The Los Angeles Dodgers will be starting the 2025 Major League Baseball regular season in Tokyo, Japan on March 18 according to the Associated Press. This will be a two-game series in Japan, as they will also play at the Tokyo Dome on March 19. This two-game series is significant because the Cubs and Dodgers have two Japanese players each on their roster. The Dodgers have designated hitter and starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani of Oshu, and starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto of Bizen. There is a possibility that Ohtanui could make his pitching debut with the Dodgers in Tokyo, as he has not pitched in 2024 because of elbow surgery. The Cubs meanwhile have right fielder Seiya Suzuki of Arakawa, and starting pitcher, and ace off the staff, Shota Imanaga of Kitakyushu.
Cubs have played in Tokyo before
This will be the first time the Dodgers will have ever played in Tokyo. The Cubs have been in Tokyo before. On March 29 and 30, 2000, the Cubs played the New York Mets in the first two MLB regular season games at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. The Cubs won the first game 5-3, and the Mets won the second game 5-1. In each contest, 55,000 people attended.
Second Straight Year in Asia for the Dodgers
This will be the second straight season the Dodgers are opening their Major League Baseball regular season in Asia. On March 20 and 21, they played the San Diego Padres at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea. The Dodgers won the first game 5-2 and the Padres won the second game 15-11. Interestingly, Yamamoto got the start for the Dodgers in the second game of the series and was awful. He gave up five earned runs in a single inning.
MLB not playing in Paris
There were initial plans for Major League Baseball to play two regular season games in Paris, France in 2025. However, those plans were scrapped this past November, when they could not find a promoter. It should be noted that baseball is not part of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris either.
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