Seiya Suzuki Is About to Return and the Cubs Are Banking on His Bat to Wake Up Their Offense

The Chicago Cubs are bringing Seiya Suzuki back Friday. The 31-year-old outfielder has been sidelined all season with a sprained knee ligament he suffered playing for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic, but he's ready to rejoin the lineup ahead of a three-game home series against Pittsburgh.

Suzuki has been grinding through rehab games with Double-A Knoxville, and the numbers are starting to look right. In three games so far, he's gone 3-for-8 with a walk and an RBI. It's not a huge sample, but it's enough to tell the Cubs he's getting his timing back.

Getting His Timing Back Offensively

Manager Craig Counsell is being smart about the activation. "We're probably dealing with at-bats as much as anything here," Counsell told reporters. "He didn't get a full spring. Multiple weeks off. It's just making sure he's ready to go offensively."

The Cubs have been careful with Suzuki's defense too. He's played 10 innings over two games in right field during his time in Knoxville, and the team plans to get him more defensive reps this week before bringing him back to Wrigleyear.

Why This Matters for Chicago

Last season was Suzuki's best in a Cubs uniform. He hit 32 home runs with 103 RBIs. Over his four seasons in Chicago, he's batted .269 with an .818 OPS, 87 home runs and 296 RBIs in 532 games. That's the kind of production the Cubs need in their lineup right now.

Suzuki's return Friday against the Pirates gives Chicago a chance to inject some power back into their offense. After missing the entire season so far, his bat is going to be crucial as the Cubs try to get rolling.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.