Cubs Right Fielder Gearing Up for Strongest Season Yet in 2026
31-year-old right fielder and designated hitter Seiya Suzuki is entering his fifth season in MLB, with all four prior seasons having been played with the Chicago Cubs. Before joining Major League Baseball, Suzuki spent eight years competing in Nippon Professional Baseball, the highest level of baseball in Japan. While playing in NPB, Suzuki earned various accolades with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, including All-Star selections, Golden Glove Awards, and batting titles. However, the outfielder has not exactly been a superstar during his tenure with the Cubs.
Throughout his four seasons in MLB, Suzuki has posted numbers that can mostly be described as average. He holds career marks of .269 in batting average, .346 in on-base percentage, and .472 in slugging percentage. He has also yet to receive any major MLB awards or All-Star selections. There is no doubt that Suzuki has been a solid, effective piece for the Cubs, but many Chicago fans are clamoring for the former Japanese league standout to make the leap to a bona fide franchise player. It seems that 2026, the final year of his contract with the Cubs, could be the opportunity many have been waiting for.
The 2025 season was Suzuki’s most consistent and healthiest yet, as he reached career highs in games played and at-bats. While his batting average declined from .283 in 2024 to .246 in 2025, he improved his production in nearly every other category, including an increase from 21 home runs to 32 and a jump from 73 RBIs to 103. There have been subtle season-to-season improvements throughout the 31-year-old’s career with the Cubs, and this season presents his best opportunity to take a legitimate step toward stardom. The Cubs appear closer to championship contention in 2026 than at any other point during Suzuki’s tenure with the team, as the club believes it is in a prime position to win the NL Central and compete for a World Series title. If he continues the upward trajectory of his performance from the past four seasons, the Cubs will be better positioned to reach their ceiling, and Suzuki will place himself in a strong position to earn a contract extension.
