After over a month and a half without a home run, Seiya Suzuki found his power stroke to close out the 2025 Chicago Cubs' regular season. He clubbed five long balls in his final four games against the Mets and Cardinals, heating up at the perfect time before the Padres were welcomed into San Diego. The bright lights of the postseason and a very locked-in Nick Pivetta didn't slow him down in Game 1 either.
Pivetta had only allowed one hit the first time through the order and had sent down eleven in a row before Suzuki stepped back to the plate in the fifth inning.