Sports

MLB to Open 2025 Season with Dodgers-Cubs Series at Tokyo Dome

All-Stars Shohei Ohtani and Shota Imanaga are among the top players set to compete in Tokyo as MLB returns to Japan for games for the first time since 2019.

Published

2 months ago

July 19, 2024

Ed Odeven

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is set to play his first MLB regular-season games in Japan in March 2025. (KYODO)

The 2025 MLB season will open at Tokyo Dome with a two-game series featuring the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs.

An announcement, made by Major League Baseball on Thursday, July 18, confirmed that superstar Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers will play an overseas season-opening series for the second straight year. The Dodgers-Cubs games are scheduled for March 18 and 19.

MLB staged the 2024 season-opening Seoul Series on March 20-21, with the Dodgers facing the National League West rival San Diego Padres.

In 2000, MLB held its first season-opening series in Tokyo at the same indoor ballpark. That series featured the New York Mets and the Cubs.

During the 21st century, Tokyo Dome has been the venue for MLB season-opening series in 2004 (New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays), 2008 (Boston Red Sox and Oakland A's), 2012 (Seattle Mariners and Oakland) and 2019 (Seattle and Oakland, with Mariners great Ichiro Suzuki playing his final games before retiring).

MLB — *Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (GETTY IMAGES/via KYODO)*

MLB — *Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga (GETTY IMAGES/via KYODO)*

Japanese MLB Players for the Dodgers and the Cubs

For Japanese fans, four-time MLB All-Star Ohtani and Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga, a first-time All-Star this season, are among the top attractions for the 2025 season-opening series.

Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is currently on the 60-day injured list, and Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki also receive huge media coverage and fervent fan support in their homeland.

Meanwhile, heading into the second half of the 2024 season, the Dodgers lead the NL West with a 56-41 record. The Cubs are 47-51, sitting in the NL Central cellar.

MLB resumes its current season with a full slate of games on Friday, July 19.

Ohtani leads the National League in home runs (29). He's second in the NL in batting average (.316) and third in RBIs (69).

Will Ohtani continue to contend for the Triple Crown? That should be one of the most compelling storylines as the season marches on.

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Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.