Returning to the Japan Samurai team, Seiya Suzuki hopes to carry his late-season momentum into the World Baseball Classic.

Three years ago, Seiya Suzuki was excited to play a key role for the Japan Samurai team in the World Baseball Classic, but a late February spring training injury forced the Cubs’ powerful hitter to withdraw. He had to watch from afar as Japan dramatically defeated the United States to claim the title.

During that tournament, Suzuki’s teammates kept one of his jerseys in the resting area and raised it high during the championship celebration. This was deeply meaningful to him, but now Suzuki is eager to truly contribute as an offensive weapon on the field for Japan.

“Since I was a child,” Suzuki said through translator Edwin Stanberry, “representing the Japan Samurai team has always been something I’ve longed to do. It’s very special.”

Suzuki first represented Japan in the World Baseball Classic back in 2017 at age 22. That year, the team finished with a 6-1 record, with their only loss coming in the semifinals against the US. He was just a kid when Japan won championships in 2006 and 2009 but watched many games on TV, hoping one day to be like those players.

In 2023, Suzuki had just transitioned from Japan’s professional league to MLB and was entering his second MLB season, but a left oblique injury in late February again sidelined him from the Classic.

“Hopefully they can go far this time,” Cubs baseball operations president Jed Hoyer said about Japan’s prospects in the Classic. “His injury timing in 2023 was really unfortunate and bad luck. So I know he’s excited to play this year, he’ll be ready, and then he’ll return to us late in the tournament.”

Japan is in Pool C, with group stage games scheduled from March 5 to 10 in Tokyo, facing Australia, Chinese Taipei, the Czech Republic, and South Korea. The plan is for Suzuki to join Cubs spring training until this weekend, then depart on February 23 for the Classic, leaving earlier than other Cubs participants.

Among the Cubs’ 40-man roster, eight players (13 total) plan to participate in this year’s Classic, including outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong representing the US, who shares an interesting friendship with Suzuki.

When asked if he had started “trash talking” with Crow-Armstrong, Suzuki laughed. He might play some center field defense for Japan.

“I want to see Pete throw his helmet,” Suzuki joked. “If Pete hits a ball to center field, I’ll catch it and then do a little dance.”

For Japan, the 31-year-old Suzuki should be a potent bat, especially after an impressive season with the Cubs.

In his fourth MLB season, Suzuki set career highs in 151 games: 32 home runs, 103 RBIs, 71 walks, and a slugging percentage of .478. He performed strongly in the first half with a 0.866 OPS, dipped somewhat after the All-Star break (0.687 OPS), but finished the season with a powerful surge that continued into the playoffs.

In the last 10 regular season games last year, Suzuki hit 5 home runs with 12 RBIs and an OPS of 1.174. In 8 playoff games, he posted a .613 slugging percentage, hitting 3 homers, 3 doubles, and driving in 5 runs. He became the first MLB player ever to end the regular season with four consecutive games with a home run and continue hitting homers in the first playoff game.

“I’m genuinely happy with how he performed late in the season,” Hoyer said. “He was a huge threat at the end of the season and in the playoffs. I think it meant a lot to him. He’s an extremely, extremely talented middle-of-the-lineup hitter.”