The Los Angeles Dodgers are beginning the regular season with an international series for the second consecutive year, but 2025 brings about heightened excitement with that taking place in Japan.
The Dodgers have become the country’s de facto home team since signing Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto last offseason and following that up with adding Roki Sasaki this winter.
While there is still over one month until the Tokyo Series, the Dodgers and Chicago Cubs have begun to publicly share some pitching plans.
During an appearance on “Hot Stove” on MLB Network, manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers expect Yamamoto and Sasaki to pitch at the Tokyo Dome in some fashion:
“I think the expectation for both those guys to pitch is real. That’s our expectation. But as I say that, you just never know. Today is our first day of pitchers and catchers, so things can certainly change. But I think at the outset, that’s the anticipation.”
Even with Roberts’ remarks, it’s not yet clear if Yamamoto and Sasaki would both be utilized as starters. The Dodgers conceivably would have Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow available as well.
Glasnow and Yamamoto were selected as the two starting pitchers when the Dodgers played the San Diego Padres in the Seoul Series last year. For Yamamoto it represented his MLB debut.
Given the shortened Spring Training, the Dodgers take a cautious approach and don’t force pitchers to fully stretch out by the early Opening Day date.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell previously announced Shota Imanaga would start against the Dodgers in one of the two Tokyo Series games.
Dodgers rule out Ohtani pitching in Tokyo
What is known is Shohei Ohtani will not pitch for the Dodgers at any point during the Tokyo Series or first month-plus of the regular season.
Roberts has maintained the earliest Ohtani would be on the mound this season is May.
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