Veteran Scott Kingery got the best news he could have from the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.
The journeyman utilty-infielder/outfielder found out he “would be on the plane” to Chicago ahead of its season opener at Wrigley Field on Thursday against the Washington Nationals, according to manager Craig Counsell.
Kingery signed with the Cubs in the offseason after being a non-roster invitee to Cubs spring training at Sloan Park in Mesa. He spent 2025 with the Los Angeles Angels, slashing .148/.207/.185 and hitting a pair of home runs and scoring eight runs in 29 plate appearances over 19 games.
His short tenure with the Angels last season was his first in the majors since 2022. He had spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons in the Philadelphia Phillies organization, playing 242 games in Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
But in 344 major-league games, Kingery has 30 home runs and a .660 OPS for the Phillies and Angels.
Scott Kingery is Headed to Chicago
The injury to Seiya Suzuki continues to send shockwaves to the Cubs system. But the same way Michael Conforto earned a starting outfield spot due to Suzuki’s injury, Kingery is likely to be on the Cubs’ major-league roster when the season opens Thursday.
The 5-9 utility player can play second base, shortstop and center field and plays the traditional middle-infielder role by offering great defense. Kingery boasts a .968 fielding% and has played six positions over his seven-year MLB career.
Kingery hit .208/.345/.333 in 58 plate appearances for the Cubs during spring training but had five stolen bases and could provide speed and versatility.
The Cubs have elite players at second base, shortstop and center field, in Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson and Pete Crow-Armstrong. Hoerner was the National League batting champion, Swanson is locked in for the next four years and Crow-Armstrong just agreed to an enormous contract to be the face of the Cubs for the foreseeable future.
So Kingery’s role is going to be what it always has been, which is similar to the one Jon Berti played for the Cubs in 2025. But it is entirely possible he won’t end up making a plate appearance with the Cubs this season.
Seiya Suzuki Won’t be Out Long
The Kingery news is exciting for him, but his tenure in the majors may end up being short lived. Suzuki, like Kingery, Conforto and Dylan Carlson, will be on his way to Chicago for the season opener Thursday, and his knee injury is unlikely to keep him out of action for long, even though he’ll start the season on the IL.
Suzuki, who is entering the final year of his five-year, $85 million contract, was second only to Michael Busch in home runs for the Cubs in 2025 with 32. He injured his knee representing Japan in the World Baseball Classic, spraining his knee in the country’s tournament-ending upset loss to eventual-champion Venezuela.
Suzuki, of course, has to miss the requisite 10 days, which includes a pair of off days after the Cubs’ season opener and after their six-game homestand ends. The Cubs have four off days over their first four weeks, which means Suzuki’s absence should be relatively minimal.
Former $24 Million Infielder Gets Good News From Cubs Before Opening Day