The defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers picked up right where they left off last fall, sweeping the Chicago Cubs in MLB’s season-opening Tokyo Series.
Reigning National League MVP Shohei Ohtani delighted a sellout crowd at the Tokyo Dome by hitting his first home run of the year as the Dodgers defeated the Cubs 6-3 in the finale of the two-game set.
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The game also featured 23-year-old right-hander Rōki Sasaki making his MLB debut on the mound in his home country, giving the Dodgers a trio of Japanese stars alongside Ohtani and Tuesday’s winning pitcher, Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
After Wednesday’s game, the teams will come back to the United States and get ready for the domestic opening day on March 27.
Here are the highlights from Wednesday’s action.
Happy flight: Dodgers sweep Cubs in Tokyo Series
The Dodgers take game two of the Tokyo Series and sweep the Chicago Cubs. Alex Vesia closed out the ninth inning to earn the save as the Dodgers beat the Cubs 6-3.
Shohei Ohtani intentionally walked
With a runner on second base and first base open and two outs, Shohei Ohtani was intentionally walked by Julian Merryweather in the seventh inning –– and the fans at the Tokyo Dome were not happy about it. It turned out to be a good move. Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw threw out Tommy Edman on a diving play and saved a run to close out the inning.
Cubs cut deficit to 6-3
Trying to stem the momentum from Shohei Ohtani’s majestic home run in the top of the fifth, the Cubs got a run back in the bottom of the inning against Dodgers reliever Jack Dreyer, who was making his MLB debut.
With two outs and no one on base, rookie Matt Shaw hit a grounder that deflected off Dreyer’s glove for an infield single. Dansby Swanson followed that with a double into the left field corner to score a sliding Shaw and bring the Cubs back to within three runs.
Shohei Ohtani slugs first home run of the season
After the Cubs clawed back a run in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single by Ian Happ, Shohei Ohtani gave the Tokyo Dome crowd what it came to see.
Facing Cubs reliever Nate Pearson, Ohtani turned around a 99.1 mph fastball and launched a high fly ball to right center. As the outfielders retreated to the warning track, a fan reached out and deflected the ball back onto the playing field.
The initial call of a home run went to replay, which confirmed the first homer and RBI of Ohtani’s 2025 season.
He led the National League a year ago in both categories with 54 home runs and 130 RBI.
Rōki Sasaki’s major league debut is over
Rōki Sasaki’s MLB debut is done after three innings: 1 run, 1 hit, 5 walks, 3 strikeouts, 56 pitches. He hit 100 mph several times, but struggled with command, walking one run in. Luis Garcia takes the mound for the Dodgers in the fourth inning.
Dodgers extend lead with another home run
After the Cubs scored on a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the third inning, the Dodgers responded again in the fourth. Kiké Hernandez slugged a two-run home run off Justin Steele to extend the lead to 5-1.
Tommy Edman launches 2025 season’s first homer
One thing missing from Tuesday’s season-opener in Japan was the opportunity for fans at the Tokyo Dome to celebrate a home run.
Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman checked that box in the top of the third inning when he launched a high fly ball into the left field seats off Cubs southpaw Justin Steele.
Edman was traded to the Dodgers at the trade deadline last season, but didn’t make his season debut until August as he recovered from offseason wrist surgery. Against left-handed pitchers last year, Edman was 14-for-34 (.412) with four home runs and an .882 slugging percentage.
Dodgers get on the board first, lead 2-0
After taking the first game of the Tokyo Series, the Dodgers got a jump on a potential sweep with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning.
Catcher Will Smith led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on a double by Max Muncy. The runners advanced and the Dodgers took the lead on a passed ball by Cubs catcher Carson Kelly. And L.A. added a second run when Kiké Hernandez hit a sacrifice fly to center, briging Muncy home.
Rōki Sasaki hits 100 in his first MLB inning
Making his first start in the majors in front of his home fans, Dodgers pitcher Rōki Sasaki lived in the upper 90s with his fastball. He even hit the 100 mph mark on a pair of pitches in the opening inning.
Sasaki recorded his first MLB strikeout when he got countryman Seiya Suzuki on a foul-tipped 99.3 mph fastball.
Dodgers-Cubs starting lineups
Here are the batting orders for the second game of the Tokyo Series:
Los Angeles Dodgers
DH Shohei Ohtani
2B Tommy Edman
RF Teoscar Hernandez
C Will Smith
3B Max Muncy
1B Kiké Hernandez
LF Michael Conforto
SS Miguel Rojas
CF Andy Pages
SP Rōki Sasaki
Chicago Cubs
LF Ian Happ
DH Seiya Suzuki
RF Kyle Tucker
1B Michael Busch
3B Matt Shaw
SS Dansby Swanson
CF Pete Crow-Armstrong
C Carson Kelly
2B Jon Berti
SP Justin Steele
What time is Dodgers vs. Cubs Tokyo Series game?
First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
How to watch Dodgers vs. Cubs Tokyo Series game
The second game of the Tokyo Series is on Fox Sports 1 and streaming via Fubo.
Tokyo Series TV channel
Wednesday’s game is airing on Fox Sports 1.
Dodgers vs. Cubs pitchers: Rōki Sasaki, Justin Steele
RHP Rōki Sasaki, Dodgers: The Dodgers’ prized winter addition makes his MLB debut in his home country. Sasaki, 23, had a 2.10 ERA in 64 games with Chiba Lotte, tacking up 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
LHP Justin Steele, Cubs: The 29-year-old had a 3.07 ERA in 2024, a year after finishing fifth in NL Cy Young voting.
Tokyo Dome dimensions
It’s 328 feet down the lines and 400 feet to center field at the Tokyo Dome.
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