This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian’s Cubs Beat publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it commonly in your inbox.
CHICAGO — As soon as Shōta Imanaga knew for sure that he was going to signal with the Cubs, he reached out to outfielder Seiya Suzuki to ship the information.
“He was excited,” Imanaga stated throughout his introductory press convention, throughout which Cubs software program engineer Shingo Murata served as his interpreter. “He confirmed happiness as if this was taking place to Seiya himself. That basically excites me, and I actually sit up for serving to the Cubs staff collectively.”
The Cubs signed Imanaga to a four-year, $53 million deal that has the potential to develop right into a five-year pact. Suzuki is coming into his third season with Chicago, which signed him to a five-year, $85 million deal previous to the ‘22 season. The 2 have historical past collectively from enjoying for Group Japan and in Nippon Skilled Baseball.
As Imanaga makes the transition not solely to the Main Leagues however to life within the U.S., the Cubs are hopeful that Suzuki’s presence will probably be useful. The suitable fielder has an elevated degree of consolation with the town and ballclub now, and the staff can use the suggestions from Suzuki’s acclimation course of to assist Imanaga.
“The group has discovered lots having Seiya for these two years — what issues we are able to do higher,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer stated. “Our hope has all the time been that we need to be a vacation spot for Japanese gamers. I feel we deal with them extremely nicely. I feel we’re prepared to go above and past to be sure that the transition goes actually easily.”
When Suzuki was going by means of his personal free company, he consulted former Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish, who spoke extremely of enjoying for the North Siders; that performed a task in Suzuki’s choice. Imanaga additionally consulted with Darvish, who provided recommendation about choosing a staff and described Chicago as a “great” place to play.
Suzuki is coming off a robust 2023 through which he hit .285 with 20 homers, 31 doubles, 74 RBIs and an .842 OPS in 138 video games. That included hitting at a .350 clip with a 1.073 OPS in 50 video games over the ultimate two months. Imanaga joins the Cubs’ rotation after main NPB in strikeouts (174 in 148 innings) final 12 months.
Outfielder Ian Happ — who visited with Suzuki and his household whereas honeymooning in Japan this offseason — is thrilled that Imanaga will probably be within the fold for the following few years.
“I feel it’ll be nice for the locker room,” Happ stated. “I feel it’s going to be good for each of them to have that. I feel a number of translators, and the whole lot that goes together with that, I feel it’s going to be good for the group.
“We have had Japanese guys right here since I have been right here — with Koji [Uehara] after which Darvish and Seiya — however by no means two on the similar time. I feel having that relationship, these guys will probably be actually good.”
