In a somewhat surprising development, Chicago Cubs slugger Seiya Suzuki is expected to play center field for Team Japan at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Suzuki has spent the vast majority of his NPB and MLB career in right field, though he did log 15 appearances in left field and one start in center last season.
Cubs teammate Pete Crow-Armstrong told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday that he is excited to see Suzuki take on the role in the tournament, hinting at his expected deployment in center field. When asked by Japanese media about Suzuki potentially playing center, Samurai Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata remained noncommittal, stating that the 31-year-old will get practice at multiple spots but stopping short of confirming whether he will be used in center during the tournament.
St. Louis Cardinals Japanese-American Lars Nootbaar handled center field duties for Japan in the 2023 WBC, but his absence due to injury has left the position thinner this time around. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks speedster Ukyo Shuto is the only true center fielder on the roster, though his lighter bat and value as a late-game pinch-runner make him less likely to open the tournament as the starter.
Hanshin Tigers rising star Shota Morishita was also viewed as a potential option in center, but coach Yoshiyuki Kamei recently told reporters that Morishita is expected to compete for a corner outfield job, with no current plans to deploy him in center.
Suzuki’s ability to handle center field would give Japan greater flexibility in aligning a crowded outfield, allowing Boston Red Sox contact specialist Masataka Yoshida and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks superstar Kensuke Kondoh to slot into the corners. 2025 Central League MVP Teruaki Sato, who primarily plays third base for the Hanshin Tigers, also remains part of the corner outfield mix.
The news has drawn mixed reactions from fans on social media, with some supporting the idea of maximizing Japan’s lineup by stacking as many experienced premium bats as possible, while others have expressed concern about the severe defensive drawbacks of deploying Yoshida and Suzuki, both of whom spent significant time at designated hitter last year, in the outfield.
Photo: Chicago Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki (27) makes a sliding catch to out Milwaukee Brewers’ Joey Ortiz (3) to end the top of the seventh inning of Game 4 of baseball’s National League Division Series Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
