Seiya Suzuki stepped into the batter’s box Friday at Sloan Park for his first swings with the Chicago Cubs and made it look effortless.
Hours after the star Japanese outfielder was officially introduced, Suzuki joined his new teammates for workouts. Sure, it was only batting practice. But it was impossible to ignore how the ball jumped off Suzuki’s bat, flying to all parts of the field. By the time Suzuki finished BP, at least 10 baseballs had landed over the fence. The raw talent, smooth swing and easy power is obvious, even within the simplicity of batting practice.
The Cubs signed Suzuki to a five-year, $85 million contract, banking on his short- and long-term fit. With an already compressed spring schedule, the Cubs expect it will take about a week to get a sense of Suzuki’s readiness for the start of the season. But the organization didn’t pursue Suzuki for an April 7 opening-day win.
