Cubs big win featured milestone rockets from Suzuki, Wisdom
One interesting note from Tuesday's lopsided victory over Washington was both Seiya Suzuki and Patrick Wisdom delivered the highest exit velocities of their major-league careers.
Suzuki hit a first-inning single at 114.6 miles per hour, according to Statcast. Wisdom's seventh-inning home run was clocked at 114.4.
Those are the two hardest-hit balls by the Cubs this season, and both rank in the top 25 in MLB.
The Cubs' previous high was Christopher Morel's 113.6 mph on a home run May 14 in Minnesota. The hardest hit in the majors this year was 118.6 by Atlanta's Matt Olson. White Sox third baseman Jake Burger is second with an 118.2 home run against the Phillies in April.
"Could I tell? I knew I hit it hard," Wisdom said after the game. "I think I was more pumped that it put us ahead in the game. That's pretty cool."
It was Wisdom's third home run in four games. He was not in the starting lineup Wednesday.
Manager David Ross talked about how Suzuki is trying to transition from preparing to face a specific pitcher to a pregame routine that focuses on his strengths.
"If he's facing a four-seam guy, he may do a high-tee drill," Ross said of Suzuki. "If he's facing a sink guy, he may try to stay inside the baseball and try to drive the ball to right-center in the cage.
"I think he's learning that, being around Dansby (Swanson) and Happer (Ian Happ), who come in every single day and do what they do best, and then form their plan of attack rather than adjust to who's on the mound. I think you create the most consistency. I think that's something that's going to help him."
Cubs sign picks:
The Cubs announced the signing of 10 more draft picks Wednesday, which means they've officially signed 17 of their 20 selections.
Among those in the recent batch is third round pick Josh Rivera, a shortstop from Florida who made a huge jump from his junior to senior season. He went from hitting .254 with 32 RBI to .348 with 72 RBI.
Another signee is fourth-rounder Will Sanders, a 6-foot-6 right-handed pitcher from South Carolina. He was considered a possible first-round pick early in the spring, but had the worst season of his three-year college career as a junior, going 4-4 with a 5.46 ERA. His fastball reportedly peaks at 96 miles per hour.
The three players who remain unsigned are second-round RHP Jaxon Wiggins from Arkansas, 11th-round OF Zyhir Hope from Colonial Forge (Va.) HS, and 13th-round RHP Sam Armstrong from Old Dominion.
Hope is one of only three high school players chosen by the Cubs. The other two - sixth-round OF Alfonsin Rosario and seventh-round SS Yahil Melendez - have agreed to terms.
Around the horn:
Manager David Ross is hopeful shortstop Dansby Swanson (bruised left heel) will be activated during this weekend's series against St. Louis. ... The Cubs starters for Saturday and Sunday, when Drew Smyly and Jameson Taillon are due to throw, are listed as TBD.
Cubs pitching prospect Ben Brown had one of his best starts of the season for Triple A Iowa on Wednesday, allowing 1 hit and no runs in 5 innings, with 9 strikeouts. ... When the Cubs scored 14 runs in the seventh and eighth innings Tuesday, it was the first time since May 5, 2001 they scored at least 6 runs in back-to-back innings.
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