I mean, yeah, Dansby Swanson has to be fully healthy and hopefully he misses minimal time on the injured list with his bruised heel, but there is no doubt in my mind that if the Chicago Cubs want to make a serious push for the playoffs, then Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki have to step up in the second half.
Whether we like it or not as Cubs fans, it appears as though David Ross isn't going to be making any dramatic changes to the lineup. So, that means Happ and Suzuki will continue to bat in the middle of the batting order and that duo has to start producing on offense.
And the thing is, it's not that Happ and Suzuki have been bad overall, it's just that they've been in bad in areas the Cubs are relying on them for. We knew that heading into the 2023 season this roster wasn't going to hit for a lot of power, but the entire group has been worse than expected.
As a team, the Cubs rank 22nd in MLB with a .396 slugging percentage and 20th with a 97 wRC+.
Happ and Suzuki are part of the problem in the power department.
In 2022, Happ made his first All-Star team and finished the season with 17 home runs. This year, the switch-hitter is on pace to hit 13 home runs and finish with the lowest slugging percentage in his career, which has averaged at about .450 since coming up to the majors in 2017.
Suzuki has been up and down since he returned from his oblique strain in mid-April. But like Happ, the right fielder just has not provided much pop expected of a middle-of-the-order hitter.
Both players have put up above average hitting numbers, despite their flaws.
Ian Happ: 114 wRC+, 110 OPS+
Seiya Suzuki: 105 wRC+, 104 OPS+
Again, they've been solid in the case of Happ to OK for Suzuki when compared to the entire league. Yet, those numbers are aided by good to great OBPs from Suzuki and Happ, but when it comes to their peers that play the same position, you see why fans have been frustrated at their production.
Averages for MLB Left Fielder (Through All-Star Break)
.254/.334/.415
Averages for MLB Right Fielder (Through All-Star Break)
.253/.323/.433
Averages for #3 Hitter (Through All-Star Break)
.257/.334/.439
Averages for #4 Hitter (Through All-Star Break)
.251/.324/.436
Meanwhile, here are the Cubs corner outfielders numbers, who have also been the primary 3 and 4 hitters in 2023.
Ian Happ Season Slash Line
.247/.377/.386
Seiya Suzuki Season Slash Line
.259/.342/.405
I love that they both know the strike zone extremely well, but if they're going to continue being in the middle of the lineup, then Happ and Suzuki have to start doing more damage and become difference-makers for the offense.
Friday night's lineup against the Boston Red Sox once again features Happ and Suzuki batting 3rd and 4th.
The Cubs begin the second half with a 42-47 record, trailing the first-place Cincinnati Reds by 7 games. The chances may look bleak that the Cubs can sneak into the playoffs, but they're probably better than you think.
If they do find a way, then I'd imagine Happ and Suzuki will be the team's x-factors in the second half.
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