Lands with Cubs on five-year pact Suzuki and the Cubs agreed Wednesday on a five-year contract, David Kaplan of NBC Sports Chicago reports. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the deal is worth $85 million... Impact A report Monday from Yahoo Japan previously suggested that Suzuki was set to sign with the Padres, but after further deliberation with teams, the 27-year-old outfielder instead elected to begin his big-league career in Chicago. He'll expect to slot in as Chicago's everyday right fielder, where his strong throwing arm helped make him a five-time winner of Nippon Professional Baseball's equivalent of the Gold Glove Award. Suzuki's main appeal for fantasy purposes are his excellent contact skills and solid pop. He enjoyed his best NPB season yet in 2021 with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, slashing .317/.433/.636 with a career-high 38 home runs in 132 games. Suzuki won't be able to replicate those numbers against higher-caliber MLB pitching, but he should project as at least a serviceable fantasy starter in nearly every format.
MARCH 16, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
