Cubs: Ranking the 7 worst contracts in the NL Central

Cubs: Ranking the 7 worst contracts in the NL Central - #6: Seiya Suzuki

It pains me to do it, but Seiya Suzuki hasn't lived up to the five-year, $80 million deal the Cubs handed him prior to the 2022 season. He's certainly shown flashes of potential, but there's been little to no consistency - and David Ross even benched him earlier this month in an attempt to get him back on track.

Given the Cubs' crowded outfield picture, especially if they manage to re-sign Cody Bellinger this offseason, Suzuki's place in the larger picture looks tenuous, at best. Chicago extended Ian Happ this spring and it looks like revelation Mike Tauchman has played his way into the picture, as well. Then knowing three of the team's top 4 prospects (Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kevin Alcantara and Owen Caissie) are on the way just goes to show how deep the organization is in the outfield.

There's still time for Suzuki to turn things around, but so far, he's been a pretty so-so bat (at least in terms of results) and hasn't been the offensive leader the Cubs hoped for when they brought the longtime NPB standout into the fold. The one thing Chicago has going is that they're capable of fielding much larger payrolls than the rest of the division, making a deal like this easier to absorb.