The Chicago Cubs corner outfielders were improved for the foreseeable future. They signed Japanese right fielder Seiya Suzuki before the 2022 season and extended All-Star left fielder Ian Happ at the beginning of this season. Both players have been put in solid performances this season. However, they need to step it up more than that if they want to gain momentum in the wide-open NL Central. Both must be able to maintain success in their areas of strength and improve mightily in other facets of their respective game. If they can do so, that should provide a more significant impact for the Cubs. A team that will be without one of their best players in Dansby Swanson.
Here’s how the Cubs corner outfield should improve for the remainder of the season. The potential is there, but they really need to maximize it more.
Cubs Corner Outfielders: Improvements
How Can Suzuki and Happ Improve to Bolster the Cubs’ Offense?
Suzuki’s Consistency
Suzuki has shined in some games at the plate, showcasing his incredible ability to hit all fields and also hitting for power. He has also demonstrated an otherworldly high baseball IQ, as he sports one of the lowest chase rates in all of baseball in 2023, which places him in the top five percent in the major leagues, according to Baseball Savant. Suzuki’s main issue, however, is being able to maintain this quality of contact. He looked one of the best baseball players in May, posting a slash line of .319/.417/.560.
From May Flowers to June Dissary
In the next month, he looked like a completely different player, slashing a mere .177/.247/.228 and striking out 22 times in only 89 plate appearances. Suzuki needs to find a way to even out these spikes in excellent and poor production to be a more reliable piece for this Cubs team that often needs players who can hit with runners in scoring position.
Ian Happ: Hitting for Power
Ian Happ has been among the few reliable pieces for the Cubs over the last two seasons. His reliability at the plate and on the field is why the Cubs signed him to a three-year extension. He reaches base consistently because he has walked 63 times in 2023, second in the entire significant leagues behind Juan Soto.
While this ability to reach base is essential, his ability to produce runs has suffered dramatically. His slugging percentage is down 65 points from his career average, and he only has seven home runs. On a team that lacks superstars, Happ will need to step up and produce more runs by tapping into the raw power that the Cubs saw in him that led to them drafting him in the first round. He does not need to completely revert his approach to that it was early in his career when he sold out for the long ball, which caused him to strike out over 30 percent of the time, but he needs to get at least more extra base hits on this team that severely lacks power.
Photo Credit: © Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
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