Seiya Suzuki was one of many high free brokers in the marketplace.
His 5-year, $85 million cope with the Chicago Cubs is the most important in Major League Baseball historical past for a Japanese place participant and is surpassed solely by pitcher Masahiro Tanaka’s seven-year, $155 million contract with the New York Yankees in 2014.
The right-handed-hitting Suzuki, 27, starred in Nippon Professional Baseball, hitting .309 with a .402 on-base share and .943 OPS in 9 seasons with the Hiroshima Carp. He posted a hefty .433 OBP whereas slugging 38 house runs and 26 doubles in 132 video games (533 plate appearances) final season.
Get to know the brand new Cubs outfielder, whose first identify is pronounced “Say-yah.”
Seiya Suzuki is called NL Player of the Week for the Cubs proper fielder’s 1st full week within the majors
Cubs proper fielder Seiya Suzuki wanted just one full week of video games to earn his first accolades in Major League Baseball.
Suzuki’s scorching begin has helped the Cubs produce the most effective offense within the majors, main in key areas together with batting common, on-base share, doubles and OPS. Pitchers have struggled to resolve Suzuki, who posted a .412/.545/1.059 slash line in his final six video games with 5 runs, seven hits, two doubles, three house runs, 5 RBIs and 5 walks to earn the National League Player of the Week award.
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Seiya Suzuki’s plate self-discipline units up success in Cubs’ win on opening day
Seiya Suzuki thought he can be nervous going into his major-league debut, however the Japanese star wasn’t, noting “it was actually really fun.”
“In all my at-bats I was able to be myself and enjoy the game today,” Suzuki mentioned via interpreter Toy Matsushita.
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How the Cubs landed Seiya Suzuki: Team pitch in LA, secret Wrigley Field tour and a reference to Yu Darvish
The Cubs waited 99 days for the lockout to finish to current its case to Seiya Suzuki for why he ought to choose the Cubs. What adopted over a five-day stretch final week landed the Cubs their star goal, giving Suzuki the most important contract for a Japanese place participant in baseball historical past.
“We did a five-year deal for a reason. This is an investment in him and his future,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer mentioned. “If there are some growing pains or some assimilation challenges, that’s fine with us because we believe that once he gets used to it, we’re really excited about what we’ll get. We will have to be a little bit patient.”
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Kosuke Fukudome — nonetheless enjoying in Japan at age 44 — says Cubs followers ‘will love to see’ Seiya Suzuki play
If anybody understands what awaits Japanese star Seiya Suzuki at Wrigley Field, it’s his countryman Kosuke Fukudome.
Fourteen years after Fukudome grew to become the primary Japanese participant to play for the Cubs, the 44-year-old’s profession continues the place it began, in Nippon Professional Baseball, now enjoying for the Chunichi Dragons.
His fond recollections of Chicago haven’t diminished within the years since returning to Japan. Fukudome spoke to the Tribune with Japanese reporter Naoko Sato serving as an interpreter.
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Seiya Suzuki reveals humor and dedication with all eyes on his Cubs spring debut: ‘He’s not afraid of a problem’
A golf cart rumbled previous the doorway to the Cubs clubhouse, making a beeline for the complicated’s indoor batting cages.
Seiya Suzuki had simply accomplished three innings in his first spring sport in entrance of a lawn-packed crowd of 10,595 at Sloan Park. His first two plate appearances weren’t precisely memorable: two strikeouts trying, together with a few borderline calls.
Suzuki, accompanied within the golf cart by assistant hitting coach Johnny Washington and interpreter Toy Matsushita, then headed to the cages. His postgame media periods must wait.
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Mike Trout’s affect on Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki goes past that viral second: ‘You know you’re making an impression’
A bashful smile crossed Seiya Suzuki’s face on the point out of his viral second.
During his introduction because the Cubs’ new proper fielder, Suzuki revealed his admiration for Angels celebrity outfielder Mike Trout. When requested why he selected to put on No. 27, Suzuki replied in English: “I love you, Mike Trout.”
When the subject is broached after a exercise at Sloan Park, Suzuki couldn’t assist however momentarily cowl his face along with his fingers, a modest grin nonetheless peeking via.
“I don’t like to be trending a lot,” Suzuki informed the Tribune via interpreter Toy Matsushita. “I don’t like to be well known.”
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Seiya Suzuki ends a spring 0-fer with a house run in entrance of Cubs followers: ‘It felt really good’
Seiya Suzuki’s ultimate at-bat grew to become his most memorable of the spring.
Suzuki was 0-for-8 when he stepped to the plate within the fourth inning in opposition to Seattle Mariners left-hander Marco Gonzales. He shortly ended the hitless stretch, although it wasn’t a superb begin to the at-bat.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com