Why Japanese star Seiya Suzuki chose the Cubs over other suitors

MESA, Ariz – Japanese star Seiya Suzuki was concerned about the cold in Chicago. But the Cubs had the whole lockout to prepare for his questions.

When the topic came up in a meeting Monday at Hayama, a Japanese restaurant in Los Angles, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer went to bring to get a set of charts that compared the summer months in Chicago to Hiroshima and the city of at least one other team that was pursuing Suzuki in free agency.

After the meeting, Suzuki had his agent cancel other meetings scheduled later in the week and coordinate a trip to Wrigley Field to see for himself.

By Friday, the Cubs were holding an introductory press conference for Suzuki, their most high-profile acquisition since Hoyer took the helm. Suzuki signed a five-year, $85 million deal. The Cubs also will pay a $14,625,000 posting fee to Suzuki’s Japanese club, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.

“They’re obviously a really very good team,” Suzuki said Friday, through his translator Toy Matsushita. “And their passion to get me on this team was something that really took me by heart. So, obviously, very excited to be here.”

The media room opened an hour before the press conference was scheduled, ushering in over 40 reporters, domestic and international, as soon as it did.

“We’ve talked a lot about building the next great Cubs team,” Hoyer said in his opening remarks. “We signed Seiya to a five-year contract because we believe he’ll play a significant role in that success now and that success in the future.”

It was obvious how Suzuki, 27, fit into the Cubs’ plans. They’d scouted him for years, he was a player the club could grow with, and his power bat would immediately elevate their lineup.

But the five-time Nippon Professional Baseball League All-Star and Gold Glove winner certainly wasn’t flying under the radar. Teams in pursuit of Suzuki reportedly included the Padres, Dodgers, Giants, Red Sox and Mariners.

So, why the Cubs?

“It became clear to me that what was most important to Seiya was not getting the biggest contract,” said Suzuki’s agent, Joel Wolfe of Wasserman. “It was being in the place that he felt he was going to be the most comfortable. And by comfortable, meaning that everything off the field in his life would be settled, so that Airi [Hatakeyama, Suzuki’s wife] and himself would have no issues about living conditions, and he could just focus on baseball.”

Suzuki sought advice from other Japanese players who had made the same transition, including Yu Davish, Yoshimoto Tsutsugo and Shogo Akiyama. Darvish, Suzuki said, told him the city of Chicago and its fan base were great and that he was going to love it.

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