Chicago Cubs fans excited as outfielder Seiya Suzuki expected back with the team for Friday’s game: "Seiya real soon" "The season starts now"

The return of Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki is imminent. Suzuki, who has been on the injured list since suffering a left oblique strain in spring training, is expected to be back in the lineup for the start of the team's road trip against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins announced the news on Chicago-area radio station 670 The Score.

Suzuki wrapped up a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday by going 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. The homer went 419 feet off the batter's eye in the Iowa Cubs' home stadium, Principal Park, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Through his interpreter, he told the Des Moines Register:

"It was a good line drive. But I felt like I had some good help from the wind. I want to make sure that I don’t need that wind next time when I get up there."

In three games with Iowa, he hit .308 with the one homer.

Asked by Des Moines-area reporters whether he was heading to join the big league Cubs, Seiya Suzuki said "It's a secret," through his interpreter.

As a rookie last season, Suzuki hit .262 with 14 home runs and 46 RBIs in 111 games.

The news is buoying Cubs fans as the team opens a six-game road trip against the Dodgers. After three games in Los Angeles, the team will travel to the Oakland Athletics before returning to Wrigley Field to face the Dodgers and San Diego Padres next weekend.

The 28-year-old is in his second season with the Cubs. He has fans dreaming big after he showed up to camp sporting considerably more muscle than in his rookie MLB season.

In addition to the return of Seiya Suzuki, the Cubs are expected to call up relief pitcher Jeremiah Estrada, 24, pitched in four games with Iowa, logging a 0.00 ERA, 0.40 WHIP and seven strikeouts in five innings.

Chicago Cubs have been waiting on Seiya Suzuki

Seiya Suzuki of the Chicago Cubs will move back into his right field role.

Seiya Suzuki will move back into his role as the team's starting right fielder, adding a considerable boost to the team's lineup. Rookie Miles Mastrobuoni, who had been playing in place of Suzuki, was hitting just .200 with one home run over eight games. Suzuki figures to hit higher in the lineup than Mastrobuoni, further reinforcing the heart of the Cubs' lineup.