Cubs News: Seiya Suzuki named as Silver Slugger finalist for second straight year

Seiya Suzuki may not have been a MVP-caliber offensive player this year, but he was still one of the most potent offensive weapons among fellow National League outfielders - and his efforts have culminated in his being named a Silver Slugger finalist for the second consecutive year.

Suzuki joins Brewers rookie outfielder Jackson Chourio, Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and the Padres' tandem of Jurickson Profar and Jackson Merrill as finalists among National League outfielders.

The 30-year-old's 138 wRC+ trailed only Mookie Betts (141) and Jurickson Profar (139) among NL outfielders and set a new career-high. His bat really picked up steam down the stretch after moving into a full-time DH role, which could be where he spends the 2025 season now that Cody Bellinger is back in the fold.

As the team's DH this year, Suzuki batted .298 - including a .327/.437/.469 slash line after permanently moving into the gig in late August. If he can maintain that sort of pace over the course of an entire season, he could be one of the biggest bats in all of baseball.

He matched his 2023 numbers in almost every measure, finishing the year with an .848 OPS (slightly up from .842 last year) to go along with 21 home runs, 27 doubles and 16 stolen bases. His 3.5 bWAR set a new personal best, overcoming a strikeout rate that trended in the wrong direction (27.4%, up from 22.3 % last year).

The Cubs have been waiting for Suzuki to be that transformative offensive presence since he came over from Japan. While he hasn't yet hit that level, he's still established himself as a solidly above-average bat - and if Jed Hoyer can get him more protection, it could help him take things to the next level.