Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki landed on the 10-day injured list Monday after suffering an oblique injury, but he hopes the ailment won’t keep him out long-term.
Suzuki spoke to media in Arizona prior to the team’s opener against the Diamondbacks, and said that he hopes his timeline to return will be shorter than last season when he missed several weeks following an injury to his other oblique.
“Right after I felt the discomfort yesterday in my last at-bat, I felt okay,” Suzuki told media, including Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times, through his interpreter Toy Matsushita. “And I think that’s because of the adrenaline that was rushing, and I didn’t really feel the exact pain I was supposed to. But after I spent one night, I do feel some discomfort still. But it’s not as serious as last year, so that’s a bright spot.”
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Suzuki missed the start of the regular season after suffering the injury last season. He still managed to play 138 games, hitting 20 home runs and driving in 74 RBIs.
In 15 games so far this season, Suzuki has three home runs and 13 RBI’s, and was batting .305 at the time of his injury.
Suzuki would be eligible to return to the lineup later this month, but the team has not provided a timetable for his recovery.