Today, the Chicago Cubs made the signing of Japanese slugger Seiya Suzuki official. The 27-year-old outfielder, who just got the largest contract ever for a Japanese position player, will be introduced at a press conference scheduled to start at 2:15pm CT. It’s a major moment for not only the Cubs, but Major League Baseball as a whole. Suzuki is an international star, and the feverish pace of this past week shouldn’t obscure that fact.
I’ve embedded the live stream below (UPDATE: The Cubs just took the stream down off of YouTube for reasons unknown), which will hopefully work, because I’m not sure where else it is being broadcast/streamed. I’ll be watching and will update with any important notes. (UPDATE 2: The MLB.com page where the presser was supposed to be is also blank. This is … not going well.)
Since there is no stream right now – and Marquee is not carrying the presser – I guess I’ll just share what the great Cubs beat reporters and those in attendance are sharing. (UPDATE 3: After it ended, the Cubs put the presser on YouTube. So now you can watch it below if you want.)
He’s here. #Cubs pic.twitter.com/1fihWl7NIq
— Taylor McGregor (@Taylor_McGregor) March 18, 2022
https://t.co/5aT0fHgAQy pic.twitter.com/KyiugeNVgc
— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) March 18, 2022
The Cubs welcome Seiya Suzuki to the fold… pic.twitter.com/lCc6ZfxXqT
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) March 18, 2022
Some opening comments from Jed Hoyer, on the signing of slugger Seiya Suzuki… pic.twitter.com/urVswVvVrp
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) March 18, 2022
Hoyer references “the next great Cubs team” and says they signed Suzuki to a 5-year deal bc “we believe he’ll play a significant role in that success now and that success in the future.”
— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) March 18, 2022
Seiya Suzuki says the #Cubs’ passion to get him on their team was a big part of choosing to sign with them.
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) March 18, 2022
Suzuki said Yu Darvish told him the city was great, the Cubs have a really great fan base and he’s going to love it.
— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) March 18, 2022
Suzuki says former #Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish is among the Japanese big leaguers he talked to about the transition to MLB.
Suzuki said Darvish told him Chicago is a great city and that “The #Cubs have a really great fan base. You’re going to love it there.”
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) March 18, 2022
He also says he needs to hit the gym because MLB players are big.
— Lance Brozdowski (@LanceBroz) March 18, 2022
#⃣2⃣7⃣ pic.twitter.com/lEvsf9yZps
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 18, 2022