It's hard being a Japanese baseball player in the United States. Not only are you half the world away from home, but you also must navigate a foreign language and culture while facing constant pressure to perform.
It's like being on an island. It must get pretty lonely.
So when teams sign multiple Japanese players, as the Chicago Cubs have done, it must be pretty exciting for the players already on the roster. Finally, they're not alone anymore! They have someone to bond with and relate to over their shared experience.
No wonder Seiya Suzuki was so ecstatic when the Cubs signed Shota Imanaga this offseason.
At Spring Training on Thursday, Boog Sciambi asked Suzuki how he felt when Chicago signed his countryman this winter.
Suzuki gave the perfect response, flashing a huge smile and thrusting his arms over his head in celebration. His exaggerated reaction got a big laugh from both Sciambi and his interpreter.
After flashing his trademark sense of humor, Suzuki followed up with a more serious answer. Through his interpreter, he said,"(I'm) really really happy to have another Japanese player in the clubhouse and kind of motivate me to make sure I work really hard this year."
Suzuki is entering his third MLB season, so he can show his new teammate the ropes. The 29-year-old outfielder took a big step forward in his second season, raising his OPS from .770 to .842.
Perhaps Imanaga's presence will give Suzuki a boost this year. If it does, maybe they'll both be All-Stars come July.
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