Seiya Suzuki enters the 2026 MLB season with a lot to prove in what could be the final year of his Chicago Cubs tenure. The veteran slugger, who represented Japan in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, is playing for a new contract, regardless of whether he signs an extension in Chicago or moves elsewhere. That could affect how he performs, and thus his fantasy value.
He launched a career-best 32 homers in 2025, although he made 102 of his 149 regular-season starts at DH, whereas he’s expected to see most of the playing time in right field in 2026. Suzuki also posted 103 RBI and an .804 OPS last season, although the latter mark fell short of what he accomplished in the previous two seasons.
Even if his numbers decrease a bit in 2026, Suzuki is certainly a player worth considering in most formats, especially since he also has eligibility at designated hitter.
Seiya Suzuki’s 2026 Fantasy Baseball Projection: Strengths and Weaknesses
Suzuki played 151 games in 2025, but since most of his starts came as a DH, it wouldn’t be surprising if that number shrinks in 2026 due to the physical rigors of playing in the outfield day in and day out. Still, Suzuki should stay healthy enough to hover around 120–130 games, which still qualifies as solid production across the board. He’s also extremely consistent, tallying at least 140 hits, 20 homers, 70 RBI and 70 runs scored in each of his past three seasons.
Suzuki might not be able to reach the 30-homer plateau in 2026, but he should easily hover around 20–25 long balls while moving closer to 90–100 RBI, a number that should put him near the top of the NL in a lineup that lost Kyle Tucker but added Alex Bregman.
Suzuki’s biggest weakness comes on the defensive end, as he profiles best to be a DH due to his elite bat. He also doesn’t provide a lot of value on the basepaths, but he should offset that with strong production in standard categories like runs, RBI and hits. If he manages to increase his average to around .260, he could be in line to surpass the 150-hit mark for the first time in his major league career.
Suzuki will be a starter for the Cubs and should also be a starter for your team in fantasy baseball in 2026. Even though he’s not going to be selected in the early rounds, he’s certainly a solid mid-to-late pick. With an ADP around the 85–95 range, that puts Suzuki as a player worth targeting around the eighth or ninth round in 12-team formats.
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