Two unsurprising news bits have come out regarding the Chicago Cubs Opening Day roster. The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney reports that Seiya Suzuki, dealing with the PCL injury, will not be ready for Opening Day and that veteran outfielder Michael Conforto will make the roster. Suzuki has not yet been placed on the IL, but Mooney believes he will be.
Seiya Suzuki, who’s dealing with a right knee injury, will not be ready for Opening Day, Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. The club has not yet decided whether Suzuki will start the season on the injured list, but it appears to be trending in that direction.
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) March 21, 2026
The Cubs are planning to add Michael Conforto to their Opening Day roster.
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) March 21, 2026
Conforto in, Seiya out.
Despite the optimism from manager Craig Counsell last week, it seemed highly unlikely Suzuki would be ready for Opening Day. Counsell mentioned that Suzuki’s knee was swollen and that he was still hobbling a bit. This was with less than two weeks to go before the start of the season. The hope is that there are no setbacks, that Suzuki’s knee heals, and that he’s not gone longer than a 10-day IL stint, assuming he is placed on the IL. They will have until Wednesday to make that decision.
Conforto making the roster also felt like a safe bet. The 33-year old veteran slugger, coming off a rough year in Los Angeles (.199/.305/.333), was signed to a Minor League deal and is looking to bounce back. He’s two years removed from a 20 home run, .759 OPS season with the Giants in 2024. Conforto is not expected to have a huge role, but he gives the Cubs an experienced lefty bat with some pop and the ability to draw walks. It’s worth noting that Conforto’s BB% was in the 84th percentile last year.
Even if Suzuki was healthy, Conforto had a solid shot to make the team out of camp. He can play right on days Matt Shaw is not out there, or pinch hit when needed. Time will tell if he has anything left in the tank and how long he sticks around. The rest of the roster will be coming together in the coming days.
Chicago Cubs shed 2 pitchers, 1 infielder from major league roster
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