Dodgers Win Season Opener, Ohtani Shines in Tokyo Debut

TOKYO — The Los Angeles Dodgers opened the 2025 MLB season with a resounding 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs at the Tokyo Dome on Tuesday night, marking a historic moment for baseball fans and players alike.

Shohei Ohtani, wearing his new Dodgers uniform after signing a groundbreaking $700 million contract, expressed mixed emotions. “I was actually pretty nervous,” Ohtani said after the game. “It’s been a while since I felt nervous, but today, I definitely did.” Ohtani delivered an impressive performance with two hits, including a single in the fifth and a double in the ninth, thrilling the crowd of approximately 42,000.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted Ohtani’s emotional reaction during the Japanese national anthem, calling it revealing. “I don’t think I’ve seen Shohei nervous before,” Roberts said.

On the mound, Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched five dominating innings, allowing just one run on three hits, one walk, and striking out four. His fastball reached 98 mph, settling consistently between 96-97 mph — a noticeable increase from his previous season.

“What I experienced last October taught me many things,” Yamamoto said, referring to his last performance in the World Series. “What I should and shouldn’t do in certain situations. Based on that, I feel more confident.”

In a strong show of talent, Cubs’ pitcher Shota Imanaga held the Dodgers scoreless for four innings, despite issuing four walks. This matchup, featuring two Japanese starting pitchers, marked the first time in MLB’s opening day history.

“Imanaga and Yamamoto did a really good job managing the nerves of the start of the game,” said Cubs manager Craig Counsell.

Imanaga expressed satisfaction with his outing, despite the Cubs’ loss, stating, “One of the lessons about the fastball was that it felt really good. Once I get back to the States — obviously, there are differences in humidity, the environment, and the ball’s travel distance — but overall, if I can pitch the way I did today consistently and have confidence in it, I’ll be fine.”

Seiya Suzuki, the only Japanese player struggling that night, went 0-for-4 at the plate. Meanwhile, rookie Roki Sasaki is set to make his MLB debut on Wednesday as the teams continue their two-game series.

As the Dodgers aimed to capitalize on Ohtani’s massive appeal, they opened a fan merchandise store at the Tokyo Dome dedicated to him and other Japanese stars. The store is described as MLB’s “largest special event store in history,” attracting significant foot traffic.

Lillian Izawa, a fan who waited an hour to enter, remarked, “It’s crazy,” as she navigated the busy aisles filled predominantly with Ohtani merchandise. Tickets for the two-game series drew high demand, with the cheapest reselling for around $1,500.

As both teams gear up for their next encounter, excitement continues to build among fans and players, underlining the growing global reach of Major League Baseball.