Craig Counsell points the finger while addressing Seiya Suzuki drama

One moment that Chicago Cubs fans may have skated by during the 2024 season was when the team decided to fired Seiya Suzuki's interpreter.

The Cubs never provided an exact reason for why they decided to make an in-season change with Suzuki's interpreter but it seems that clarity may have provided this offseason. In finding that clarity, we must revisit the drama that started during the Winter Meetings in December.

As the Cubs were on the verge of acquiring Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros, Suzuki's agent, Joel Wolfe, made headlines at the Winter Meetings when he revealed that the Cubs' outfielder was upset over the fact he was moved to being the team's designated hitter towards the end of the 2024 campaign.

There was initial speculation that Suzuki's preference to play in the outfield may lead to a trade but as time went by, it seemed clear that, like it or not, he was going to enter the 2025 season as the team's designated hitter.

With position players reporting to Spring Training on Friday, reporters had the opportunity to go to the source directly, and speak with Suzuki about where things stand between him and the team.

Seiya Suzuki, Craig Counsell put DH drama behind them.

“Yeah, I can’t share too much of what the conversation was between Counsell and I, but I feel like last year we could have had better communication, so going into this year, I feel like we’re improving upon that and then communicate better during the season," Suzuki told reporters.

As was the case when reports of frustration first emerged in December, it seems that Suzuki wasn't on the same page with Craig Counsell last season. In all honesty, that is to be expected as Counsell was in his first season with the organization, and for the first time in his playing career in Major League Baseball, Suzuki experienced an unexpected managerial change. Suzuki was going from a manager in David Ross, who stressed the importance of his defense in right field, to a brunt Counsell, who isn't afraid to hurt feelings to make the right baseball move. Add in Suzuki needing an interpreter; it's easy to see how the communication between both sides was hindered.

Counsell, to his credit, took ownership for the communication issues with Suzuki last season.

“We both talked about it kind of at the end of the year, I’ll put it on myself, just doing a better job with talking to him, sometimes the language barrier makes you lazy, unfortunately, and that’s on me, and I gotta get a little better at that and will. That’s something that I promised Seiya and will work hard to do," Counsell mentioned.

Nevertheless, Suzuki and Counsell's updates finally explain why the Cubs made an in-season change last year with the outfielder's interpreter. With Suzuki now on the same page with the Cubs' organization, all eyes are on him having a breakout campaign in 2025.