Tokyo Yomiuri Giants pitcher Shodai Tanaka will not face the Chicago Cubs on the 16th because of the change of plans, he said that his body is fine, the previous game was against Hanshin on the 9th and lost 1 point in 3 innings, and he was originally going to be a relay pitcher against the Cubs, "I'm looking forward to it, but I'm also a little embarrassed, I think there may be a lot of people who want to go up and pitch." Tanaka is sure he won't play, and he is expected to pitch in Game 3 or Game 6 of the Giants after the start of the Japanese career.
Some Japanese fans are expecting Tanaka to play against major league players (Makoya Suzuki is in the Cubs), but Tanaka has played 174 regular-season games in seven years with the Yankees (10 wins or more in six consecutive seasons), and he doesn't need that opportunity, so he might as well give it to a young pitcher. Both the Dodgers and the Cubs are popular teams in the major leagues, and young pitchers in Japan can boost their self-confidence if they play well.
Tanaka has not had a good time in recent years since returning to Japan, and last year he was very determined to leave his old club, Tohoku Lotte Eagles, and with the support of fans, he needs a fresh start, so the first important game should be reserved for the new club's regular season. It is believed that Tanaka's goal for the new season is still a total of 200 career American and Japanese professional baseball wins, and he currently has 197 wins. Besides, the 36-year-old Tanaka is no longer the strong pitcher who could stand tall in the powder depot of the major leagues in the East of the United States, and he may not be able to suppress the Cubs beater.