Cubs Notes: Seiya Suzuki Return Timeline, Owen Caissie Regret, Fan Optimism & More

The Cubs have closed out the first two series of the year, going 3-3 in thier first six games. Chicago sits third in the NL Central, and while it may not be the start fans have expected, the season's only just begun.

Chicago visits Progressive Field today to face a Cleveland team that just took the series from the reigning champion Dodgers 2-1. The team's full schedule for the season can be found here.

Here are the latest Cubs stories to catch up on.

Cubs notes:

Cubs Ace Matthew Boyd Ranks No. 2 in Key MLB Stat to Start 2026 - Boyd's opening night wasn't exactly anything to write home about. However, that performance, along with his markedly improved second appearance, has revealed a bright spot.

In his first two starts combined, Boyd has a 45.9% strikeout rate, putting him second-best among MLB pitchers. In addition to that, he's recorded 20 swing-and-miss pitches in both of his starts so far.

Owen Caissie Doing His Best to Make Cubs Regret Marlins Trade - Former top Cubs prospect Owen Caissie, who was traded away to the Marlins as part of the deal that brought Edward Cabrera in to Chicago, is having a stellar start to the season. So far, he's batting .350 with an OPS of .991 and is currently tied for second in the league in RBI with 8.

While Cabrera's first outing showed he's everything the Cubs hoped for, only time will tell who will eventually come out ahead in the deal. Owen Caissie, though, is certainly making his case to start the season that the Cubs should have hung on to him.

Survey Reveals How Optimistic Cubs Fans Are About 2026 Season - The Athletic recently conducted a fan survey across the league, which revealed 92.4% of Cubs fans considered themselves optimistic for the new season. That's a big jump from 79.5% last season and a huge increase from before 2022, when only 17.6% of fans were hopeful about the team's success.

Seiya Suzuki's Return Timeline as Rehab Assignment Begins - Seiya Suzuki has begun his rehab assignment, heading to the Cubs Double-A affiliate, Knoxville, for their opening day today. “We’re looking at probably three to seven days, somewhere in that range, just seeing how he feels when he’s playing and going from there,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.

The move means Suzuki could return to the team as early as April 6th against the Rays. However, the Cubs could delay his return until the 10th when Chicago hosts the Pirates.

Cubs Pitching Coach Weighs In on Shota Imanaga’s First Performance - Imanaga's first outing of the season didn't exactly put Cubs fans at ease, allowing four earned runs, including a homer, in five innings of work. Chicago's pitching coach, Tommy Hottovy, isn't concerned, though.

“I know Shota had a fantastic year in [20]24 but I think his stuff is better right now, I really do,” Hottovy told The Score Wednesday. “I think the [velocity] is better. I think he's got a bigger repertoire and a bigger pitch mix.”

“I mean, there's so many positive things to take away from what Shota did and what he's been working on,” Hottovy said. “And I do, I believe he's a better pitcher right now than what we even saw in 24. I think the stuff is understanding how he wants to use everything.”

Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy is optimistic about left-hander Shota Imanaga's outlook this season.

He believes that Imanaga's stuff is better right now than it was in 2024. He cited the velocity, his repertoire, his pitch mix and his confidence in using all his pitches. pic.twitter.com/SlXYowmN67
— 104.3 The Score (@thescorechicago) April 1, 2026

Chicago Cubs Offseason Moves That Already Look Smart, and Dumb - The Cubs made some tremendous moves this offseason — signing free agent Alex Bregman and trading for RHP Edward Cabrera were perhaps the two biggest.

That said, to acquire Cabrera, the team had to part ways with top prospect Owen Caissie, who has so far this season proven to be a force for Miami. While acquiring Cabrera looks smart, trading Caissie looks dumb, especially if Caissie continues to perform like he has for the remainder of the season.

If only there were a way to have acquired Cabrera without parting with Caissie.