TOKYO, JAPAN — The Los Angeles Dodgers are back in a game setting at the Tokyo Dome for a series of exhibition games. The excitement is undeniable as the Dodgers match up with two of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) ‘s most respective clubs. The Dodgers meet the power Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome at 3:10 AM PT, their first game in the three-day break from their 10-4 Cactus League finale win over the Cleveland Guardians.
The Yomiuri Giants are not just any opponent. Japan’s winningest baseball franchise has claimed a record 22 NPB titles, the last of which came in 2012. The Giants, which were established in 1934, are a pillar of Japanese baseball and have played their home games in the Tokyo Dome since 1988. Led by Shinnosuke Abe, who guided the team to the Central League pennant last season, the Giants remain juggernauts, making for an eagerly awaited game tonight.
The Dodgers aren’t just paying an exhibition visit on their way to Tokyo; They’re in a range of motion to open the 2025 regular season against the Chicago Cubs in the highly-anticipated Tokyo Series, presented by Guggenheim. It will be a chance to show the talents of right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the 2024 World Series champion, who is expected to debut as the Dodgers’ Opening Day starter. This will be a huge milestone as it will become the seventh different Dodger Opening Day starter since 2019. Roki Sasaki will be making his MLB debut after him.
A matchup to watch: the biggest unit from Osaka, the Hanshin Tigers, will face off against the Dodgers. Blake Snell will take the mound, and Tyler Glasnow will support in a “piggyback” role. The squad’s turnaround is fast, but the buzz in Tokyo is real.
Justin Wrobleski will be on the mound for a bullpen game against the Giants. Having recently earned a hot start, prospect hype from Wrobleski’s Spring Training performance — when he notched a 1.93 ERA over 9.1 innings across four games — expect to ramp things up. He hopes to continue his strong Spring Training showing and make an impression on the big stage at the Tokyo Dome.
And as the Dodgers prepare to participate in these thrilling showcases, expect these exhibitions not just to be a fleeting moment for baseball lovers worldwide but a precursor to an exciting 2025 season of Major League Baseball. The Dodgers will meet the Angels in the Freeway Series after they return to Los Angeles on March 19, an exercise in (freeway) relevance for California fans before the regular season at Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium. Baseball fever is sweeping across the Pacific, and all attention is on Tokyo as the Boys in Blue celebrate America’s pastime in the baseball heartbeat of Japan.
