Latest news with #JedHoyer
New York Times
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Seiya Suzuki's talents and personality are showing up in a big way for first-place Cubs
Seiya Suzuki strolled onto the Wrigley Field grass with his Chicago Cubs uniform pants rolled above his thighs, a bold fashion choice that made it appear as if he were wearing 1970s-style basketball shorts. As the team went through pregame warmups before a recent home game, Suzuki played catch while doing an exaggerated pitching windup, like a big kid messing around in the backyard. One player yelled out: 'Look at those quads!' Advertisement That reaction is apparently what Suzuki wanted. His measurements in this year's media guide — 5 feet 11, 182 pounds — do not adequately capture the physicality of a Japanese baseball player built in the mold of a Big Ten fullback. And then there is the immeasurable, how he has grown to become very much a part of the clubhouse's social fabric, the inside jokes and silly celebrations that get amplified when a team is in first place. 'Some people thought I had skinny legs,' Suzuki said through an interpreter. 'So I was like, 'OK, I'm going to show off my legs.'' Suzuki's comfort level is obvious as Jed Hoyer's vision for 'The Next Great Cubs Team' comes sharply into focus. This is what club officials envisioned when they signed Suzuki to a five-year, $85 million contract after Major League Baseball's lockout ended in 2022, hoping he could help reboot a big-market franchise that traded away Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Báez the previous summer. Hoyer, the president of baseball operations who recruited Suzuki, sees more decisiveness from a hitter who could sometimes be too passive. Cubs fans catch glimpses on social media with the clips of Suzuki and Pete Crow-Armstrong tapping or bumping each other in the crotch, or Crow-Armstrong pouring water down Suzuki's jersey to cool him down. Teammates hear it when Suzuki returns to the dugout after hitting a home run and starts screaming. 'It's his way of communicating with us, not through a translator,' Cubs outfielder Ian Happ said. 'It's Japanese words and maybe a few choice English words.' 'Raw excitement,' Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said. 'When there is a language gap, you find different ways to express yourself.' 'I love Seiya,' Crow-Armstrong said. 'He has something so light about him when games feel stressful to me. He is just a blast to be around.' Advertisement It did not go unnoticed or unappreciated when Suzuki handled the Kyle Tucker situation with aplomb. Suzuki's clear preference would be playing the outfield regularly. In fact, Suzuki's Wasserman agent, Joel Wolfe, told a room full of reporters during last year's Winter Meetings that Suzuki likely would not have signed with a major-league club that projected him as a full-time designated hitter. Yet Suzuki did not make it a big issue after the Cubs acquired Tucker in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Astros. And when Tucker needed Tuesday off to let his sprained finger heal, Suzuki hit second in the lineup and covered right field during an 8-3 road win over the Washington Nationals. Those transitions can be awkward — see the DH drama between the Boston Red Sox and Rafael Devers — but the Cubs and Suzuki view this as a partnership. tack on another rbi for @suzuki_seiya_sb! — Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) June 3, 2025 Behind the scenes, Suzuki has not been shy about making suggestions about resources and staffing. And the Cubs have been receptive and proactive in trying to create a welcoming environment for Suzuki, All-Star pitcher Shota Imanaga and their families. 'We try to make every effort possible to make sure our Japanese players are as comfortable as possible,' Hoyer said. 'They just have different needs than some other players. It seems right to do whatever we can to make them comfortable. And with that, we get the best performance possible.' The current numbers — 14 homers, an .879 OPS and 53 RBIs in 56 games — are a product of Suzuki's natural abilities and accumulated experiences as well as this synergy. Suzuki has learned by observing Tucker's confident approach and benefitted from being in a much deeper lineup than the one he first joined in Chicago. Over time, Suzuki followed the club's instructions to dial back his tireless work in the batting cage and preserve more energy. Advertisement 'Good game, bad game, whatever in between, he's just being himself, over and over and over,' Hoerner said. 'When he first came over, it was obviously an incredible adjustment period in lifestyle. But also in all these new resources for baseball and figuring out how his routines fit into a very different baseball structure. 'Being goofy, being aggressive on the field, having fun, that's the version of him we want. It's not that we have the right way of training, or that Japanese players do, either. Baseball players have had success from so many different places. It's kind of removing judgment from that and just trusting Seiya as a longtime professional. You're not getting some young kid from Japan, right? He was an established vet who had so much success.' When Suzuki initially left Japan for the next challenge, he chose a rebuilding team in the belief he would be afforded more time and space to learn and grow. The expectation was those timelines would eventually merge with the Cubs' returning to the playoffs and Suzuki's establishing himself as one of the game's most dangerous hitters. Now that the Cubs are 16 games above .500, with the entire summer in Wrigleyville ahead, that sense of momentum keeps building. 'We're having a great time,' Suzuki said. 'Everybody can see that.'
Newsweek
a day ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Cubs President Hints at Potential Trade Deadline Plans
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. With the trade deadline just under two months away, most teams are beginning to understand exactly who they want to target. Players from every position will be moved at the deadline in hopes of helping a team get that one extra piece that they believe can push them over the top. That is exactly how the Chicago Cubs will be approaching the deadline, and after a recent interview appearance by team president Jed Hoyer, it may be clear what Chicago is planning to do at the deadline. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 06: President Jed Hoyer of the Chicago Cubs looks during batting practice prior to the game against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field on May 06, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 06: President Jed Hoyer of the Chicago Cubs looks during batting practice prior to the game against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field on May 06, 2025 in Chicago, spoke to reporters before Chicago's May 27 game against the Colorado Rockies and gave this response when asked what the teams plan would be heading toward the trade deadline. "To quote our manager, we just need to get outs, you know?" Hoyer said Tuesday, per Marquee Sports Network. "And so we have to figure that out, whether it's the beginning of the game or the end of the game. (Our depth has) been tested, and we have to assume that that's not going to stop, that we'll continue to be tested. We have to continue to find depth where we can find it." It is no surprise the plan is to acquire pitching help, as the Cubs currently rank 14th in team ERA at 3.84 and 23rd in Wins Above Average from pitchers at minus-2.2 this season. Where is Chicago going to look for the pitching help at? Hoyer also answered that question during his sitdown with the media. "Ultimately, it is going to be somewhat sellers' market dependent," he said, per Marquee Sports Network. "If there's none of one of those things available, you have to zag a little bit, and you have to be prepared to do that. And that could be the nature of this market." With the club off to its best start since the 2016 season, it is instrumental that Hoyer and the rest of the front office make moves that help the Cubs win the NL Central and get back to the postseason for the first time since 2020. More MLB: Highly Touted Prospect Earning MLB Promotion
New York Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Cubs aren't waiting until the trade deadline to make more moves for pitching
CHICAGO — Drew Pomeranz already had Craig Counsell's contact information stored in his phone when the Chicago Cubs manager reached out to welcome the 36-year-old left-handed pitcher to his new team. Pomeranz had just used the upward mobility clause in his minor-league contract with the Seattle Mariners, leveraging an April transfer from Triple-A Tacoma and appreciating an unexpected opportunity. Advertisement 'It's always good when (the manager) calls and the name pops up on your caller ID,' Pomeranz said. 'This is my 11th organization in 15 years, so there's a lot of those names that keep popping up. I'm just glad they're still calling, to be honest.' The sudden emergence of Pomeranz (0.00 ERA) as a key member of the pitching staff explains why the Cubs are continuing to monitor pitchers who have June opt-out clauses in their minor-league contracts, as well as relievers such as Jorge López, who was recently designated for assignment by the Washington Nationals. The small moves can add up throughout a 162-game season, and those types of transactions would not preclude Jed Hoyer's front office from making a big summer splash. If the first two months of a Major League Baseball season are figuring out what you have, the Cubs already know they possess the talent, depth and experience to compete with anybody. With two months to go until the July 31 trade deadline, what this first-place team needs is clear. 'To quote our manager, 'We just need to get outs,'' Hoyer said when asked whether the rotation or the bullpen would be a higher priority at the trade deadline. Counsell managed the Milwaukee Brewers when they acquired Pomeranz at the 2019 trade deadline. Though the baseball industry primarily viewed Pomeranz as a struggling starter at that time — he was 2-9 with a 5.68 ERA for the San Francisco Giants — the Brewers used the lefty almost exclusively out of the bullpen and watched him dominate (45 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings) in shorter bursts. 'I loved playing for Counsell,' Pomeranz said. 'I was with him for 2 1/2 months. And probably the best 2 1/2 months I've ever pitched, to be honest. That's what I told him: 'I was pretty good for you last time, so hopefully I can give you something like that again.'' Advertisement That history factored into the decision to bring Pomeranz to Chicago. Though far from an unknown — Pomeranz was a first-round pick in 2010 and an All-Star in 2016 — he also had not pitched in a major-league game since 2021. In his debut as a Cub, Pomeranz struck out Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, beginning this run of 15 consecutive scoreless appearances. The Cubs have also successfully incorporated Brad Keller (2.22 ERA in 26 appearances) and Chris Flexen (0.00 ERA in 14 1/3 innings), two pitchers who were signed to minor-league deals after being part of the historically bad Chicago White Sox team that lost 121 games last year. Internally, the Cubs stuck with Daniel Palencia, who did not make the Opening Day roster but continues to earn Counsell's trust. Since getting promoted from Triple-A Iowa in the middle of April, Palencia has notched five holds and five saves and taken over as the closer. 'It's almost hard to keep up with,' Counsell said of the bullpen turnover. 'But it just highlights the difficulty of the job, as much as anything. So you try to just embrace that it's a harder job. And how you find the answers is to say, 'I don't know the answers.' 'Always be on the lookout. It's a 365-day job, trying to get bullpen help. Some areas of the team, you can't go get a third baseman on April 1, right? But with relievers, that's how it works.' López, for example, was released by the New York Mets last June after he threw his glove into the Citi Field stands. López, a one-time All-Star who previously worked with Counsell in Milwaukee, latched on with the Cubs and became one of their better relievers after that change of scenery. López, who signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Nationals, is expected to clear waivers. The Cubs would not be in a position to offer López a guaranteed major-league spot or automatically put him at the top of a Triple-A depth chart that includes Nate Pearson, Gavin Hollowell, Tom Cosgrove and Riley Martin. But all that roster churn represents a chance to be opportunistic. Advertisement 'You got to take shots,' Counsell said. 'You never get satisfied. You never stop looking for those opportunities, and that's something else that the organization is doing well. The quest for opportunities in pitching, it's 365 days (a year). It doesn't matter if it's the offseason, May 28, June 28, August 28 — you're trying to add pitching and develop pitching.' Right now, that focus is particularly heightened. Between Justin Steele (season-ending elbow surgery) and Shota Imanaga (strained hamstring), the Cubs have two All-Star starters on the injured list, and their pitching depth is about to get tested even further. Beginning Tuesday night at Nationals Park, the Cubs are scheduled to play 26 games in 27 days. Imanaga was scheduled to travel to Arizona this week and begin the next phase of his rehab program, which will progress from live batting practice to multiple outings in controlled game situations. (Counsell said it doesn't really matter if Imanaga got those reps at the Mesa complex or a minor-league affiliate.) If there are no setbacks, Imanaga would rejoin the rotation later in June. By that point, the Cubs might have clarity on whether disappointing clubs such as the Baltimore Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks will become sellers at the trade deadline. Though the Cubs are still dependent on the health of their own players, many of their preseason needs have been crossed off the list. After years of wondering where the star power would come from, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki are performing at that level. Third base, the one big question mark among an established group of position players, appears to be resolved after Matt Shaw's mental reset and mechanical adjustments at Triple A. The bench is also noticeably improved. It is, and always will be, about pitching. When a team is already 15 games above .500, the goal becomes maximizing a tight-knit group and adding someone who can start a playoff game at Wrigley Field and help seize a World Series trophy. (Top photo of Drew Pomeranz: Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images)
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cubs-Marlins Trade Idea Sends Ryan Weathers to Chicago
Cubs-Marlins Trade Idea Sends Ryan Weathers to Chicago originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Chicago Cubs are second in Major League Baseball in runs with 340, and are in first place in the National League Central. Advertisement The club has its sights set on a postseason berth for the first time since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shortened the season's length to 60 games. Naturally, the Cubs are one of the teams that should be heavily involved in trade discussions at this year's July 31 deadline, especially for help in the starting rotation. The Miami Marlins, who are unlikely to be in the NL postseason race by the end of July, could be one team that Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer calls to make a trade. However, Allen Settle of Yardbarker does not believe a deal between the two teams would involve former Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara. Rather, a left-handed pitcher and a former 2018 first-round pick by the San Diego Padres, Ryan Weathers. Miami Marlins pitcher Ryan Weathers (35) pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at loanDepot Rassol-Imagn Images "In many ways, Weathers has emerged as Miami's de facto ace. His improved fastball velocity has allowed the former top prospect to break out in a major way," Settle wrote. "The Marlins could retain the 25-year-old as a foundational piece of their rebuild, but president of baseball operations Peter Bendix has a track record of flipping established talent for prospect capital." Advertisement Weathers began the year on the injured list due to a left flexor strain but has performed well after a rehab assignment at Triple-A Jacksonville in April. He's allowed two earned runs in his first three starts (15.2 innings) of the season with the Marlins, and opposing hitters are batting just .185 against his four-seam fastball, a pitch he throws for an average velocity of 97.5 mph. Adding Weathers to the Cubs' rotation would allow manager Craig Counsell to return Ben Brown to the bullpen, and he would be extra insurance in case Shota Imanaga or Javier Assad suffer setbacks during their injury recoveries. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Cubs are open to negotiating extension for Pete Crow-Armstrong even in-season
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs haven't closed the door on a long-term contract extension for Pete Crow-Armstrong, the dynamic center fielder whose breakout performance is already putting his name in the National League MVP conversation. After exchanging proposals around the season-opening Tokyo Series, the two sides agreed to table those discussions. When reports on the extension talks surfaced last month, Crow-Armstrong declared: 'I'm here to play baseball.' Advertisement Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer later echoed that talking point, saying the club would let Crow-Armstrong focus on the season, which is now turning into a long 'PCA' highlight reel. While Hoyer will defer to Crow-Armstrong's preferences, the Cubs do not have a strict organizational policy against in-season negotiations. 'Not talking during the season, to me, that's a player-focused thing,' Hoyer said Tuesday at Wrigley Field. 'I'm not playing. I've got time to negotiate if they want.' Crow-Armstrong is represented by Creative Artists Agency, which worked with the Arizona Diamondbacks to finalize Corbin Carroll's eight-year, $111 million contract extension during spring training in 2023. Another reference point arrived shortly after this season's Opening Day, when the San Diego Padres announced a nine-year, $135 million contract extension for Jackson Merrill, a young center fielder who signed what was generally viewed as a team-friendly deal, which includes a club option for 2035. Crow-Armstrong, 23, is currently under club control through the 2030 season, meaning there isn't an overwhelming sense of urgency. 'There's been a general understanding that we're not going to let it be a distraction throughout this year,' Crow-Armstrong said last month. Since those comments, Crow-Armstrong has hit 14 home runs while continuing to play Gold Glove-caliber defense and cause havoc on the bases, showing his full potential as one of the sport's most exciting talents. Crow-Armstrong is doing all this for a first-place team, in a city that holds a deep connection for his family. The outline of the initial report — a contract extension for Crow-Armstrong potentially worth around $75 million — has been characterized as inaccurate. Both sides also described the discussions as amicable. Advertisement 'We hadn't talked in a couple weeks when it leaked out,' Hoyer said. 'In general, it's just easier to negotiate if it's not out in the media. People aren't speculating on numbers and things like that. Even the number that came out about that wasn't right. The more we can keep things under wraps, the better. 'For a player, if it's going to mess with their head, if it's going to distract them or make them feel different, then you shouldn't do it. To me, not negotiating in-season, that's a player thing. Not specifically a team thing. But I totally respect guys who feel like they don't want to deal with it in-season, because they feel like it messes with their performance. I get that.'
