The Chicago Cubs’ lineup was completely shut down in Game 5 of the National League Division Series, recording just four hits in total. Outfielder Seiya Suzuki launched a solo home run in the second inning, scoring the only run for the team. The Cubs lost 1-3 to the Milwaukee Brewers, ending their NLDS campaign. Postgame, Suzuki couldn’t hide his frustration: “If we don’t win, hitting a home run is pointless.”
The Cubs failed to advance to the National League Championship Series, marking the end of the first postseason journey for Japan’s Seiya Suzuki and starting pitcher Shota Imanaga in the major leagues. Head coach Craig Counsell, who faced his longtime former team the Brewers after nine seasons, became a focal point in postgame discussions following the defeat.
Seiya Suzuki has played four seasons with the Cubs. This year, he appeared in 151 regular-season games, hitting 32 home runs and driving in 103 RBIs, all personal single-season bests, and recorded at least 140 hits for the third consecutive season. In this postseason, he hit three home runs, tying the record for most home runs by a Japanese player in a single MLB postseason, alongside Hideki Matsui and Shohei Ohtani, and led the team with five RBIs.
“Making it to the playoffs is really great and gives me a lot of confidence for next season,” said Seiya Suzuki. “I hope to return to the postseason again next year and am also very interested in the World Series.”
He also shared that during this regular season, he experienced a significant slump, which became a valuable learning experience. “Being able to recover from that low point and perform well has boosted my confidence. While regular-season stats are important, being able to hit well against strong pitchers in the playoffs shows that my level has truly improved.” This experience was very beneficial to him. “Recovering from a slump and delivering good results has made me more confident. Although regular-season performance matters, hitting well against top pitchers in the postseason has definitely raised my skill level.”