Major League Baseball on Thursday announced start times for regular season and spring training games, which is as good a reason as any to review the Dodgers schedule for 2025, finding things that stand out.
Breakfast and baseball
The Dodgers open the regular season against the Cubs for two games on March 18-19 at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. Just like the opening games in 2024 in Seoul, South Korea, the first two Dodgers games in 2025 will start just after 3 a.m. PT (3:10 a.m. in this case). Remember to set your alarms.
As a reminder, unlike last year when the Dodgers and Padres each had one home game in Seoul, both games this year in Tokyo will be considered Cubs home games.
Truncated spring
Because of those two regular season games in Japan, the Dodgers and Cubs get a slightly earlier start in spring training. Dodgers pitchers and catchers report to camp at Camelback Ranch on February 10, with their first full squad workout coming on February 15.
The Dodgers and Cubs play at Camelback Ranch on Thursday, February 20, which is the only spring game that day, before other teams in Arizona and Florida begin their spring slates one day later.
The Dodgers play 20 games in 20 days for the Arizona portion of their spring training from February 20 to March 11 before departing for Tokyo. There’s one split-squad day, with two games on Sunday, March 2, and one Dodgers off day, on March 3. Seventeen of the 20 spring training games are daytime starts, with three scheduled night games in Cactus League play:
February 28 vs. Angels, 5:05 p.m. PT
March 4 vs. Reds, 5:05 p.m.
March 7 at Mariners, 5:40 p.m.
Daylight saving starts on March 9, eliminating the hour difference between Arizona and Los Angeles. The Dodgers’ final three spring games in the desert start at 1:05 p.m. PT, while the other daytime starts in Arizona are just after noon PT.
Spring breakout
After the major league contingent leaves camp to head to Japan, Dodgers prospects will play Cubs prospects back at Camelback Ranch on Thursday, March 13 at 6:05 p.m. PT. This is part of the MLB-wide spring breakout games, now in its second year, in which prospects play against one another in big league spring parks.
Television or streaming plans for that game haven’t yet been revealed.
In last year’s Dodgers spring breakout game against the Angels in Tempe, pitchers Justin Wrobleski and Edgardo Henriquez were among the standouts, and both made their major league debuts during the season.
Regular season day games
Once the real games start again back home, the Dodgers will have four daytime weekday starts at Dodger Stadium:
Wednesday, April 30 vs Marlins, 12:10 p.m.
Thursday, June 5 vs Mets, 1:10 p.m.
Wednesday, July 23 vs. Twins, 1:10 p.m.
Wednesday, August 6 vs. Cardinals, 1:10 p.m.
There are more daytime getaway days in Dodgers road games:
Wednesday, April 9 at Nationals, 1:05 p.m. PT
Wednesday, May 7 at Marlins, 1:40 p.m.
Wednesday, May 28 at Guardians, 10:10 a.m.
Wednesday, June 11 at Padres, 1:10 p.m.
Thursday, June 26 at Rockies, 12:10 p.m.
Wednesday, July 9 at Brewers, 11:10 a.m.
Thursday, August 21 at Rockies, 12:10 p.m.
Thursday, September 25 at Diamondbacks, 12:40 p.m.
Television
So far ESPN is the only league television or streaming partner that has announced any portion of its schedule for 2025. The Dodgers have four ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ games exclusively on ESPN in addition to the home opener on Thursday, March 27 against the Tigers.
This is by no means proof of a potential match, but if you’re looking for potential Fox games, the Dodgers have five Saturday games scheduled to start at 4:15 p.m. PT (the usual slot for exclusive Fox games):
May 3 at Braves
May 24 at Mets
May 31 vs. Yankees
July 5 vs. Astros
July 26 at Red Sox
Still weird
Speaking of that home opener against the Tigers, that marks the first time ever the Dodgers will open (the domestic portion of their schedule) against in American League team. All interleague series are three games now, even the natural-rival games against the Angels which used to be two games each.
Since that series against the Tigers opens on Thursday and don’t have a weather day built in like six others in colder parts of the country, that means the Dodgers have a scheduled off day on the first Sunday of the season. That will never not be odd.