Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki to start season on injured list

Chicago Cubs proper fielder Seiya Suzuki will start the season on the injured list, supervisor Craig Counsell advised reporters Monday.

Suzuki, who strained the posterior cruciate ligament in his proper knee throughout the World Baseball Classic, already had been ruled out for Opening Day in opposition to the Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field on Thursday.

Suzuki, 31, received damage in Japan’s 8-5 loss to Venezuela in a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal March 14 in Miami. I’ve walked gingerly to the dugout after a headfirst slide into second base when he was caught stealing within the first inning. Suzuki was changed in middle subject after the top of that half-inning.

The 31-year-old returned to the Cubs’ spring coaching facility Monday, when he was seen strolling slowly with a tender brace on the injured knee. Suzuki underwent imaging to decide the extent of the harm.

Suzuki goes into the ultimate season of an $85 million, five-year contract. He has hit .269 with 87 house runs and 296 RBIs in 532 video games for the Cubs, together with a team-leading 103 RBIs with 32 homers in 2025.

The Cubs are including veteran Michael Conforto to the 40-man roster forward of the opener. Conforto was a non-roster invitee to spring coaching. The 33-year-old hit .273 this spring. Conforto batted simply .199 with 12 house runs final season for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In different roster information, Counsell stated Ben Brown you could have made the workforce and can come out of the bullpen, whereas Javier Assad will start the season within the rotation for Triple-A Iowa.

Brown, 26, pitched as each a starter and a reliever in 2025, going 5-8 with a 5.92 ERA in 25 appearances (15 begins). He had 121 strikeouts and 32 walks in 106⅓ innings.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.