The Rundown Lite: Suzuki’s Power Surge, List of SP Targets Just Got Shorter, Barnhart Retires, Running Man Trailer
Have you ever felt like you’re trying to walk up an escalator that is moving just fast enough that you’re falling ever so slightly behind with each step? The effort and frustration make it seem at times like the best option is to simply let yourself fall back down to the ground level and seek out another option to move forward and upward. Well, I’ve got my toes on the lowest step and I’m barely keeping my heels off the floor at this point.
My hope is that this confluence of several different pain points will soon dissipate like the pop-up thundershowers we’ve been seeing so many of lately. Whether it’s the heat and humidity, travel ball drama, or just a busy schedule, it feels like the walls are all closing in and the devil’s knockin’ at my door. My use of a Teddy Swims lyric is not coincidental, as I’m hoping he’ll help me out of this in a way.
I’ll be heading out of town for a few days of relaxation with my wife’s family, after which my son and I will head to Chicago to see the Wu-Tang Clan and Run the Jewels at the United Center. Two days later, we’ll be seeing Mr. Swims on the North American leg of his tour in Indianapolis. It’ll be my seventh Wu-Tang concert and fifth Teddy Swims show, all of which have come in the last six years.
The All-Star break coming a week later should help as well, especially if the Cubs can land at least one starter in the game. Pete Crow-Armstrong looks like a lock at this point, and I would think Kyle Tucker has a shot. But when it comes to their best power hitter, the path is quite a bit narrower.
Suzuki setting slugging pace
For all the hype being generated by his teammates, Seiya Suzuki leads the Cubs in home runs (22), RBI (69…nice), ISO (.283), and slugging (.540). Sahadev Sharma went into detail about how Suzuki is being more aggressive at the plate, particularly on first pitches. The Cubs’ primary DH is also getting more barrels than before, which could be a matter of attacking more favorable pitches.
I’d also posit that some of his power surge is due to having a more streamlined role that sees him playing the field less often than in the past. There were times over the past three seasons when it appeared as though Suzuki’s blunders in the field carried over to the plate, or vice versa, so taking that out of the equation for the most part may be a good thing.
That isn’t to say Suzuki hits better as a DH, because that’s actually the opposite of the truth. His offensive production has been far better when he’s playing the outfield, with 11 of his homers and 31 of his RBI coming in just 110 plate appearances in left and right combined. Compare that to 11 homers and 38 RBI over 245 PAs as the DH. Perhaps the novelty of playing the outfield, or even a desire to prove himself, has improved his focus.
Whatever the case, Suzuki remains one of the Cubs’ most valuable players.
Pitching market gets shallower
Though he may not have been among Jed Hoyer’s top targets, Rangers righty Tyler Mahle was one of several names being discussed as a potential trade chip. That is most likely off the table now, however, as a rotator cuff strain will keep Mahle off the mound until at least early August. With the Rangers three games under .500 and nearly 10 back in the division, moving the free-agent-to-be during what could be at least the second-best season of his career would have been a pretty obvious move.
I would not have liked such a move for the Cubs, as Mahle’s 18.2% strikeout rate is tied for 77th among 104 pitchers with at least 70 innings to their credit this season. Making matters worse, his 9.4% K/BB ratio is tied for 87th, and his .253 BABIP sitting nearly 40 points below his career mark indicates there could be a correction on the horizon. Even without the shoulder issue, the warning signs were clear.
So while this probably doesn’t have a direct impact on the Cubs, removing a significant option from the market does nothing to help a team that may be in search of two starters. As our Jacob Zanolla laid out recently, Hoyer might be looking to mix and match with one more expensive option and another buy-low candidate to balance performance with cost.
The Cubs may be far more willing to spend prospect capital than payroll, even if that means parting with as many as three of their top five young players. Part of that comes from having depth in the system, and some is about the front office dealing from a place that rhymes with schmesperation. Hoyer isn’t one to lean completely into impulse, though I think he’ll be more aggressive than usual out of necessity.
I maintain that the Diamondbacks are a preferred trade partner, possibly as a way to add both a pitcher and a bat. Eugenio Suárez appears to be the Cubs’ top option for adding offense, and for good reason. The only question is whether he can still hit when he’s playing for them rather than against them.
Barnhart Steps Away
As I first saw from his dad on Facebook before official reports came out, Tucker Barnhart has retired from baseball. He had just reached the coveted 10-year mark for service time, after which he was DFA’d by the Rangers. After re-signing with Texas on a minors deal, the 34-year-old opted to hang up his spikes and call it a career.
Though his time with the Cubs is little more than an asterisk in a professional career that spanned nearly 17 years, it was cool to see a kid from a small town in Indiana make it big. Now we just need him to donate some money to lay turf on the baseball field at the high school, something that wasn’t part of the $200 million renovation that has spanned several years at this point. But hey, at least we’ve got a new fieldhouse, tennis courts, pool, football bleachers and videoboard, and lacrosse field.
The Running Man Trailer
I swear this isn’t just going to be a Glen Powell appreciation section, but trailers for his upcoming movies just keep showing up when I’m writing. This reboot of The Running Man has been in the works for a long time and I wasn’t even aware it was so close, so this is super fun. It appears to hew much more closely to the source material, but with enough of the schmaltz from the original movie to add a little more fun to what could have been a very grim tale.
The first trailer for Edgar Wright’s ‘THE RUNNING MAN’ has been released.
The film follows a man who volunteers to join a TV gameshow where he will be hunted by professional killers.
In theaters on November 7. pic.twitter.com/E0K7KWfwu3
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 1, 2025
