Cubs scratch – Seiya Suzuki was removed from the Cubs’ Sunday lineup after right knee discomfort resurfaced Saturday night. Manager Craig Counsell said the team is handling it day to day, choosing caution after Suzuki worked out and “feels good.”
SAN FRANCISCO — Seiya Suzuki was already in the Cubs’ lineup on Sunday morning, but before the day’s game even began, he was scratched. The change came after the right fielder was taken out a day earlier with right knee discomfort, and the team decided he needed another day to recover.
Manager Craig Counsell said Suzuki “feels good” and that the Cubs are being careful for the sake of his health. “He went out and ran around. We just opted to be conservative,” Counsell said. “We’re just going to give him another day just to be safe.”
The decision followed an eventful Saturday night defensively. Suzuki delivered an excellent performance before he departed. throwing out a runner at second base and making a strong sliding catch in right field. But the moment that changed everything came after he stumbled while attempting to catch a ball that dropped for a hit.
When the Cubs’ lineup was first posted Sunday morning, Suzuki was listed as the designated hitter. By the time Counsell met with the media, he was gone from the card.
“This is going to be day to day,” Counsell said. “He’s optimistic that he’s good to go. We want to be conservative. We’ll just take it day to day.”
Suzuki’s knee has been a recurring concern. He started the season on the injured list with an injury to the same right knee, sustained while he was playing for Japan during the World Baseball Classic. He didn’t make his season debut until the Cubs’ 13th game.
Offensively. Suzuki’s production has lagged behind his usual standard. with a .772 OPS that is his lowest since his first season in the majors. Still, there has been improvement in recent games. He has been on a 10-game hit streak. driving in runs with three home runs during that span. including Thursday’s grand slam in Denver. In those 10 games, he has nine RBIs and six runs scored. He also recorded an RBI knock before leaving Saturday’s game.
While the Cubs handled Suzuki’s status with caution, Saturday’s win carried its own quiet thrill for another player. Infielder Pedro Ramirez launched his first career home run out to center field in the Cubs’ victory on Saturday night. a milestone that marked the moment for the organization’s No. 2 ranked prospect.
Ramirez described what crossed his mind when he was running the bases. “When I was running the bases, the first thing that came to my mind was my mom,” he said after the game. “All I kept thinking was, ‘I hope she’s watching me.’ And she actually was watching me, so that was good.”
The emotional theme continued with what his mother told him afterward. “She was really happy for me,” Ramirez said. “[She told me] to keep working hard and to keep doing things well.”
Ramirez has been doing exactly that. Called up to the big leagues with established veterans already entrenched around the infield, his playing time has not been steady. Still, in his 31 plate trips, he has seven hits, including three for extra bases, and he’s drawn a trio of walks.
Counsell made clear he’s noticed how Ramirez plays the game. “Pedro is a skilled player,” Counsell said Saturday. “He plays with a slow heartbeat, just calm. He’s got a high baseball IQ.” Counsell added, “I’ve been pleased.”
Now, Ramirez says his mother will get the kind of keepsakes most fans only dream about. “She’s getting [both],” Ramirez said, referring to what she’ll receive. “[She’s getting] the balls from my first hit and first home run.”
Seiya Suzuki Cubs knee discomfort Craig Counsell day to day Pedro Ramirez first career home run