Seiya Suzuki Homers, Rehab Games Coming Soon for Cubs RF

The Chicago Cubs are making their way through the first couple of weeks of the 2023 regular season without starting right fielder Seiya Suzuki, but his absence in the lineup may not last too much longer.

Suzuki, who has been sidelined with a left oblique strain since the start of spring training on Feb. 25, has been playing in simulated games and he took a major step forward in his progress from the injury on Wednesday during an intrasquad game at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz.

First, Cubs manager David Ross gave an update early on Wednesday, saying that if things went good for Suzuki today, then rehab games could soon be on the table for the right-handed hitting outfielder. After taking some at-bats and playing in the field in Arizona this past week, Suzuki’s oblique is said to be feeling 100%.

The update from Wednesday’s game is exactly what the team, fans and Suzuki were hoping for. Well, not that everyone was expecting Suzuki to go out there and hit a home run, but that is exactly what he did off left-handed relief pitcher Brandon Hughes.

According to Arizona Phil from the Cub Reporter, Suzuki blasted a solo home run to left field, crushing it over the bullpen and onto the berm.

Suzuki played the entire game in right field, although it was noted that not a single ball was hit his direction. Besides the home run, Suzuki had three other plate appearances, hitting a pop-fly to right center field, grounding out to third base and drawing a walk his second time up.

So yeah, it sure does look like Suzuki will be getting ready for a rehab assignment soon.

After playing Tuesday and Wednesday, Suzuki might be traveling on Thursday to where ever the Cubs decide to give him his first set of rehab games. The Iowa Cubs will be playing on the road this weekend against the St. Paul Saints in Minnesota, while the South Bend Cubs are also away from home, playing in Iowa against the Quad Cities River Bandits.

There is also the chance the Cubs could send Suzuki to one of their other minor league affiliates as the Double-A Tennessee Smokies and Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans are both playing at their respective home fields.

Looking ahead at the Cubs schedule, they are returning to Wrigley Field from their shortened series against the Cincinnati Reds after the series finale on Wednesday was postponed because of weather. The Cubs have a six-game home stand, playing three games apiece against the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners. Then, next Friday, they begin a six-game road trip to the West Coast, with matchups against the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Oakland A’s.

This is a reminder that Suzuki did not have a spring training whatsoever, so who knows how much time he needs to feel like he’s ready to jump back in against MLB pitching. Is a week’s worth of games enough? If it is, then April 14, in Los Angeles may be a date you could circle for Suzuki’s return.

Meanwhile, although Brandon Hughes was hit around, I’d say it’s encouraging to see him throwing strikes and simply getting ramped up to hopefully return from his knee injury. Hughes hit the strike zone 19 times out of his 22 pitches in the simulated game on Wednesday, striking out four batters swinging in 1.1 innings.

You can catch up on the Cubs still down in Arizona here.