MIAMI — Japan’s Seiya Suzuki left Saturday night’s World Baseball Classic quarterfinal against Venezuela after suffering an apparent right knee injury while he was caught stealing in the first inning.
The Chicago Cubs outfielder walked with one out against Ranger Suárez and as he slid headfirst into second base appeared to injury his right knee. At first ruled safe by second-base umpire Maikol Tibibijo, Suzuki was called out in a video review.
Suzuki walked gingerly as he returned to the dugout, accompanied by an athletic trainer. After a slightly extended half-inning break, Suzuki was replaced in center field by Shota Morishita.
Morishita hit a tiebreaking, three-run home run off Ranger Suárez for a 5-2 lead in a four-run third that included Teruaki Sato’s RBI double following an intentional walk to Shohei Ohtani.
Entering the final season of a five-year, $85 million contract, the 31-year-old Suzuki has a .269 average with 87 home runs and 296 RBIs with the Cubs.
The Cubs open the season in less than two weeks — March 26 against the Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field.