recalled Iowa infielder Miles Mastrobuoni, who hit .169 in his earlier two stints, and chosen the contract of Iowa left-hander Anthony Kay. Brandon Hughes was positioned on the 15-day IL with left knee irritation, and Jeremiah Estrada was optioned to Iowa. Nick Burdi, on the 15-day IL with appendicitis, was transferred to the 60-day IL to make room for Kay on the 40-man roster.
A lingering rainstorm prevented the Cubs-Pirates sport from beginning on time and delayed Suzuki’s return from no matter imprecise aliment stored him on the bench in San Francisco.
“I’m hoping I can get some good dreams in tonight,” Suzuki mentioned.
After watching the nightmarish stretch of baseball since late April, Cubs followers may relate.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com