Seiya Suzuki was a person of few phrases late Saturday when requested if he ever had skilled something like enjoying within the unseasonably chilly situations at Wrigley Field.
“No, never have,” Suzuki stated by way of an interpreter.
Was he freezing on the market?
“It’s really cold,” the outfielder replied.
True sufficient, however naturally it’s anticipated to heat up this week whereas the Cubs are out of city.
It has been that sort of stretch for the Cubs, who scratched Marcus Stroman from Sunday evening’s begin towards the Los Angeles Dodgers and positioned him on the injured record for undisclosed causes, suggesting a COVID-19-related stint. Justin Steele was moved up from Monday’s begin, and Adrian Sampson was known as up from Triple-A Iowa.
Suzuki is getting a invaluable lesson on life as a Cub. When Chairman Tom Ricketts and President Jed Hoyer courted the Japanese star with a digital actuality presentation of what it could be prefer to play at Wrigley, they in all probability unnoticed the chilly, wet and windy days we had final week and most of April.
Suzuki received off to a sizzling begin and was named National League Rookie of the Month for April, however his first extended stoop has coincided with the Cubs’ current regression.
When the Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 21-0 with 23 hits on a summerlike day at Wrigley on April 23, all was nicely in Wrigleyville. In 12 video games since — together with Sunday’s 7-1 loss to the Dodgers — the Cubs have hit .178 and scored a mixed 22 runs whereas going 2-10 to fall 9 video games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers within the National League Central.
Suzuki is batting .128 (6 for 47) with no residence runs and two RBIs over that stretch with 17 strikeouts and solely three walks. He’s not the only real motive the Cubs have fallen into the abyss — the remainder of the lineup has been inconsistent, and Frank Schwindel was demoted to Iowa on Sunday after his poor begin. Cubs beginning pitchers, in the meantime, ranked twenty seventh coming into Sunday with a 5.30 ERA, making them culprits as nicely.
But the Cubs have made Suzuki the centerpiece of their new-look workforce, as his five-year, $85 million deal suggests.
“It’s a team sport, and even though individually you’re doing well, it doesn’t really help the team and you can’t get a win by yourself,” Suzuki stated. “It’s all about staying collectively as a workforce and that’s what we’ve been doing these previous couple weeks.
“I’m just getting unlucky and I think the most important thing is staying consistent and keep on working as a team.”
After the Cubs have been swept by the Dodgers in a doubleheader Saturday, strolling 9 batters within the nightcap, catcher Willson Contreras admitted “it’s really tough to even watch, to be honest.”
Sunday’s loss was their 14th in 17 video games and dropped them to 4-11 at residence.
“Losing sucks, I’ll tell you that,” Contreras stated. ”That’s all I can say.”
After Contreras hit a fifth-inning residence run in Game 2 of the doubleheader to drag the Cubs to inside two, he waved his arms wildly after crossing residence plate, seemingly exhorting the followers to get loud. But he stated afterward his gesture was geared toward his teammates, not followers.
“I’m trying to lift this team up,” he stated. “I’m making an attempt to do my greatest to cross my power to everyone. That’s simply me. I’m making an attempt to assist my workforce.
“I do know it’s been a extremely powerful stretch, however as I informed Nico (Hoerner) earlier, plenty of time we focus a lot on outcomes that we find yourself annoyed as a substitute of having fun with the second, having fun with simply enjoying baseball. Then the outcomes are going to occur.
“As a human, you fall into (a trap of) wanting the results right away. A lot of times, baseball doesn’t work that way.”
It gained’t get any simpler for the Cubs as they embark Monday on a six-game journey to San Diego and Arizona. The Padres are neck-and-neck with the first-place Dodgers within the NL West — the sport’s strongest division — and the rebuilding Diamondbacks have rebounded from a 6-11 begin to get again over .500 at 15-14.
Manager David Ross wanted Steele to indicate sturdiness after lasting three or fewer innings in his earlier three begins. He made it by way of 4 innings Sunday, permitting two runs on three hits, however exited earlier than the fifth with a sore left thumb.
Ross employed veteran Daniel Norris as an opener in Saturday’s nightcap and watched him implode with three straight walks earlier than yanking him after solely seven batters.
Keegan Thompson seems to be Ross’ greatest guess for becoming a member of the rotation down the highway, however Thompson nonetheless is studying on the job. He walked three in 2⅓ innings in reduction of Norris, forcing in a run, and gave up a three-run double to Mookie Betts. Thompson admitted he was “going too quick” and “the game got a little too fast” on him.
The Cubs have been sure to undergo some rising pains in 2022 after the sell-off of 2021, so followers should be affected person with Steele, Thompson, Suzuki, Hoerner and the opposite younger gamers who determine to nonetheless be round once they hope to show the nook on the rebuild. There’s little doubt it will likely be “tough to watch” at occasions, as Contreras stated.
But seeing how Ross and his workforce get previous this stretch will probably be fascinating to watch.
“Obviously we’re losing games and we’re not in a great situation right now, condition-wise,” Suzuki stated. “But it’s a long season and it’s part of the season, so we just want to get over it.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com