The sound of Shohei Ohtani’s bat connecting with the ball, the deafening cheers from a packed Tokyo Dome, and the steady hum of credit card machines ringing up Dodgers and Cubs gear—it was a dream scenario for Major League Baseball and Commissioner Rob Manfred.
The 2025 MLB season couldn’t have kicked off on a bigger stage. Japan embraced America’s pastime in spectacular fashion, filling the Tokyo Dome to its 42,000-seat capacity for all four games—two exhibition matchups against Japanese teams and two high-stakes regular-season games. Thousands more flooded downtown Tokyo to soak in the electric atmosphere, proving just how global baseball has become.
MLB is riding a wave of momentum heading into its domestic Opening Day on March 27. With attendance on the rise and game pace improved thanks to rule changes introduced in 2023, baseball’s appeal is growing. And if anyone needed a signature moment to highlight the game’s international reach, Ohtani delivered in style. His towering solo homer in the Dodgers’ 6-3 victory on Wednesday put the finishing touch on a dominant two-game sweep.
The series wasn’t just about Ohtani, though. It was a homecoming for five Japanese-born stars, and four of them rose to the occasion under intense pressure. The season opener featured a historic first—an all-Japanese starting pitching duel between Chicago’s Shota Imanaga and Los Angeles’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Both aces put on a show, with Imanaga tossing four shutout innings and Yamamoto countering with five strong frames, allowing just one run in the Dodgers’ 4-1 win.
The second game saw another highly anticipated debut—Dodgers rookie Roki Sasaki, one of Japan’s most electrifying young pitchers, took the mound for the first time in the big leagues. He wasted no time making an impression, firing four 100 mph fastballs to open his career. Though his command wavered at times, his pure talent was undeniable.
The only quiet homecoming belonged to Chicago’s Seiya Suzuki, who struggled to find his rhythm at the plate. Still, the Tokyo series proved to be a massive success, reaffirming MLB’s global influence and Japan’s deep love for the game.
With the 2025 season officially underway, baseball fans have plenty to be excited about. And if the Tokyo showcase was any indication, this year could be one for the ages.