The story alleging that Seiya Suzuki broke down in tears at a Cubs press conference, admitting to “crushing pressure and heartbreaking homesickness,” is not supported by reputable news sources.
No major sports news outlet or official Cubs channel has reported on a press conference where the Japanese star had an emotional breakdown of this nature. This suggests the story you read is fabricated, highly sensationalized clickbait, or based on a misinterpretation of his general challenges.
The Real Pressure Points
While the specific breakdown event is unconfirmed, the narrative draws on real, well-documented struggles Suzuki has faced since arriving in MLB:
- Adjustment Difficulties: Early in his MLB career, Suzuki admitted he felt pressure to produce and went through a mental slump, taking a “mental break” in August 2023 to work on his approach. He candidly spoke about getting “too eager to get those results” and needing to “relax a little bit more.”
- Managerial Drama: More recently (early 2025), there were confirmed reports of communication issues and frustration between Suzuki and manager Craig Counsell, particularly regarding Suzuki’s shift to a designated hitter role. Counsell publicly took responsibility for improving communication due to the language barrier.
- Homesickness: It is universally recognized that international players face immense cultural and emotional pressure playing thousands of miles from their families. The narrative simply takes this common, intense reality and turns it into a dramatic, unverified “BREAKING” headline.
Suzuki has shown his passion publicly, such as being “filled with emotions” after hitting a home run against the Diamondbacks and expressing goosebumps upon returning to play an exhibition game in Japan in early 2025. However, there is no evidence of the emotional breakdown described in the “BREAKING” report.
