Cubs hoping Shōta, Seiya will thrive together

This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian's Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CHICAGO -- Once Shōta Imanaga knew for certain that he was going to sign with the Cubs, he reached out to outfielder Seiya Suzuki to deliver the news.

“He was excited,” Imanaga said during his introductory press conference, during which Cubs software engineer Shingo Murata served as his interpreter. “He showed happiness as if this was happening to Seiya himself. That really excites me, and I really look forward to helping the Cubs team together.”

The Cubs signed Imanaga to a four-year, $53 million deal that has the potential to grow into a five-year pact. Suzuki is entering his third season with Chicago, which signed him to a five-year, $85 million deal prior to the ‘22 season. The two have history together from playing for Team Japan and in Nippon Professional Baseball.

As Imanaga makes the transition not only to the Major Leagues but to life in the U.S., the Cubs are hopeful that Suzuki’s presence will be beneficial. The right fielder has an increased level of comfort with the city and ballclub now, and the team can use the feedback from Suzuki’s acclimation process to help Imanaga.

“The organization has learned a lot having Seiya for these two years -- what things we can do better,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “Our hope has always been that we want to be a destination for Japanese players. I think we treat them incredibly well. I think we're willing to go above and beyond to make sure that the transition goes really smoothly.”

When Suzuki was going through his own free agency, he consulted former Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish, who spoke highly of playing for the North Siders; that played a role in Suzuki’s decision. Imanaga also consulted with Darvish, who offered advice about picking a team and described Chicago as a “wonderful” place to play.

Suzuki is coming off a strong 2023 in which he hit .285 with 20 homers, 31 doubles, 74 RBIs and an .842 OPS in 138 games. That included hitting at a .350 clip with a 1.073 OPS in 50 games over the final two months. Imanaga joins the Cubs’ rotation after leading NPB in strikeouts (174 in 148 innings) last year.

Outfielder Ian Happ -- who visited with Suzuki and his family while honeymooning in Japan this offseason -- is thrilled that Imanaga will be in the fold for the next few years.

“I think it's going to be great for the locker room,” Happ said. “I think it'll be good for both of them to have that. I think multiple translators, and everything that goes along with that, I think it'll be good for the group.

“We've had Japanese guys here since I've been here -- with Koji [Uehara] and then Darvish and Seiya -- but never two at the same time. I think having that relationship, those guys will be really good.”