As the cameras went off, Shota Imanaga wrapped an arm around the shoulders of his Cubs teammate Seiya Suzuki. After they posed with stoic expressions, a few photographers asked the duo to smile. Imanaga broke into a wide grin,

Baseball mania reached fever pitch in Japan on Friday with public appearances of national hero Shohei Ohtani and other Japanese players set to take part in MLB season-opening games between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs.

The Chicago Cubs plan to make the most of their time in Japan, both as a way to kickstart the push to reach the postseason and as a way to come together as a team.