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Major League Baseball (MLB) announced that the Tokyo Series 2015, presented by Guggenheim, will become the biggest standalone international event in the league’s history.
The Tokyo Dome will host two regular-season games between the defending World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs, on Tuesday, March 18, and Wednesday, March 19.
Five Japanese superstars will highlight the Tokyo Opening Series 2025. Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are on the Dodgers roster. The Chicago Cubs will count on Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga.
Roki Sasaki is the latest addition to the Dodgers’ roster. Born in 2001, he set a high school record when his fastball hit 101 miles (or 163 kilometres) per hour. After he represented Japan at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2019, the Chiba Lotte Marines selected him at No. 1 in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Draft. Sasaki made his professional debut on May 16, 2021. On April 10, 2022, he pitched the 16th perfect game in NPB history, the first since 1994. Sasaki became the youngest pitcher to go perfect. He struck out 19 Oryx Buffaloes hitters. He also broke a world record, striking out 13 consecutive batters in the game. Sasaki helped Japan win the World Baseball Classic.
Yamamoto, Suzuki, and Imanaga helped Samurai Japan win the WBSC Premier12 2019. Suzuki earned the tournament’s MVP Award. Imanaga started two games for Japan, and Yamamoto pitched five games out of the bullpen.
Suzuki and Yamamoto helped Japan win gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Imanaga and Ohtani, who pitched for Japan during the inaugural WBSC Premier12 in 2015, starred for their national team at the World Baseball Classic 2023.
A two-time Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) All-Star, Imanaga, who pitched a no-hitter in 2022, won 15 games in his first MLB season.
Ohtani, the most decorated MLB star of the modern era, opened a new chapter in Baseball history during the 2024 season when he became the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season.
The Tokyo Series will be distributed to more than 200 countries and territories and will also be available through MLB.TV outside of the Los Angeles and Chicago areas.
Baseball fans in Japan will have the opportunity to experience a fair festival featuring a batting experience zone, baseball diamond with outfield seating, photo opportunities and MLB-themed food.
The Tokyo Skytree will be illuminated with three different light-up patters representing the Tokyo Series, Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Dodgers on March 7, 17, 18 and 19 in five-minute patterns.
A fan event dedicated to the World Series Champions Los Angeles Dodgers at Tokyo Node from March 5-30 will feature an immersive experience area including sights and sounds of Dodger Stadium, an exhibition area including the Shohei Ohtani 50-50 Commemorative Collection, a VR batting cage, photo opportunities.
The MLB, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, Chicago Cubs and Cubs Charities will host an MLB Together Legacy event at Seicho Special Needs High School for the students who love baseball on Monday, March 17. The organisations will make a product donation to the school followed by a baseball clinic with former MLB players who are members of the Commissioner’s Ambassador Program (CAP). Participants expected to join include Baseball Hall of Fame inductee CC Sabathia
The MLB will also host a special coaching clinic and workshop featuring Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Junior for MLB Cup’s coaches. MLB Cup is an annual U-11 tournament with nearly 2,000 participants.
A total of 22 major global and Japanese domestic brands are partnering with Major League Baseball and the Tokyo Series to reach fans.
The Tokyo Dome, the venue of three WBSC Premier12 Finals, will host MLB Opening Day for the sixth time, following the series in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2019. Four other countries outside the US have also hosted MLB Opening Day: Mexico in 1999, Puerto Rico in 2001, Australia in 2014, and Korea in 2024.
