After a long meeting with the San Diego Padres (and old friend Yoo Darwish) and reports from Japan that he had already decided to sign with the Padres, quick and furious denials followed this afternoon. No, Japanese slugger Seiya Suzuki hasn’t decided which team he will sign with yet.
In faaaaact, hello Cubs:
A source confirms that the Cubs will meet Seiya Suzuki and his representatives tonight. The cubs have plenty of holes to fill and would love to add a Suzuki. The 27-year-old outfielder fits the short-term goal of trying to compete now and the long-term goal as the Cubs look to young prospects to get into big positions.
— Sahadev Sharma (@sahadevsharma) March 14, 2022
I’d say it’s a pretty good guess that the Cubs are going to TRY to make a deal tonight, especially if it’s true that Suzuki is otherwise close to picking the Padres. The Cubs have previously been called one of Suzuki’s “hottest pursuers”.
In fact, the Cubs have long known about Suzuki, and while predicting transfers from Japan’s major leagues to MLB has always been an inexact science, ZiPS predictions for Suzuki look good and scout reports are absolutely brilliant. That would be a very good signing. I try not to get too hopeful, but I will definitely clean my eyes and ears – do you clean your ears? – tonight.
UPDATE: Normally I wouldn’t update with simple confirmations, but I think we should discuss this:
I can confirm the great interest of the Cubs in Suzuki and the planned meeting with his camp.
Suzuki, of course, is interested in many teams. As Hoyer said this morning, when asked if the Cubs would make a significant addition, never assume “something will cross the finish line.” https://t.co/silCgqJ7Ll
— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) March 15, 2022
The Cubs were scheduled to face Seiya Suzuki on Monday, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Chicago.
— Cubs Talk (@NBCSCubs) March 15, 2022
It’s very unusual that a lot of the evidence for such a Cubs free-agent meeting is blown to smithereens. Very. This MIGHT just be a product of Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins acting a little differently than Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer. People found out about the meeting, so the authorities happily confirmed it.
However, given how secret the front office usually is, I can’t help but wonder if there’s more to it this time around. Any reason why the Cubs want confirmation of meeting there? I know the cynics among you will say it’s a sham so they can say, “See, we tried!” But again, that’s not really what the front office has been doing in the last decade. They VERY tried to hide their appointments and intentions, because at the front office level there is very little benefit from people there knowing your business. So why are they happy this time? Confidence that everything will go well? Wanting to show transparency to the Suzuki camp for some reason?
…or the desire to put pressure on another free agent or another team? You have to wonder, right? I mean it seems a bit awkward, but let’s pretend the Cubs also wanted Player X and that’s a push. Or let’s pretend that the Cubs know that some other team actually wants the Suzuki and the Cubs want to trade with that team, but that team will only keep trading if they can get the Suzuki (yeah, I’m getting ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh conspiratorial about the Padre). right there). In fact, I won’t go too far other than to say that it’s completely uncommon for the Cubs to have multiple confirmations of a free agent being harassed. They just don’t do it. So this time there must be a reason.
I think one thing I’ll say with confidence suggests this news: The Cubs *REALLY* think they have a chance to actually land the Suzuki. Doesn’t mean they will, of course. But they think there is a chance.