Seiya Suzuki was in the starting lineup for Saturday’s Cactus League opener, only to be scratched an hour or so before the game. “Left oblique tightness” was announced as the reason for the scratch.
Suzuki hasn’t played in any of the Cubs’ spring games so far and late Monday, the team announced he wouldn’t go back to Japan to play for his home country in the World Baseball Classic:
Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki has officially withdrawn from World Baseball Classic, per the team. Suzuki is currently dealing with a left oblique injury.