{"id":666678,"date":"2026-04-06T16:38:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T16:38:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/666678\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T16:38:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T16:38:25","slug":"chicago-cubs-reveal-seiya-suzukis-season-debut-date","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/666678\/","title":{"rendered":"Chicago Cubs Reveal Seiya Suzuki’s Season Debut Date"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Seiya\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Seiya Suzuki rounding the bases against the Philadelphia Phillies<\/p>\n

The Chicago Cubs<\/a> are still waiting for Seiya Suzuki<\/a> to join their everyday lineup.<\/p>\n

The star outfielder was diagnosed with a \u2018mild PCL strain\u2019 in his knee after a scary play during the World Baseball Classic about a month ago. After a brief minor league rehab stint, Suzuki\u2019s return to the Cubs\u2019 lineup is on the horizon.<\/p>\n

Cubs\u2019 manager Craig Counsell indicated on Sunday that Seiya Suzuki will likely be activated to the Cubs\u2019 lineup on Friday, April 10, for Chicago\u2019s series against the Pittsburgh Pirates<\/a>.<\/p>\n

More MLB<\/a> on Heavy: Mets Get Juan Soto Decision For Giants Game After Calf Injury<\/a><\/p>\n

Cubs\u2019 Seiya Suzuki to Make Season Debut This Week
\n\"Seiya<\/p>\n

GettySeiya Suzuki #27 of the Chicago Cubs reacts after an RBI single in the first inning off Jake Irvin<\/a> of the Washington Nationals<\/a> at Wrigley Field on September 22, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.<\/p>\n

This is great news for the Cubbies, who have started the 2026 MLB season with a 4-5 record through their first nine games, and it\u2019s been apparent the lineup could use a power boost that Suzuki will provide.<\/p>\n

MLBTradeRumors.com was quick to the<\/a> news this morning, and provided some insight on why 2026 is a big year for Suzuki:<\/p>\n

\u201c2026 is a big year for Suzuki, as it is the final season of the five-year, $85MM free agent contract he signed with Chicago prior to the 2022 season.\u00a0 The deal has proven to be a solid investment, as Suzuki has hit .269\/.346\/.472 with 87 home runs over his four Major League seasons, translating to a 127 wRC+ and 11.1 fWAR.\u00a0 Suzuki turns 32 in August and his corner outfield glovework has been average at best, so he\u2019ll need more big numbers at the plate in order to land another lucrative contract in free agency (with the Cubs or another team) next winter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Seiya<\/p>\n

GettySeiya Suzuki celebrates in the Cubs dugout<\/p>\n

More MLB on Heavy: Mets Predicted to Sign Former Yankees Controversial Infielder<\/a><\/p>\n

Cubs\u2019 Craig Counsell Shares Suzuki Update<\/p>\n

Here is what Craig Counsell told reporters about Suzuki\u2019s progress:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re probably dealing with at-bats as much as anything here,\u201d Counsell said.\u00a0 \u201cHe didn\u2019t get a full spring.\u00a0 Multiple weeks off.\u00a0 It\u2019s just making sure he\u2019s ready to go offensively\u2026.We want him to play right field, so we\u2019ll activate him when he\u2019s ready to play right field.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt Shaw<\/a> has seen the majority of right field at-bats in Suzuki\u2019s absence. Over the first week of the season, Shaw has a .217 average with one home run and four batters driven in.<\/p>\n

Suzuki will be a clear upgrade in the Cubs\u2019 lineup and should help get the offense back on track throughout April.<\/p>\n

More MLB on Heavy: Red Sox Get Bold Take by MLB Writer After Slow Start to Season<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Cubs\n\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty Seiya Suzuki rounding the bases against the Philadelphia Phillies The Chicago Cubs are still waiting for Seiya…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":666679,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2399],"tags":[5,138,24,4245,161,4],"class_list":{"0":"post-666678","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-chicago-cubs","8":"tag-baseball","9":"tag-chicago","10":"tag-chicago-cubs","11":"tag-chicagocubs","12":"tag-cubs","13":"tag-mlb"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/116358750663734353","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/666678","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=666678"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/666678\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/666679"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=666678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=666678"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=666678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}