Cubs get a kick out of Japan fan favorite Seiya Suzuki in WBC

MESA, Ariz. — Cubs players received an added feature during their meeting before their Saturday morning workout.

They were treated to a video clip — provided by former major league outfielder Adam Jones — from the outfield of the Tokyo Dome, where fans chanted the name of Seiya Suzuki moments before the Cubs’ slugger hit one of two home runs to lead Team Japan to an 8-6 victory over Korea.

“The place goes crazy, and everybody's hugging each other — really cool,” said manager Craig Counsell, who received the video from Jones. “It must have been just that's a great experience, and that's why you play the WBC for moments like that.

“… These are different experiences, and this is just a life experience. And all the experiences, they mean something to you, but I think you want experiences like that.”

Suzuki is making up for lost time since missing the 2023 WBC because of an oblique injury. He’s 3-for-7 with four runs scored in two games for Team Japan.

“He’s been phenomenal,” Cubs left-hander and fellow countryman Shota Imanaga said.

No guarantees for Assad

Javier Assad pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings in Team Mexico’s win over Great Britain on Friday, six days after he pitched three scoreless innings while striking out four against the Dodgers.

Counsell observed that the WBC, which is played during spring training at a high level, forces performers to prepare sooner than during a regular spring.

Assad has glimpses of brilliance during his two previous seasons, only to be sidelined because of right forearm and oblique injuries. His development is value to the Cubs, who also are currently grooming Colin Rea and Ben Brown in emergency starter roles in case of an injury to one of their starters.

But there’s plenty to assess entering the final 2 1/2 weeks of spring training.

“With somebody like Javy, the point is you don't try to figure out where they fit. We don't have to do that. At some point we're gonna need Javy’s outs. When is probably the question.

“But we want him pitching well and obviously showing the ability to get big league hitters out at a pretty high level. In 2024 for a couple months, he was really one of the better starters going. You take note of things like that, and we've got a good version of what Javy looks like right now, the way he's throwing the ball.”

In one of the odder developments of the WBC, Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya was lifted for a pinch-hitter with two out in the bottom of the eighth inning of Team Panama’s 3-1 loss Friday to Cuba.

Amaya, batting cleanup and representing the tying run, was lifted for Jonathan Araúz, a lifetime .184 hitter over parts of four seasons and hasn’t played since 2023. Arauz grounded to third baseman Yoan Moncada to end the rally.

Pause button on ABS success rate

The Cubs and White Sox are at least two of several major league teams that have examined data in the minor leagues in preparation for the automated ball/strike challenge system that will be implemented this season.

Catcher Moises Ballesteros has been successful on his last seven challenges, including four on Wednesday against the Brewers.

But Counsell told reporters that Ballesteros’ success rate of challenging ball calls was around 50 percent while catching at Triple-A, where the ABS system was used

“It’s actually below the catchers’ average,” Counsell said.

“My point is I think you guys are going to say, ‘he’s good at this’ or ‘he’s good at that.’ And I just think we’re going to revert to the mean in this thing very quickly.”

But is it safe to say that Ballesteros, 22, who is projected as the Cubs’ designated hitter and third catcher, at least show confidence in challenging calls?

“Yeah, that's a good point,” Counsell said. “I like that.”

Cubs 4, Athletics 3

Left-hander Shota Imanaga worked exclusively on location and was one out away from retiring his ninth consecutive batter before Andy Ibanez hit a high fly that eluded Ian Happ against the left field fence for a double. Two batters later, Brian Sevren clubbed a two-run home run to center. Imanaga didn’t walk a batter during his 3 2/3-inning stint but lamented grooving a 3-1 pitch to Ibanez instead of attempting to get him to chase a pitch outside the strike zone. Imanaga’s fastball was clocked in the 92-93 mph range.

• Nico Hoerner showed why he’s the Cubs’ most unselfish hitter and one of the most clutch hitters in the National League. Hoerner poked a two-out single down the right field line to score Josiah Hartshorn and cap a two-run rally in the second.

• Pedro Ramirez was presented with his 2025 MiLB Gold Glove Award in a pre-game ceremony, and that was just the start of a festive day. Ramirez, the Cubs’ seventh top prospect by MLB.com, smacked a home run to left center off Mason Barrett in the second. The left-handed Ramirez, 21, played third and second base at Double-A Knoxville last summer and could be viewed as a midseason trade chip with Alex Bregman entrenched at third base and Matt Shaw targeted for second base if Nico Hoerner departs for free agency after 2026.

On deck: Giants at Cubs, 3:05 p.m. Sunday, Mesa, Marquee, 670-AM, 104.3-FM, TBA vs. Hunter Harvey.