Inside The Cubs

Watch: Chicago Cubs Score First Run of Season on Crushed RBI Double

The Chicago Cubs are on the board first in Tokyo.

Michael Brauner

Mar 15, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya (9) bats against the Hanshin Tigers during the third inning at Tokyo Dome.
Mar 15, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya (9) bats against the Hanshin Tigers during the third inning at Tokyo Dome. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
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The Chicago Cubs are taking on the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers early on Tuesday morning from Tokyo for the first of a two-game set to begin the regular season campaign.

In a historic pitching matchup between fellow Japanese stars Shota Imanaga and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, anticipation was high in the Tokyo Dome to see the two storied franchises take the field.

The Cubs got the scoring started in the bottom of the second inning after Dansby Swanson got on base with the first hit of the game for either team. Two batters later, Chicago catcher Miguel Amaya scorched a double to deep right center field to bring Swanson across the plate:

Though he would cool off tremendously in September last season with a bad slump to end the year, Amaya had absolutely caught fire for the Cubs over the summer and played the best baseball of his two-year career thus far.

Slashing .318/.348/.576 with four home runs in 20 games in August, the hope was Amaya had taken the next step as a hitter.

The Cubs put the pressure on Amaya to produce this offseason by signing veteran Carson Kelly to potentially platoon with the 26-year-old after they had no choice but to ride his cold streaks last season.

Though things are just getting started this season, Amaya is off to a good start in proving why he should be the team's first option at catcher. If he can provide this kind of boost in the lineup daily, he's going to help Chicago win a lot of games this season.

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Michael Brauner
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