Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki looks like he's going on his usual late-season heater

Ah, it's that time of the year where Seiya Suzuki goes on an absolute tear at the plate, leaving us all to wonder what his numbers would look like if he could ever sustain it over the course of 162 games.

As Marquee Sports Network's Tony Andracki points out, Suzuki has been scorching hot over the last few weeks which, is par for the course for the Chicago outfielder. He's got a career .861 OPS in the second half (nearly 100 points better than his first-half numbers) and the best part? He's been at his best in August and September, suggesting good things to come.

In his big league career, Suzuki carries an .858 OPS in August. The only month he's been better? September, when he's put up MVP-caliber numbers: .335/.403/.609 with 11 homers and 12 doubles in 48 contests.

Seiya Suzuki has the tools - but the Cubs need to have contingencies

Of course, the problem has been him seeming to run out of gas late in the first half. He's been awful in June in his first three seasons in Chicago, with his power stroke completely disappearing early every summer. Then, he comes out of the All-Star break hot and only picks up steam. Last year, his hot spell helped power the Cubs to the brink of that much-needed postseason appearance, but it wasn't enough to get the job done.

Jed Hoyer seemed to take last summer's finish as a sign of things to come with Suzuki. But it's clear at this point that, while he's capable of being an elite offensive player, the Cubs still need that primetime, middle-of-the-order bat. If you could pair Suzuki with someone like that, it could help him tap into this next level more regularly.

With the Cubs still 8 1/2 back in the division and 6 1/2 out of the wild-card hunt with a plethora of teams ahead of them, it's all eyes on 2025. Suzuki will obviously play a key role on that team, which is year four of his five-year pact with Chicago. Finishing this season strong is key, but Hoyer needs to go into the winter and not bet on MVP-caliber play all year long because making that mistake again could cost him his job.