TORONTO - After a frenzied travel day, Canadian outfielder Owen Caissie was set to make his big-league debut for the Chicago Cubs on Thursday afternoon at Rogers Centre.

Caissie caught a morning flight from Des Moines, Iowa, and arrived at the downtown stadium shortly before the start of the mid-afternoon interleague series finale.

The 23-year-old Caissie, from nearby Burlington, Ont., was set to bat fifth as the designated hitter.

"I think offence is his calling card and he hits the ball extremely hard," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said before the game. "I think he's going to hit a lot of home runs someday. He's not a home run hitter right now.

"I think he's just a good hitter, a good all-around hitter, good plate discipline, hits the ball hard."

Reports circulated late Wednesday tha

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