MESA, Ariz. (AP) \u2014 Seiya Suzuki will miss the Chicago Cubs’ season opener after suffering a minor ligament strain in his right knee during the World Baseball Classic, manager Craig Counsell said Saturday.<\/p>\n
The team was mulling whether to place him on the injured list.<\/p>\n
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\u201cOpening day is not going to happen,\u201d Counsell said. \u201c(He’s) not going to be ready to play on opening day. We’ve got to make a decision. Once you get past opening day, we’ve got to make a decision: Does it just make sense to just give him some time. We’ve got time to make that decision, but that’s kind of where we’re at.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Cubs open against Washington at Wrigley Field on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Suzuki got hurt in Japan\u2019s 8-5 loss to Venezuela<\/a> in a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal March 14 in Miami. He walked gingerly to the dugout after a headfirst slide into second base when he was caught stealing in the first inning<\/a>. Suzuki was replaced in center field after the end of that half-inning.<\/p>\n The 31-year-old returned to the Cubs\u2019 spring training facility<\/a> on Monday, when he was seen walking slowly with a soft brace on the injured knee. Suzuki underwent imaging to determine the extent of the injury.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Suzuki is going into the final season of an $85 million, five-year contract<\/a>. He has hit .269 with 87 home runs and 296 RBIs in 532 games for the Cubs, including a team-leading 103 RBIs with 32 homers in 2025.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n