Seiya Suzuki’s PCL sprain offers encouraging news, but the Cubs await his knee’s progress to determine Opening Day lineup and roster impacts.
The Chicago Cubs got some relatively good news regarding Seiya Suzuki’s knee injury on Tuesday afternoon.
After meeting with team doctors and undergoing an MRI, Suzuki is currently dealing with a PCL sprain. That is an encouraging update for the Cubs slugger following his departure in the World Baseball Classic over the weekend.
Suzuki attempted to steal second base in the first inning of Japan’s quarterfinal game against Venezuela on Saturday. However, he slid awkwardly and came up gingerly after being thrown out.
Even after the MRI revealed a PCL sprain, the Cubs are unsure if Suzuki will be ready to go for the start of the season. The team will keep a close eye on the outfielder over the next few days before making a decision.
“We’re going to treat it right now, see how he kind of progresses throughout the weekend,” Counsell told reporters in Arizona. “That will kind of determine if an IL stint is necessary. He’s limping right now, so that means there is probably some swelling in there. It’s gotten better from that perspective already. But he is going to continue his activities. He’s not being shut down right now.”
If the Cubs do eventually decide to put Suzuki on the 10-day injured list to begin the season, their Opening Day lineup will look a little bit different. The North Siders would need to replace him in the outfield.
But the Cubs have a viable backup in Matt Shaw to replace Suzuki. While Shaw doesn’t bring the same kind of power as Suzuki to the lineup, he is a fine replacement for him to start the 2026 campaign.
Shaw would likely start in right field on Opening Day and get the majority of starts until Suzuki returns. Given the spring that the 24-year-old has had (.361 batting average with one home run and six stolen bases), he deserves the opportunity to fill in.
Moises Ballesteros would then see a lot of the starts at designated hitter. He would be the primary DH until Suzuki is healthy enough to return.
Potential Opening Day Lineup:
1. Michael Busch
2. Alex Bregman
3. Ian Happ
4. Carson Kelly
5. Pete Crow-Armstrong
6. Nico Hoerner
7. Moises Ballesteros
8. Dansby Swanson
9. Matt Shaw
The potential IL stint for Suzuki would also open an additional roster spot on the Cubs’ Opening Day roster.
That means two of the four outfielders currently battling for a roster spot this spring could make the roster out of camp. Michael Conforto, Dylan Carlson, Chas McCormick, and Kevin Alcantara would all have better chances to make the team.
For now, though, the Cubs are in wait-and-see mode to see how Suzuki’s knee responds within the next few days. The team should have a better answer about a potential IL stint early next week.