Seiya Suzuki Returns Friday and the Cubs' Offense Just Got a Whole Lot Scarier
The Cubs are getting one of their biggest bats back in the lineup. Right fielder Seiya Suzuki will make his season debut on Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates after recovering from a knee injury he suffered during the WBC, the team announced before the game. This is huge for Chicago's offense after two weeks without one of their most dangerous hitters.
A Star Returns to the Middle of the Order
Suzuki, 31, had career highs with 32 home runs and 103 RBIs last season, helping carry the Cubs to the postseason for the first time since 2020. The guy can hit, and he can hit for power. He was injured last month on a stolen base attempt while playing for Team Japan, which sent him straight to the injured list to start the season.
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👉 Claim Your Free $10 at Kalshi"We're putting one of our middle of the order bats back in the lineup," manager Craig Counsell said Friday morning. "It's a big addition, for sure." Suzuki is in the final year of a 5-year, $85 million contract and has been splitting time between right field and DH. He'll start in right field on Friday, but the Cubs plan to be careful with his workload as he gets back to game speed.
The Roster Shuffle Around Him
To make room for Suzuki, the Cubs designated outfielder Dylan Carlson for assignment. Carlson had only four at-bats over the first two weeks and lost out on an internal competition with Michael Conforto for that roster spot. The team also called up right-hander Ethan Roberts from Triple-A after placing reliever Phil Maton on the injured list with right knee tendinitis.
Maton's been dealing with the knee issue for a while now. "It's gradually gotten worse," Counsell said. "We saw real effects from it in his last outing in Tampa. His velocity was down. It was just a case of not being able to sit into his back leg and drive off the mound." Maton gave up six runs over four innings before landing on the shelf. He joins starter Cade Horton on the injured list, with Horton awaiting elbow surgery that could sideline him between 12 to 15 months.
The Cubs are taking their lumps early with injuries, but getting Suzuki back should give the offense a serious jolt heading into Friday's matchup with Pittsburgh.
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