PCA pumps up Cubs teammate Suzuki for all-star reserves
While talking about being named an all-star starter on Wednesday night, Pete-Crow Armstrong became teammate Seiya Suzuki's biggest cheerleader. The Cubs are hoping Suzuki, who started the day as the MLB leader in RBI, will be chosen an all-star reserve on Sunday.
“I don't think there should be any question that Seiya Suzuki has earned a spot on the all-star team this year,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I think (leading MLB in RBI) is the epitome of production and capitalizing on what his teammates do in front of him. And I think that's really admirable. I don't think I've ever seen anybody flush baseballs like him.”
In fact, Suzuki is tied for third in MLB in barrels per at-bat, according to StatCast. He trails only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, while tied with Pete Alonso.
Asked about possibly getting his first American all-star nod, Suzuki focused on team goals.
“Obviously, if chosen, I want to go,” he said through translator Edwin Stanberry. “But I think my focus is trying to get to the postseason, that's more important.
“Everything has to do with teammates. They have to be on base to get in those situations, to get RBIs. It's not something you can do without guys on base. So I'm very thankful or all my teammates.”
PCA, Tucker thank voters:
If you missed it late Wednesday night, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker reacted to being voted into the starting National League outfield.
“I really want to thank the fans for their support all year and their votes and everything to get me to this point,” Tucker said. “I'm really excited to get out there.”
This is Tucker's first starting nod, after being an all-star the past three years with Houston. He missed last season's game with an injury.
Added Crow-Armstrong: “I'd be silly to sugarcoat it, it's obviously one of the cooler accomplishments thus far in my playing career. I'm just so grateful that people have kind of been touched by how I like to play the game. I think that's the biggest compliment out of everything. I'm very appreciative right now and I'm excited to go home and just kind of sit with this.”
Shaw short on luck:
Matt Shaw has been slumping at the plate, but he's also having the worst luck of any Cubs hitter this season. StatCast gives Shaw an expected batting average of .247, compared to his actual average of .222 through Wednesday. The minus-0.25 is the biggest difference of any Cubs starter.
In the fourth inning Thursday with two runners on, Shaw hit a deep line drive to left-center field, but Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas chased it down.