YOKOHAMA, JAPAN – AUGUST 07: Outfielder Seiya Suzuki #51 of Team Japan of Team Japan is seen after the fourth inning during the gold medal game between Team United States and Team Japan at Yokohama Baseball Stadium on August 07, 2021 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. (Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)
If fans weren’t already head over heels for new Chicago Cub Seiya Suzuki, the reason for choosing No. 27 might seal the deal.
In an effort to show fans they were willing to spend some money to help the team, the Chicago Cubs signed Seiya Suzuki to a five-year, $85 million contract this week.
Suzuki may have endeared himself more to baseball fans near and far with the answer to why he chose the uniform number he did. That number was 27 and it was in honor of Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout.
Suzuki didn’t even need his interpreter to express himself.
Seiya Suzuki wearing No. 27 with Cubs because he loves Mike Trout
The Angels concurred with Suzuki:
MLB’s Cut4 created this graphic for Twitter:
Fans definitely agreed with Suzuki.
Last season, Suzuki played for the NPB’s Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan. For his nine-season career in Japan, the 27-year-old hit .309/.402/.541 with an OPS of .943. He’s had 189 home runs, 208 doubles, 631 RBI, 524 walks, and 102 stolen bases in 1,055 games.
It will be interesting to see how he adjusts to Major League Baseball. It will also be interesting to see how the Cubs move forward with him. Specifically, it will be intriguing to see if and how they will build around the 27-year-old Japanese star outfielder in order to rebuild their franchise.
As for now, though, the Japanese superstar is endearing himself to baseball fans everywhere — because just like the rest of us, he just loves Mike Trout.