Cubs' Seiya Suzuki blasts home run in first spring-training game, asks for sun to be moved

MESA, Ariz. — If any doubt remained — after head-turning batting practice all spring — that Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki was ready to hit in the World Baseball Classic, he erased it with a blistered home run to left-center field in his first Cactus League at-bat Friday.

Afterward, he told Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon he had gotten a little jammed on that pitch.

‘‘He’s strong enough to put balls out,’’ Taillon said after his start in the Cubs’ 8-1 loss to the White Sox in their spring-training opener Friday. ‘‘Hopefully there’s 40 more of those from now until the end of the year.’’

Suzuki was in a jovial mood after his four innings Friday, joking in his postgame interview about the blinding sun overhead and his connection with new White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami.

In preparation for playing center field in the WBC for Team Japan, Suzuki started there instead of in right. Cubs manager Craig Counsell said he also plans to play Suzuki in center Sunday before he departs Monday for Tokyo.

‘‘You get a good view of the field [from center],’’ Suzuki said through an interpreter. ‘‘But can they do something about the sun? If they could move it just a little bit, that would be nice.’’

Ah, yes, that age-old Arizona issue.

In the top of the fourth, Murakami lifted a deep fly to straightaway center. Suzuki tracked it back to the warning track, sunglasses on and glove extended to shade his eyes.

The ball, however, still disappeared in the glare, and Suzuki ducked as it landed behind him at the base of the wall.

Suzuki played the ricochet as Murakami trotted into second base with a two-run double, his second hit with the Sox.

‘‘I loved him,’’ Suzuki said of his Team Japan teammate. ‘‘But after the [fly ball], I hate him, and I’m not going to support him.’’

After getting the laugh he was looking for, Suzuki grinned and clarified he was kidding.

‘‘We’re in Chicago, same city,’’ Suzuki said. ‘‘He’s probably going to be there by himself. So if there’s anything that I can do to support him, I would be more than happy to.’’

Bregman’s debut

Third baseman Alex Bregman donned Cubbie blue pinstripes for his first spring-training game with the team. Bregman, who is set to represent the United States in the WBC, played three innings and went 0-for-2 at the plate.

‘‘Super-cool to have all that energy in the ballpark,’’ Bregman said.

Sloan Park’s announced attendance was 14,419, an impressive spring-training turnout.

Taillon gets the loss

Taillon, pitching on a slightly early schedule as he prepares to join Team Canada for the WBC, allowed four runs in 1⅔ innings. He threw 34 pitches.

‘‘We’ve been doing a lot of drill work and stuff, so I’m curious to show up tomorrow and to see what translated, what didn’t and what we can work on in between starts,’’ Taillon said. ‘‘Obviously, two homers on pitches down the middle. Besides that, everything felt fine.’’

Those home runs came on a first-pitch fastball to Sox outfielder Austin Hays and on an 0-2 fastball to second baseman Sam Antonacci.