Chicago Cubs outfielder starts 2026 season with Knoxville Smokies
Seiya Suzuki's rehab start with the Smokies began with a ground-ball single in the gap between second and third base.
A Japanese-born baseball star who went viral in 2025 for taking batting practice with a samurai sword started his 2026 season with the Double-A Smokies in Knoxville. Seiya Suzuki appeared with the Cubs in spring training before suffering a knee injury in the World Baseball Classic in March while playing for Japan. His rehab start with the Smokies on April 3 began with a ground-ball single in the gap between second and third base, and he crossed home plate in the first inning courtesy of a three-run homer from Jefferson Rojas.
Chicago manager Craig Counsell told reporters March 31 the club is "looking at probably three to seven days, somewhere in that range" for Suzuki's rehab before the right fielder is able to return to the Cubs, according to ESPN. Suzuki became available to MLB teams in 2022 and joined the Cubs after nearly a decade as a professional player in Japan. In his first year with the Cubs, Suzuki played in 111 games and finished the season with a .
262 batting average, 14 home runs and 46 RBIs. Ryan Wilusz is the business growth and development editor for Knox News. Email: ryan.
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