Seiya Suzuki won't be ready for Opening Day due to knee injury

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Rahimi & Grote Show 15 min 3 speakers 8 chapters transcribed 6 months ago

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Why is Seiya Suzuki not ready for Opening Day?

Marshall Harris 0:00

Hello again, everybody, and welcome in to Rahimi Harris and Grody on the score. Marshall Harris is back.

Mark Grote 0:07

You and I are back together, my friend. I haven't seen you in forever. It's been a long time. But I'm happy to see you, especially because baseball's coming this week, big fella.

Marshall Harris 0:16

It is. The Cubs and the White Sox both have their opening days on Thursday. The Cubs host Washington on Thursday, 1-20. Hopefully you guys were giving me some disturbing information about potentially bad weather on Thursday.

What are the implications of Suzuki's knee injury for the Cubs?

Marshall Harris 0:34

They've got Friday locked in if they need it.

Mark Grote 0:37

First opening day in Chicago where there's potentially bad weather? Is that what you're telling me, Grody?

Marshall Harris 0:41

You're right. In my head, I should be thinking, yes, there's been millions of these. I wasn't exactly saying it's inconceivable that there would be bad weather. Honestly, I just don't. I'm not a five-day forecast guy. I don't know if you figured this out about me, Marshall. I live my life day to day.

How will the Cubs adjust their lineup without Suzuki?

Mark Grote 0:54

I'm giving you two options here, Grody. Yes, sir. You can have a Thursday, 60-degree day, in which there are scattered showers throughout the day for opening day, or you can have completely clear on Friday, but the high is, let's say, 32 degrees.

Marshall Harris 1:09

Give me the 60s sporadic. I'll take a rain delay or two. I know that that doesn't make our friends in the broadcast booth particularly happy, but they'll be ready for it.

Mark Grote 1:19

Or the starting pitcher on opening. Matthew Boyd probably would not be happy about that either.

Marshall Harris 1:23

You're right.

What are the weather conditions expected for Opening Day?

Marshall Harris 1:24

Get up, get down, get up to get back down. Exactly. So that might make things complicated. But yeah, Cubs-Washington, 120 right here on 670. The score, Matthew Boyd against a righty for Washington, Cade Cavalier, the 27-year-old former first-rounder. So it's important to point out that it is a right-hander on the mound. considering what the Cubs have going on right now, which we'll get to here in just a second. But yeah, the White Sox also open up at Milwaukee. Important for the White Sox, important for the Cubs, because you've got the Shane Smith pitching situation, as we mentioned, against your guy, Marshall Harris, Jacob Mizorowski. How is he my guy?

Who are the potential candidates to fill Suzuki's position?

Marshall Harris 2:06

I don't know.

Mark Grote 2:07

Is it because I never said that the Cubs had clinched the division last year? Does that make Jacob Mizorowski my guy? Yeah, we're doing that.

Marshall Harris 2:14

I'm the one who makes bad predictions about the Chicago Cubs and statements about the Cubs. Not you. I will, ladies and gentlemen, here in the year of our Lord, 2026, I'll try to do better with the Cubs this year. That's all I can do, Marshall.

Mark Grote 2:29

Every year we try to do better. Every day we strive to do better, Mark.

How has Matt Shaw performed in spring training?

Mark Grote 2:32

And I believe in you. You'll do better.

Marshall Harris 2:34

I just don't know how much better you'll do. That means a lot to me. There is news, breaking news for the Cubs, I guess, if you consider breaking news over a 24-hour cycle like I think everybody seems to do. If you hadn't heard, Seiya Suzuki has the Cubs right fielder ruled out for opening day with the PCL sprain, which means that they don't have to make the decision until Wednesday whether or not to put him on the disabled list, the injured list. until Wednesday, but it sure feels like all indications are, I would say, 99% chance that he's going on the 15-day injured list because of this PCL strain.

Mark Grote 3:17

Well, it would be the 10-day IL, which they can backdate, so they don't have to worry about missing that much time. He could be back early next week. I'll say this.

What adjustments has Matt Shaw made to his batting technique?

Mark Grote 3:26

For Seiya Suzuki, it's very simple to me, Mark. It's the start of the season. Make sure that man is healthy before he gets out on the field. And understanding he's not even to the point where he's starting and stopping as far as running yet. It doesn't sound like he's close to being able to play baseball. There's no reason at all to rush him. What this does do is it supercharges something that we've seen coming, and that is... Matt Shaw as a utility player, but really Matt Shaw as a right fielder at Wrigley Field. Straight up. Off the top.