Cubs Week in Review: Breath-Holding Time After Seiya Suzuki WBC Knee Injury

[RavenCub30]

Image courtesy of © Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

It was all going so well. Before Venezuela ousted Samurai Japan Saturday night, Seiya Suzuki went 3-for-10 in the World Baseball Classic, with a homer and a double. He played center field, batted near the top of the order, and drew six walks, while striking out just once. Then, in a nightmarish turn for the Cubs, he seemed to twist or jam his knee as he went into a slide on a stolen-base attempt, and limped off the field in the first inning of Japan's eventual loss. Even as he returns to Arizona, the question looms: If he's out for an extended period, who will take his place as the team's regular right fielder?

The most obvious candidate is Matt Shaw. Displaced from third base, Shaw has responded well to the challenge of playing the outfield this spring, and his stance and swing seem to have undergone another round of adjustments. His numbers last year weren't pretty, and he's certainly not the hitter Suzuki is, but as he works past some of the consequences of having been rushed to the majors, he might be ready to handle a bat-first everyday job. We don't yet know whether Suzuki will miss any time, though, and even if he does, it's most likely that some combination of Shaw, Michael Conforto, Chas McCormick, Dylan Carlson and/or Kevin Alcántara will fill the gap, rather than that any one of them will take all the playing time.

With up to nine potential starting pitchers on the roster, few major-league teams have more pitching depth at the ready. One hurler whose role is still not quite clear, however, is Ben Brown. While the youngster continues developing a stronger arsenal (with greater dedication to his sinker and changeup than in the past), he's locked in on the mound in Mesa. He's posted a 3.38 ERA in 10 2/3 innings and has struck out 33.3% of the batters he's faced. He could be ticketed for a starting job in Iowa, or a bullpen job in Chicago—although he sounds like a man on a mission to earn a big-league rotation spot.

There's nothing good about an injury to anyone on the roster, especially to one so instrumental to their success. Hopefully, Suzuki's balky knee calms down quickly. For now, though, the team's problems are in balance with its reasons for optimism. Setbacks are a part of the game, but the Cubs are well-equipped to handle them.

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[Arlen]

My guess: bruised knee cap and maybe momentarily separated (sprained). I suspect he starts the season as a DH and hits right field in May at the worst... unless he falls down the stairs, or gets hit by a terrorist sleeper cell, or something.

Edited March 16 by Arlen