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4 reasons the Cleveland Guardians should sign outfielder Seiya Suzuki

By Steve DiMatteo

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - AUGUST 07: Outfielder Seiya Suzuki #51 of Team Japan hits a single in the six during the gold medal game between Team United States and Team Japan on day fifteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium on August 07, 2021 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - AUGUST 07: Outfielder Seiya Suzuki #51 of Team Japan hits a single in the six during the gold medal game between Team United States and Team Japan on day fifteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium on August 07, 2021 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /
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YOKOHAMA, JAPAN – AUGUST 07: Outfielder Seiya Suzuki #51 of Team Japan hits a single in the six during the gold medal game between Team United States and Team Japan on day fifteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium on August 07, 2021 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
YOKOHAMA, JAPAN – AUGUST 07: Outfielder Seiya Suzuki #51 of Team Japan hits a single in the six during the gold medal game between Team United States and Team Japan on day fifteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium on August 07, 2021 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /

Star Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki is looking to make the jump to the majors, and the Cleveland Guardians should be the team to sign him.

The Cleveland Guardians are in desperate need of an outfield overhaul, which means they should absolutely consider getting in the mix to sign Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki, who has been posted by his team overseas, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (fun fact: I have their hat – it rules) of Nippon Professional Baseball.

Is it a pipe dream? With so many teams in on him (the Red Sox, Giants, Mariners, Royals, Rays, Phillies, Rangers, Blue Jays… the list gets longer by the day), it seems to be an unlikely move for the Guardians, but Suzuki really would be a perfect fit for Cleveland’s lineup – and at a pretty attractive price.

The 27-year-old Suzuki, who was Japan’s 2019 Home Run Derby champion and a gold-medalist with Team Japan at this year’s Olympics, hit .319/.436/.640 with 38 home runs, 26, doubles, 88 RBIs and a 211 wRC+ this season. He’s also had a wRC+ over 160 in every season since 2016. Not to mention he’s a four-time Gold Glove winner and would be a perfect fit for right field, which just so happens to be a constant headache the Guardians are trying to solve.

So as the Guardians and the rest of Major League Baseball wait out this work stoppage, let’s make the case for Suzuki to come to Cleveland, if it isn’t already abundantly clear it should happen.

Here are four reasons the Guardians should consider signing Seiya Suzuki

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