Major League Baseball has previously held season-opening series in Japan five times. But this year's Tokyo Series will feature a big first-time storyline for an MLB opener.
Chicago Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga and Los Angeles Dodgers star Yoshinobu Yamamoto, both of whom are entering their second MLB seasons, are the starting pitchers. So you already know what one of Japan's trending topics on social media will be on Tuesday night, March 18 before and after the first pitch is thrown at Tokyo Dome.
Never before have two Japanese pitchers started against one another in an MLB opener, in North America or Japan. But considering this country's love affair with baseball, it's the perfect plan from a fan's perspective ― and from a marketing standpoint, too.
And remember this: Imanaga had a 15-3 win-loss record in 2024 and Yamamoto was a three-time Eiji Sawamura Award winner with the Orix Buffaloes before he joined the Dodgers. Both men are dynamic pitchers.
Past season-opening series in 2000 (Cubs and New York Mets), 2004 (Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees), 2008 (Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics), 2012 (Seattle Mariners and A's) and 2019 (Mariners and A's) at the Big Egg featured star attractions, including Hideki Matsui and Ichiro Suzuki.
This is different ― and very cool, as any cool junior-high school student would tell you.
A Win-Win Situation for MLB
Put aside the global appeal of Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani for just a moment and appreciate the fact that Imanaga and Yamamoto will share a unique place in MLB history on Tuesday night. Kudos to the Cubs and the reigning World Series champion Dodgers for getting this right.
The excitement of having Japan's MLB stars back home to play regular-season games has generated widespread awareness about the upcoming games.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell offered first-hand knowledge of this fact.
"Just jumping in a taxi [in Tokyo]," Counsell was quoted as saying by MLB.com, "they don't know who you are, but mentioning the series, everybody's very aware of the series. That is evident, for sure ― more than I feel like it would be in America. More people are talking about it, absolutely. That's a great feeling."
An Enticing Pitching Matchup for Tokyo Series Opener
Naming Imanaga and Yamamoto as the Opening Day starters was a no-brainer from a promotional standpoint in the weeks leading up to the Tokyo Series.
Counsell also delivered an astute observation on Friday, March 14, sharing his perspective before a throng of reporters.
"We get to honor our teammates by coming to their home country, and people that mean a lot to us," Counsell said of Imanaga, outfielder/designated hitter Seiya Suzuki and Japanese fans.
He added, "For the Cubs players and the Japanese players on the Dodgers, this is a really hard trip and it means so much to you and kind of the added, frankly, pressure that goes with that."
Which doesn't mean that Imanaga and Suzuki have been miserable. Quite the contrary, according to Counsell.
"They are proud and they are happy," the manager shared. "That's what's so evident. They are happy and they are joyful that they get to share this with us."
Imanaga Looks Ahead to Tokyo Series Start
On Monday, Imanaga commented on preparations for his high-profile starting assignment the next day.
"Yes, I am healthy and I am so happy that I am healthy," the 31-year-old pitcher told reporters. "I think I have my responsibility [to be] healthy as a starting pitcher for tomorrow."
Beyond his own prep work to get ready to pitch against the Dodgers, Imanaga said the Tokyo Series is a big deal for him personally.
"Yes, this is a historical moment and a historical game as well," Imanaga declared. "I am so honored to be part of the game and I am going to be on the mound with confidence."
On facing expected leadoff hitter Ohtani to open the game, the 2024 National League All-Star said: "He is without a doubt the best player in the world, so I want to pitch my best. At times his technique may be better than mine, but that won't decide the game, so I want to do my best until that moment when the game is decided."
Being named Chicago's Opening Day starter is "a great honor," the Fukuoka Prefecture native told reporters at Tokyo Dome Hotel.
It's also a reminder that the steady pipeline of Japanese players to MLB over the past few decades was made possible by Hideo Nomo, Ichiro and Yu Darvish, among others.
"We are getting so much attention thanks to Japanese players who took on the challenge of MLB before us. I'm grateful for that," Imanaga said, according to Kyodo News. "We hope to build on the foundation they built."
Yamamoto Eager to Make Tokyo Series Start
In a recent interview with SportsNet LA in Arizona before the team's trip to Tokyo, Yamamoto spoke about his overall thoughts on spring training.
He summed up his physical condition by saying "I think that my arm is pretty up to speed today," Yamamoto said, adding, "I'm feeling ready [for Opening Day]."
The 26-year-old went 1-0 with a 4.15 ERA in four Cactus League starts, striking out 14 batters in 13 innings. Heading into spring training, he was coming off a solid first season (of a 12-year contract) in a Dodgers uniform with a 7-2 record and a 3.00 ERA in 18 starts with 105 strikeouts and 22 walks in 90 innings.
Yamamoto was sidelined with a shoulder injury and was activated from the 60-day disabled list in September 2024. And he memorably pitched 6⅓ innings of one-hit, one-run ball against the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the World Series, earning the win.
"I had a lot of good experiences last year," Yamamoto said in Tokyo on March 14, "so I hope I can carry as many of them as possible into this season."
Recognizing that he would likely be selected to start the Tokyo Series opener, Yamamoto maintained his offseason preparations to stay in shape and be ready from the get-go for spring training. It was the right decision.
Healthy and Ready to Play
In the offseason, Yamamoto told SportsNet LA, "I was feeling really healthy, physically and mentally, and then I was able to carry that into spring training."
Days later in Tokyo, with numerous TV cameras pointed in his direction, Yamamoto sat next to teammates Ohtani and Wednesday's Game 2 starter Roki Sasaki in a large ballroom. In the press conference, Yamamoto summoned his best effort to answer a question about how Ohtani handles the pressure to succeed with nonstop media attention.
"I don't know [how he handles it], but I want to know as much as I can as soon as possible and do my best," Yamamoto said, referring to his Tokyo Series start.
Preparing to Face Imanaga in the Tokyo Series
Dave Roberts, LA's two-time World Series-winning manager, summarized a basic scouting report of Imanaga. In doing so, four days before the Cubs southpaw steps on the mound, Roberts offered an estimated 300 journalists a brief rundown of what his team must be ready for in Game 1 of the Tokyo Series.
"It's a sneaky fastball and it's a good changeup," Roberts told the news conference of the left-hander's pitching repertoire. "If we can stay off that changeup, then we've got a good chance."
As for LA's goal of becoming MLB's first repeat champion since the Yankees (in 1998-2000), Roberts alluded to a reporter's question, "There's a long way till October [when the postseason begins]."
He then said, "As far as this series, just play good baseball. The Cubs are a good ballclub and I think we are all excited to put on a good show for the fans here in Tokyo and beyond. But at the end of the day, we are here to play baseball ― and like I said, our goal is still, yes, to win the championship this year."
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- Dodgers and Cubs Excited to Play in the Tokyo Series
Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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