Seiya Suzuki joins 30 home run club with grand slam vs. Cardinals

Suzuki joined the 30-home run club for the first time in his four-year career with the 392-foot blast to left center. The grand slam capped a seven-run seventh inning for the Cubs that broke the game open. Chicago would go on to win 12-1.

Seiya Suzuki becomes third Cubs player with 30 HRs in 2025

The Cubs entered the seventh inning up 4-1. Three quick runs chased rookie reliever Gordon Graceffo from the game and St. Louis turned to Chris Roycroft down 7-1. The second-year hurler walked Kyle Tucker to load the bases and fell behind 2-1 to Suzuki. The Cubs’ DH/outfielder hammered a 95 mph sinker for his 30th homer of the season. The long ball put Chicago up 11-1.

Four Cubs players hit home runs in Friday’s offensive eruption. Pete Crow-Armstrong joined the 30/30 club with a fourth-inning bomb off St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas. PCA loves facing the veteran righty. He is now 7-9 with five home runs and six RBI in nine career plate appearances against Mikolas.

Crow-Armstrong became the first Cubs player to achieve a 30/30 season since Sammy Sosa in 1995. And Suzuki is the third Cubs player to reach the 30 home run threshold in 2025. Michael Busch hit his team-leading 32nd homer on Friday. It’s the first time Chicago has had three players with 30+ home runs since 2004.

After a sizzling start to the season, Suzuki has struggled since the All-Star break. He hit .263 with an .867 OPS, 25 home runs and 77 RBI over his first 92 games. But, Suzuki followed that with a .201 average, a .597 OPS and just two homers and 16 RBI in 55 games from July 18 through September 24.

However, the Cubs’ slugger may have finally turned a corner. Suzuki ended a 38-game home run drought with two dingers in Thursday’s series finale against the New York Mets. He now has three home runs and eight RBI over his last two games.