Cubs fire Seiya Suzuki’s interpreter, reasons not disclosed

The Chicago Cubs have fired Seiya Suzuki’s interpreter Toy Matsushita after two and a half seasons with the team, according to a report by Patrick Mooney for The Athletic. The organization has decided to go in a different direction, the Cubs said in the aforementioned report.

Matsushita was in charge of communications between Suzuki and the U.S. media, as well as relaying Suzuki’s messages to management and the coaching staff and vice versa.

Nao Masamoto, a former Cubs employee who oversees Pacific Rim operations and Major League Baseball’s video system, will continue to assist Suzuki. In addition, Edwin Stanberry, Shota Imanaga’s interpreter, will assist Suzuki with communications.

Earlier this season, Ippei Mizuhara, the interpreter for Japanese star Shohei Ohtani, was involved in a gambling scandal in which he was accused of stealing $17 million from Ohtani and later pleaded not guilty to bank and tax fraud charges before agreeing to a plea deal with federal prosecutors.

However, the Cubs insist they are not facing a similar situation in releasing Matsushita, according to the report.

Rather, the team wants to maintain its reputation as an attractive destination for Japanese players and a place where they can develop to their full potential.

Seiya Suzuki, who turns 30 in August, is batting .270 with an .813 OPS this season. He has hit 13 home runs and driven in 45 runs in 72 games.

Major League Baseball’s announcement of next year’s schedule on Thursday revealed that the Cubs will open the 2025 season at the Tokyo Dome with a two-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 18-19, providing an exciting showdown between two iconic teams on a prominent international stage.

Masamoto, a trusted figure, close to Yu Darvish even after he was traded to the San Diego Padres in 2020, has played a crucial role in highlighting Imanaga’s personality in interviews and facilitating his adjustment to the team’s culture. This is a testament to his experience dealing with ballplayers transitioning from the NPB to MLB.

Imanaga’s ability to build relationships with coaches and teammates has been talked about repeatedly, which was demonstrated during his welcome-home press conference in Chicago, where he recited the “Go Cubs Go” song. In addition, he has shown a tendency to keep his distance from his interpreter and strengthen his independence.

Only 30 years old and still considered a major league rookie, Imanaga pitched a scoreless inning in the All-Star Game and is 8-2 with a 2.97 ERA in 17 starts. His four-year, $53 million contract, signed last winter, is shaping up to be one of the best acquisitions. He was recently featured on the cover of Chicago Magazine’s “Best of” issue.

Imanaga has also benefited from the team’s apprenticeship with Suzuki, who signed a five-year, $85 million contract after the MLB lockout in 2022. Suzuki is a talented hitter and tireless worker despite the injuries that have affected him.