The Chicago Cubs should soon get an offensive boost and shore up their defense in right field.
Manager David Ross indicated Monday that Seiya Suzuki could rejoin the Cubs during their upcoming West Coast trip to Los Angeles (Friday through Sunday) and Oakland (April 17-19), calling it a “best-case scenario” for Suzuki’s return. It would align with the team’s mid-April projection when Suzuki strained his left oblique in late February.
Suzuki is 2-for-5 with an RBI, a walk and a strikeout through two games of his rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa, which had Monday off. His injury prevented him from getting any plate appearances in the Cactus League before camp broke. Players usually get about 50 plate appearances in spring training to prepare for the season.
“We’re just kind of taking it day to day and making sure he feels comfortable,” Ross said before the series opener against the Seattle Mariners at Wrigley Field. “He’s nowhere near that (number), so just trying to get him built up as much as possible.”
Suzuki would deepen a Cubs lineup that was able to string together hits to produce a two-run fourth inning Monday against Mariners ace Luis Castillo. Cody Bellinger’s first double of the season tied the game at 1, and Trey Mancini and Eric Hosmer followed with back-to-back singles to put the Cubs ahead.
With the way the top third of the order — Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson and Ian Happ — has looked to start the season, the Cubs need those guys in the middle to produce.
Suzuki also would bolster the defense in right field, where the Cubs have relied on a mix of players who aren’t true outfielders. Miles Mastrobuoni got his fourth start at the position Monday, while the Cubs also have used Mancini (three starts) and Patrick Wisdom (two) in right.
As the Cubs await Suzuki’s return, they recalled outfielder Nelson Velázquez from Iowa on Monday and optioned right-hander Javier Assad as the corresponding move. The addition of Velázquez, who went 12-for-33 (.364) with two doubles and three homers in eight games at Iowa, gives Ross an option when he wants a late-inning defensive upgrade in right.
Assad wasn’t sharp in two multi-inning relief appearances. He surrendered six runs in 4⅓ innings, including three runs in three innings in the Cubs’ 8-2 loss Sunday to the Texas Rangers.
Assad will be used as a starter at Iowa to build up, get regular work and provide starting depth. The Cubs weren’t using him enough as a multi-inning reliever, in part because Keegan Thompson and Adbert Alzolay can fill that role too.
Ross didn’t rule out Assad returning to the Cubs bullpen at some point.
