Zachary Engberg
2 min read • May 26, 2022
Posted in
Star rookie rightfielder Seiya Suzuki left the Cubs' game on Thursday in the fourth inning with a sprained left ring finger.
Suzuki appeared to suffer the injury on an awkward slide while stealing second base in the third inning. He had to slow his momentum and veer to the side to avoid running into second baseman Kyle Farmer, sending him into an exceptionally ungraceful dive finger-first into the bag.
Farmer rolled over his outstretched left arm, but after trainers checked him out, Suzuki stayed in the game.
He was seen in the dugout in the fourth inning struggling to grip a bat and was replaced in right field by Rafael Ortego soon after.
Manager David Ross said after Chicago's 20-5 loss that x-rays on Suzuki's finger came back negative.
His status is unclear, but the team is reportedly cautiously optimistic he will be able to avoid a stint on the IL, according to The Athletic's Patrick Monney. His availability going forward will likely depend on the level of pain and swelling he feels in the coming days.
Suzuki, 27, missed three games earlier this month with right ankle soreness.
After a red-hot start that earned him NL Rookie Of The Month, Suzuki has struggled from the plate, batting .175 with zero home runs, eight extra-base hits, seven RBI, and 30 strikeouts since April 28.
The Cubs saw starting catcher Willson Contreras return to the lineup on Thursday night after a hamstring issue held him out since Saturday.
Contreras went 1-2 with a HBP and hit his sixth home run of the season before being relieved in the eighth inning, down 15-5.
The veteran Cub pinch hit in the top of the ninth inning on Wednesday and lined out to center.
Written by Zachary Engberg