SAN FRANCISCO – Seiya Suzuki was originally in the Cubs’ lineup a day after being removed from Saturday night’s game with right knee discomfort.
But the right fielder was scratched from the lineup prior to Sunday’s loss as the Cubs decided to give him another day to recover after he worked out.
“He feels good. We’re just going to give him another day just to be safe,” manager Craig Counsell said. “He went out and ran around. We just opted to be conservative.”
Suzuki was in the middle of an excellent defensive performance Saturday night before he departed, throwing out a runner at second base and making a great sliding catch in right field. But the play he couldn’t make is what forced him out, as he stumbled to the ground on an attempt to catch a ball that dropped for a hit.
When the Cubs’ lineup initially came out Sunday morning, Suzuki was in there, as the designated hitter. He was removed, though, by the time Counsell met with the media.
“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 started the season on the IL with an injury to the same 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 of the campaign.
On the year, Suzuki’s offensive numbers are not what they have been, with his .772 OPS his lowest since his first season playing in the major leagues. But things have improved recently. He’s on a 10-game hit streak, with three homers – including Thursday’s grand slam in Denver – nine RBIs and six runs scored in that span. He had an RBI knock before leaving Saturday’s game.
Make room on the mantle, mom
Here’s your wholesome baseball moment of the day.
Infielder Pedro Ramirez blasted his first career home run out to center field in Saturday night’s win, a milestone for the No. 2 ranked prospect in the Cubs’ organization.
What was on his mind?
“When I was running the bases, the first thing that came to my mind was my mom,” Ramirez 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.”
So what did mom have to say?
“She was really happy for me,” he said. “[She told me] to keep working hard and to keep doing things well.”
Ramirez has been doing things well. Called up to a big league roster with accomplished veterans entrenched around the infield, playing time hasn’t been ample for the 22-year-old, but he’s made something of his opportunity, with seven hits – three of them for extra bases – and a trio of walks in his 31 trips to the plate.
Having already impressed his mom, he’s also managed to impress his manager.
“Pedro is a skilled player,” Counsell said Saturday. “He plays with a slow heartbeat, just calm. He’s got a high baseball IQ.
“I’ve been pleased.”
Mom should be pleased, too, not only because her son is playing well in his first taste of the majors, but because she’s got a couple souvenirs coming her way.
“[She’s getting] both,” Ramirez said, “[the balls from my] first hit and first home run.”