Seiya Suzuki (31) of the Chicago Cubs has revealed a special training method ahead of the Tokyo Series.
Major League Baseball's official media outlet, MLB.com, reported on the 13th (Korea time) that "Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki recently showcased his sharpness a few times in the batting cage. Literally. As a Japanese player ahead of the Tokyo Series next week, he swung a samurai sword instead of a baseball bat from the right side of the plate."
Suzuki is a veteran outfielder who has recorded a batting average of .278 over 381 games in Major League Baseball (1,424 at-bats, 396 hits), with 55 home runs, 193 RBIs, 203 runs scored, and 31 stolen bases, producing an OPS of .824. He excelled as one of the top hitters in Nippon Professional Baseball and successfully made his Major League debut in March 2022 by signing a five-year, $85 million (about 1.235 billion won) contract with the Cubs. Entering Major League Baseball with high expectations, Suzuki continues to perform well.
Playing alongside Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga for the Cubs, Suzuki is set to participate in the Tokyo Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on the 18th and 19th. The Tokyo Series is expected to become a major topic as Japanese stars including Suzuki, Imanaga, Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki (all from the Dodgers) will all make their appearances.
Ahead of the Tokyo Series, the Cubs presented a special training video of Suzuki to fans through their official social media account. In the video, Suzuki entered the batter's box and drew a Japanese sword. He began to cut while hitting the pitches that came at him, neatly slicing several balls, and at the end, a piece of a cut ball flew and hit the person filming.
MLB.com noted, "Suzuki is not the first Japanese star to hone his hitting skills with a samurai sword. The famous slugger Sadaharu Oh also practiced cutting balls with a sword like Suzuki. Considering that he recorded a total of 868 home runs in his career, this unconventional training method cannot be considered bad."
Suzuki had a brief conflict with the team over his defensive position this winter. While he wanted to continue playing as an outfielder, the Cubs wanted to use him as a designated hitter, considering that Suzuki's defensive skills have been declining and the new acquisition of Kyle Tucker along with Pete Crow-Armstrong and Ian Happ.
"My role is to do my best in whatever it is," Suzuki said, adding, "My role could be as a designated hitter or playing on the field. Whatever it is, I will give it my all," accepting the role of designated hitter. In spring training, he has struggled a bit, recording a batting average of .194 over 11 games (31 at-bats, 6 hits), with 1 home run, 7 RBIs, 4 runs scored, and 1 stolen base, producing an OPS of .547.
The Cubs finished their spring training schedule in the United States and headed to Japan. Fans have high expectations for what Suzuki, who trained in the Japanese style by cutting balls with a Japanese sword, will show in the Tokyo Series.
[OSEN = Gil Jun-Young, reporter]