Dodgers, Cubs to Open 2025 Season In Tokyo

The Dodgers will begin their 2025 regular season in Japan.

The announcement of the season-opening games against the Chicago Cubs on March 18 and 19 in Tokyo coincided with the league’s official release of its 2025 schedule on Thursday.

The Dodgers’ return to Asia had been rumored for months. Now it’s official.

Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto were established stars in Japan before joining the Dodgers; so was Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga and outfielder Seiya Suzuki. Now, MLB will have a chance to market them as stars in their native country over two games that count in the regular season standings.

The Dodgers opened their 2024 regular season in Seoul, South Korea with two games against the San Diego Padres. Faced with the proposition of doing so again, it was reported in June that the team might not want to begin another season halfway across the world.

By beginning next season in Japan, the Dodgers will become the first MLB team to open back-to-back regular seasons overseas. In the “Seoul Series” in March, the Dodgers won the first of their two games against the San Diego Padres before losing in a back-and-forth offensive battle in the second game.

Photo Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

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