History could repeat itself as Seiya Suzuki returns home for Tokyo Series
The Cubs worked out at the Tokyo Dome on Friday, before starting exhibition game play Saturday.
TOKYO—Hideki Matsui crushed a long fly ball into the Tokyo Dome’s right-field stands, giving the Yankees a 5-1 lead over the Rays. And from inside the stadium, a nine-year-old Seiya Suzuki watched the ball fly.
“That stuck with me, and it was a great moment,” Suzuki said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry.
Watching that 2004 season-opening series, and considering Matsui’s career in NPB and MLB, Suzuki also was struck by the difference between the two leagues. At the time, he didn’t think playing stateside would be a possibility for him. He wouldn’t embrace that dream until he was in his early 20’s.
This week, Suzuki returned to his hometown of Tokyo, representing the Cubs in his fourth MLB season.
“My goal is to stay in this league and play for as long as I can, until my body stops working,” Suzuki said. “Here [in MLB] it’s so hard with age, but also, whenever your performance drops, there’s always that next guy up.”
During the Cubs’ workout Friday, Suzuki crushed one ball after another. With a crowd of about 10,000 looking on, he sent a batting practice home run deep into the left-field Tokyo Dome seats.
