Cubs roster move: Seiya Suzuki activated from injured list, Miles Mastrobuoni optioned

Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki was all set to go for the Cubs’ first Spring Training home game at Sloan Park Saturday, February 25 against the Giants.

But before that game would begin, Suzuki was scratched from the lineup with an oblique injury.

One day short of seven weeks later, Suzuki has been activated from the injured list and will be in the starting lineup, batting cleanup, for Friday night’s game against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

The Cubs have missed Suzuki’s bat. He had an uneven rookie season, with a hot start followed by a slump and then an injury that kept him out for six weeks. But Suzuki finished the 2022 season strong, batting .315/.392/.514 (35-for-111) over his final 32 games with five doubles, a triple and five home runs.

He went 4-for-13 (.308) in a four-game rehab assignment at Triple-A Iowa with a home run.

To make room for Suzuki on the 26-man active roster, the Cubs optioned Miles Mastrobuoni to Iowa. Mastrobuoni was 4-for-20 (.200) with one double and six strikeouts in eight games so far this year.

Righthanded reliever Jeremiah Estrada was apparently spotted on a plane flying to Los Angeles, so it’s possible he might be activated in the next day or so — possibly if/when Cody Bellinger goes on the paternity list, as that’s expected soon. Estrada had made four appearances for Iowa covering five innings, allowing two hits and no runs with no walks and seven strikeouts. As always, we await developments.

Today’s game preview will post at 7 p.m. CT.