Cubs Activate Seiya Suzuki, DFA Dylan Carlson in Series of Roster Moves

The Chicago Cubs made a series of roster adjustments on April 14, 2024, headlined by the return of a key outfielder and a corresponding designation for assignment.

Primary Roster Moves

• Seiya Suzuki was activated from the injured list.
• Dylan Carlson was designated for assignment to create Suzuki's roster spot.
• Phil Maton was placed on the injured list with a knee injury.
• Ethan Roberts is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Iowa to take Maton's spot.

Player Status and Background

Suzuki had been on the IL since the start of the regular season due to a knee sprain sustained while playing for Samurai Japan in the World Baseball Classic. He missed the first two weeks of the season.

In five rehabilitation games for Double-A Knoxville, Suzuki recorded a .429 batting average with two doubles.

Manager Craig Counsell stated that Suzuki will not play every day immediately upon his return but is expected to become a regular in the lineup once reacclimated.

Carlson signed a minor league contract with the Cubs in late January 2024 and made the Opening Day roster. He appeared in three games for Chicago, going 0-for-4 at the plate.

During MLB Spring Training, Carlson had a promising .298/.421/.404 slash line in 20 games. He has previously played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, and Baltimore Orioles.

Maton signed a two-year, $14.5 million contract with the Cubs during the offseason. He began the season with two scoreless outings but allowed two earned runs in each of his next three appearances.

His final outing before the IL placement was on April 13 against the Tampa Bay Rays, where he allowed two runs in the eighth inning of a game the Cubs led 7-0.

Roberts served as the 27th man for a doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians over the weekend, pitching 0.2 innings in the second game. He has a career 4.91 ERA across 44 innings pitched with the Cubs over parts of four major league seasons.

Roster Impact and Related Notes

With Suzuki's return, Matt Shaw is expected to shift from right field to a utility role. Shaw, in his first professional experience in the outfield, was credited with 1 Defensive Run Saved over 81 innings in right field. At the plate, he posted a 108 wRC+ with two home runs in 39 plate appearances while filling in.

Phil Maton was part of a group of relievers added by the Cubs this offseason, which also included Hunter Harvey, Caleb Thielbar, Hoby Milner, and Jacob Webb.

Reporting Attribution

The roster moves were first reported by multiple journalists:

• Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reported Suzuki's activation and Carlson's designation.
• Bruce Levine of 670 The Score reported Maton's placement on the injured list.
• Jesse Rogers of ESPN reported Roberts's expected recall.