TOKYO — With Sadaharu Oh, multiple Pikachu and Yoshiki – not to mention returning heroes Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto – there was no shortage of star power at the Tokyo Dome for MLB’s season opener.
But the Dodgers were down some wattage with both Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman missing. Betts was sent home Monday after dealing with an illness for the past week. Freeman was scratched from the lineup before Tuesday’s season opener with rib discomfort. Freeman played through a rib cartilage injury during last year’s postseason run.
Nonetheless, the Dodgers’ 2025 season began the way their 2024 season ended – with a fifth-inning rally that saw them take advantage of poor defense and a shutdown bullpen producing a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs Tuesday in Tokyo.
Ohtani and Yamamoto were in the middle of things with Yamamoto holding the Cubs to one run on three hits in the first five innings and Ohtani doing his part with two hits and two runs scored.
“It’s been awhile that I felt actually this nervous playing a game,” Ohtani said, noting that this week was the first time he had ever been in the visiting clubhouse (a cramped space that features a ventilated, see-through smoking booth) at Tokyo Dome. “In that sense, I felt like I needed the first couple at-bats, I needed some time to adjust. I’m glad that I was able to make the adjustments in the later part of the game.”
Greeted by loud cheers from the sellout crowd of 42,365 every time his name was announced, Ohtani was 0 for 2 against Cubs starter Shota Imanaga who held the Dodgers hitless through four innings.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Shohei nervous,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “One thing I did notice is how emotional he got during the Japanese national anthem. That was really something that was very telling, how emotional he was.”
Ohtani certainly seemed to be enjoying himself. FOX cameras — following his every move — caught him laughing with teammates several times and smiling as he sat on the bench.
“Come on, you guys have seen him long enough now. That’s who he is,” Max Muncy said. “There’s no moment that’s too big for that guy. He hasn’t changed who he is. He’s a really cool guy to be a teammate with. He’s going to be talked about probably when he’s done as being the greatest baseball player ever and he doesn’t act like it. He just likes to have fun in that dugout.”
Imanaga walked four (including Muncy twice) and threw 69 pitches to get through his four innings so Cubs manager Craig Counsell replaced him with right-hander Ben Brown for the fifth inning.
Andy Pages drew a one-out walk, bringing up Ohtani. Brown got him to swing and miss at two curveballs. Ohtani fouled off a fastball then was all over another knuckle curve from Brown, lining it 107.4 mph off the bat and into right field – nearly beheading Pages as he broke from first.
Pages went to third on the single then scored when Cubs left fielder Ian Happ couldn’t get to Tommy Edman’s sinking liner. Teoscar Hernandez bounced into a forceout but Ohtani was able to trot home with the go-ahead run when second baseman Jon Berti threw wildly past first base on his attempt to turn a double play.
Will Smith made it a three-run inning with a two-out single to left.
“We knew coming into the season after some of the moves that were made – get it to those guys (in the bullpen) with a lead. That was the plan tonight – get a lead, get it to the bullpen,” Muncy said. “I thought Yama was great. He pitched really good. He seemed to have really good command of all his pitches. He’d probably tell you his command wasn’t where he wanted it to be but the ball was coming out hot, stuff was moving and I thought he looked good.”
Yamamoto gave up a run in the second inning but retired the final nine batters he faced. Anthony Banda, Ben Casparius and Blake Treinen made it 16 consecutive Cubs retired before they allowed a baserunner — the longest streak by a defending World Series champ in a season-opening game since the 1979 New York Yankees.
Ohtani and Teoscar Hernandez gave them a little more cushion in the ninth inning. Ohtani led off with a double into the right-field corner (107.8 mph off the bat this time) and scored on an RBI single by Hernandez.
“It was cool — basically a home game with all the Dodger fans here,” Smith said of the Dodgers’ second consecutive Asian opening. “Such a big fan base here that support us from across the ocean, which is really cool. It’s cool to have the chance to come here and play and play in front of them.”