For the first time in five years (and really, seven, and really, eight), the Chicago Cubs will be playing postseason baseball. They’re still fighting for positioning and seeding, but it’s likely that they will be locked into the No. 4 seed and host the Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field, against the San Diego Padres. San Diego has a right-handed-heavy starting rotation (Dylan Cease, Nick Pivetta, Michael King, Randy Vásquez), which puts the Cubs on the horns of a dilemma. Seiya Suzuki has been brutal over the last month and a half, and hasn’t hit righties well overall this season. Should Moisés Ballesteros steal his place as the designated hitter?
Ballesteros has been stellar in his time in the majors this season. He entered Tuesday slashing .261/.370/.457, with two home runs and an .827 OPS. In the absence of Kyle Tucker, his addition to the everyday lineup has been much-needed, and he is showing all the same tools that he showcased during his time in the minor leagues.
Tucker’s injury has allowed both Ballesteros and Seiya Suzuki to be in the everyday lineup. That will obviously have to change, if Tucker is able to get healthy and return to the lineup in the playoffs. Yes, I know it may sound crazy to discuss the possibility of Suzuki being out of the lineup, but is it actually that crazy? His average hasn’t climbed above .260 since July 20, and he has just one homer and 10 RBIs since the trade deadline. We covered the details of his derailment earlier today.
The struggles from Suzuki have been going on far too long for it to be considered a fluke. He isn’t producing at the level he needs to, and having him in the lineup in the postseason against a righty over someone playing as well as Ballesteros would just feel like the wrong decision from Craig Counsell.
There is certainly time left during this final week of the season for Suzuki to catch fire and Ballesteros to go ice-cold. If that happens, then the decision to have Suzuki in the lineup at DH would be an easy one, Again, though, this all depends on the health of Tucker. Tucker’s (hoped-for) addition to the postseason lineup will be what puts these wheels truly in motion. If he is not able to play, then it will be both Suzuki and Ballesteros in the lineup against right-handers. Tucker being available, though, would force Counsell to make one of his toughest decisions as a manger.
The final week of the regular season may sort things out, but if not, Ballesteros should be in every starting lineup against right-handers for as long as the postseason lasts for the Cubs.