After being sidelined for over a month, Seiya Suzuki returned from his finger injury. Suzuki took little time to impact the game for the Cubs.
Suzuki’s first game back was a Fourth of July matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field.
In a tied game in the ninth inning, Suzuki cracked a pitch from superstar closer Josh Hader to deep left-center field. The hit took a wild bounce, causing Brewers’ outfielder Jonathan Davis to chase after the hit.
Suzuki, a quick baserunner, turned on the jets and stormed around all four bases, securing the inside-the-park home run, taking a 2-1 lead for the Cubs. The hit was the first inside-the-park home run for the Cubs since Aug. 7, 2017, when Javier Baez went all the way against the San Francisco Giants
Milwaukee made a comeback and won 5-2 in extra innings.
In the next game against the Brewers, the Cubs won 8-3, and Suzuki played incredibly.
Suzuki finished 2-5, scoring one run and totaling three RBIs. In the top of the fifth, Suzuki hit a two-run home run to left field.
Suzuki hit two home runs and four RBIs in two games since returning to the big leagues.
In his final three games back against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Suzuki went 3-12 with one RBI.
Suzuki has played an essential role in his first six games back from the injured list. He went 7-21 with five RBIs, two home runs, and one double.
Suzuki explains how it feels to return to the lineup:
“Obviously, my injury kind of prolonged my time out from this team,” Suzuki said. “I was very frustrated, so this game kind of meant a lot to me.”
Suzuki’s injury landed him on the IL for five weeks. Suzuki’s health and consistent bat are crucial for the franchise’s future. If he can stay healthy, the sky’s the limit for the outfielder.
