Saturday, March 15

Welcome back to the Cubs Beat newsletter. Jordan Bastian has covered baseball for MLB.com since 2005, including the Cubs since the 2019 season.

TOKYO -- Ian Happ and his wife spent two weeks honeymooning in Japan two years ago, exploring the cities of Tokyo and Kyoto. Other than a dinner with Seiya Suzuki during the trip, their travels were not centered around baseball at all.

“We really appreciated the architecture,” Happ said. “We really appreciated the art and the aesthetic.”

Happ mentioned the Japanese term, “wabi-sabi,” which centers around the idea of finding beauty in the imperfection of nature. That was a concept that resonated with Happ, who came away from their trip with a greater appreciation for the culture and deep history of Japan. It is something he hopes his teammates will experience this week, too.

The Cubs landed in Tokyo Wednesday night to begin their preparation for the Tokyo Series on Tuesday and Wednesday against the Dodgers. Unlike the shorter, mid-season trip to London to play the Cardinals two seasons ago, this mid-March excursion allows for more days of acclimation, includes two exhibition games and some time for the players to play tourist for a bit.

“I hope people just appreciate the culture and experience,” Happ said. “I hope people get out and really try to see a lot of what the day-to-day life is for people in Tokyo every day. We were lucky to do that on our honeymoon, because we were purely tourists and going to do that. We’re going for work here.”

Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga and outfielder Suzuki -- after their efforts to acclimate and adjust to life in the United States and in Major League Baseball -- will now have the chance to show their teammates and Chicago’s staff a bit of what they are accustomed to in Japan.

Happ said his visit two years ago gave him added perspective on the challenge his Japanese teammates faced on making the jump to MLB.

“The communication barrier is real,” Happ said. “When we were over there, we were lucky enough to have guides in the cities, but my wife and I were solo walking around. It’s not like traveling to Europe where you can kind of interpret what’s going on and try to make sense of it. It’s just very, very different.

“And I think for them coming over here -- and Seiya, specifically, having children, having just that complete culture shock, especially before Shota was here, when he was kind of solo -- to go through that and to be able to play as well as he’s played is really impressive.”

The Cubs will also get to experience first-hand the hero’s welcome Imanaga and Suzuki receive from their fans in Tokyo.

“I’m excited,” Happ said. “It’s going to be an electric atmosphere. I think they’re going to be super excited about it.”

Which Cubs pitcher got the Opening Day nod for the North Siders’ previous trip to Japan to begin the 2000 season?

A. Kevin Tapani

B. Jon Lieber

C. Kerry Wood

D. Steve Trachsel

The Cubs were permitted to bring 31 players on the trip to Japan with all being eligible for the upcoming exhibition games against the Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants. For the Tokyo Series against the Dodgers, the teams have to designate a 26-man active roster.

Here is a look at which players boarded the plane for the Cubs:

Catchers (3): Miguel Amaya, Carson Kelly, Reese McGuire

Infielders (7): Jon Berti, Vidal Bruján, Michael Busch, Matt Shaw, Dansby Swanson, Justin Turner, Gage Workman

Outfielders (4): Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Kyle Tucker

Starters (6): Ben Brown, Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, Jordan Wicks

Relievers (11): Ryan Brasier, Porter Hodge, Brad Keller, Julian Merryweather, Tyson Miller, Eli Morgan, Daniel Palencia, Nate Pearson, Ryan Pressly, Colin Rea, Caleb Thielbar

Shaw, Keller and McGuire are all non-roster invitees to camp, so Chicago would need to make subsequent roster moves to add any of them to the 40-man roster. McGuire will likely be in the five-man squad, while Shaw and Keller have a real shot at being on the Opening Day roster.

Imanaga is ready for a “special” Tokyo Series, but first he has a dinner to plan as part of what will be a great team-bonding experience in Japan. Read more >>

Shaw (No. 19 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list) packed his bags for Japan without knowing if he'd be on the plane. The rookie then learned he made the list. Read more >>

Here’s everything you need to know about the Tokyo Series. Read more >>

Where does Tucker rank among MLB’s best impact bats? Read more >>

“Just playing with Shota and Seiya and just seeing the media that follow them, it’s a big deal. I can tell that people over there care a lot about their careers and how they’re doing over here. Everywhere we go, you see Japanese fans behind our dugout cheering them on. That, to me, already shows that, if they can support guys in America like that, I can’t even imagine what it’s like over there.” --Taillon, on baseball’s popularity in Japan

B. Jon Lieber

Lieber took the ball for the Cubs in the Opening Day tilt against the Mets on March 29, 2000, at the Tokyo Dome. The big right-hander picked up the “W” in the 5-3 victory by allowing just one run over seven innings of work for the North Siders.

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