Seiya Suzuki, Shota Imanaga and the Cubs look forward to the Japan Series 2025

Seiya Suzuki has vivid memories of going to the Tokyo Dome as a child and watching outfielder Hideki Matsui and the Yankees take on Tampa Bay.

“Honestly, at the time, he was almost like a figure above the clouds, right?” Suzuki said through interpreter Shingo Murata. “It was like, ‘Oh, that’s cool. That’s super impressive.'”

Little did the little boy know that one day, as a major league player in the Tokyo Dome, he would be an inspiration to other Japanese children, just as Matsui was to him.

“I never thought I would be the one to open the season in Japan as a major league player,” Suzuki said. “I think it will be a once-in-a-lifetime memory. That’s why I want to prepare as well as possible.”

Now that Suzuki is an adult and a professional baseball player, he knows the journey he has taken and the effort it takes to get to the major leagues, which is why he appreciates Matsui and others even more.

“When I turned pro, I came here and went through the adjustment and relived the challenges they went through. I have more and more respect for them,” Suzuki said. “And I aspire to be one of those individuals that other players look up to.”

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The Cubs’ trip to Japan to open next season will be special for Suzuki and pitcher Shota Imanaga – especially since they will face a Dodgers team that also features two Japanese superstars in Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

“We’re all looking forward to it,” said manager Craig Counsell. “It’s exciting. It’s an adventure.”

“I think I just feel blessed that baseball gives you the opportunity to do something that’s really fun and really cool.”

The country has a deep passion for the game and this quartet will play a central role in the series.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “I hope the fans have fun – the Japanese fans there have fun and I want to prepare so I don’t get embarrassed or anything.”

Like Suzuki, Imanaga has memories of watching MLB teams at the historic Tokyo Dome. The left-hander saw the 2019 game between the A’s and Mariners, which featured two Japanese stars – pitcher Yusei Kikuchi and the legendary Ichiro Suzuki.

For Imanaga and Suzuki, it is the first time they have played in Japan since moving to the USA.

“This is something very special and I’m very happy about it,” said Suzuki. “And I’m happy for the fans too.”

“It’s also the first time I’ve played in Japan in a long time, so I’m looking forward to it. I want to prepare as well as possible.”

The duo wants to give the fans and the country that follows them so passionately an unforgettable performance.

“I grew as a player in Japan,” Imanaga added. “I want to show them how I grew here.”