For the 10th time in history, MLB will open its regular season outside the United States and Canada, and for the second consecutive year that event will take place in Asia.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the first MLB regular season game played in Japan: an opening game between the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets at the Tokyo Dome on March 29 and 30, 2000.
Now, the same Cubs are involved in the opening game of the season, and they will do so against the reigning MLB champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The game not only attracts attention because it is played outside of North America, but both teams also have several Japanese players, which has aroused unusual interest for these two games.
One of them is the National League MVP, Shohei Ohtani, who has become one of the best players in recent years in world baseball.
Ohtani, who is the Dodgers’ designated hitter, is joined on the same team by his compatriots, pitchers Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, while on the Cubs’ side are pitcher Shota Imanaga and outfielder Seiya Suzuki
As if that were not enough, the first game of the series, and of the regular season, will feature two Japanese pitchers on the mound as starters, as Yamamoto will face Imanaga in this first game.
These are the series that have opened an MLB regular season internationally:
- 1999, Monterrey, Mexico: Rockies vs Padres
- 2000, Tokyo, Japan: Mets vs. Cubs
- 2001, San Juan, Puerto Rico: Rangers vs. Blue Jays
- 2004, Tokyo, Japan: Rays vs. Yankees
- 2008, Tokyo, Japan: Red Sox vs. Athletics
- 2012, Tokyo, Japan: Athletics vs Mariners
- 2014, Sydney, Australia: Dodgers vs. D-backs
- 2019, Tokyo, Japan: Athletics vs Mariners
- 2024, Seoul, South Korea: Dodgers vs Padres
Are the Dodgers vs Cubs games from Japan official?
The answer is a simple and resounding yes.
The Dodgers open the season in which they defend their World Series title against the Cubs at the Tokyo Dome.
The Cubs missed the playoffs last season, so they will be looking to make a statement from the start of the season and prove that they can take it to the next level for the upcoming season.
When is the Opening Day between Dodgers vs Cubs?
The Tokyo Series will consist of two regular season games between the Dodgers and Cubs.
The first game will take place on Tuesday, March 18, and will begin at 6:10 a.m. Eastern Time in the United States, 3:10 a.m. Pacific Time.
The second game will take place a day later, on Wednesday 19 at the same time as the first.
Where to watch the Tokyo Series between Dodgers vs Cubs in USA?
The first game of the series will be nationally televised on FOX, while the second game will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.
The games will also be available on local Los Angeles and Chicago regional sports networks, on SportsNet LA and Marquee, respectively.
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