Seiya Suzuki homers and makes defensive gems to break out of slump, but Cubs' losing streak at home continues

A few hours before the Chicago Cubs faced the Athletics today, manager Craig Counsell had a conversation with the team's Japanese slugger Seiya Suzuki. His core message was that every game offers a chance to turn the page on everything that happened the day before. "I talked to Seiya about it today," Counsell said. "You have an opportunity to start fresh the next day—a chance to reset and perform well is right in front of you."

Suzuki then delivered a solid performance against the Athletics. In the Cubs' 5-4 extra-inning loss in the 10th inning, Suzuki hit his first home run in nearly a month and made two impressive defensive plays in right field. This all-around display showcased his full capabilities as a Cubs outfielder, making his struggles over the past few weeks all the more puzzling. However, Suzuki's efforts could not stop the Athletics from rallying against the Cubs' bullpen, nor could they halt Chicago's eight-game home losing streak. He watched from the on-deck circle as Alex Bregman's line drive to right field was caught, ending the game.

"We're not winning many games right now," Counsell said. "And we're not playing well enough to win a lot of games. You have to go out and earn it, and we haven't. It’s not a string of terrible luck. We just haven't earned the win, plain and simple."

Getting Suzuki back on track would undoubtedly help the lineup regain its rhythm. "Hopefully we're helping him find his groove," Counsell said.

In the second inning against Athletics left-hander Jeffrey Springs, Suzuki jumped on a 3-1 fastball. According to Statcast, the ball rocketed off his bat at 108.9 mph. Suzuki calmly completed his swing, swapped the bat to his right hand, and tossed it aside—clearly aware that the ball he just crushed had become a souvenir for fans in left-center field. Suzuki had been waiting weeks for a moment like this.

"It's been a while," Suzuki said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. "But I'm glad it happened today. Hopefully I can keep it going." In the third inning, Pete Crow-Armstrong also hit a two-run homer off Springs, giving the Cubs a 3-2 lead at the time. It was the first game this season where both Suzuki and Crow-Armstrong homered, compared to eight such games last season—including three in June.

Before Wednesday, Suzuki's previous home run came on May 8 in the fourth inning against the Rangers on the road. He had not homered at Wrigley Field since May 4 against the Reds. The blast off Springs ended a 92-plate-appearance home run drought for Suzuki, who hit 35 homers combined in the regular season and playoffs last year. Over his previous 22 games, Suzuki had batted just .167 with a .403 OPS, collecting only 14 hits in 89 plate appearances, just two of which were doubles. During that stretch, his batting average dropped from .304 (OPS .980) on May 8 to .239 (OPS .711) before Wednesday's game.

"I'm not worried about him," Cubs outfielder Ian Happ said. "Sometimes you face tough matchups, sometimes you hit a rough stretch for a few weeks. It happens to everyone. But I'm 100% confident that by the end of the season, his numbers will look very similar to what he's done over the past four years."

It wasn't a perfect night, as Suzuki failed to get a hit in his remaining three at-bats. That included an eighth-inning double-play grounder with a 100.9 mph exit velocity when the game was tied at 4-4.

On defense in the top of the second, Suzuki made a spectacular sliding catch on a sinking liner from Jeff McNeil, turning what would have been a hit into an out. In the eighth, he threw out Tyler Soderstrom, who tried to stretch a single into a double, helping the Cubs hold the inning to two runs. After years of below-average defensive metrics, Suzuki has accumulated three outs above average this season and two runs saved on defense entering Wednesday's game.

"I want my teammates to trust me," Suzuki said. "I know better than anyone that if you make mistakes on the field, you lose that trust. I'm glad to be able to separate hitting and defense to some extent, step onto the field and focus on defense, and do it well. Hopefully I can keep this up for the rest of the season."