The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs are opening the 2025 MLB season with the Tokyo Series in Japan.
The two-game set will take place at the Tokyo Dome from March 18-19, with start times still to be determined for both contests.
Prior to facing off in the regular season opener, the Dodgers and Cubs are expected to play exhibition games against Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) teams.
According to Yakyu Cosmopolitan, the Dodgers will play two exhibition games against the Hanshin Tigers from March 15-16:
🇯🇵⚾️ 2025 MLB Tokyo Tour Schedule
March 15
Hanshin Tigers vs. Chicago Cubs
Yomiuri Giants vs. Los Angeles DodgersMarch 16
Hanshin Tigers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Yomiuri Giants vs. Chicago CubsMarch 18/19
Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers pic.twitter.com/HT4uI0HHga— Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) November 27, 2024
The Dodgers also played exhibition games against the Kiwoom Heroes and the Korean national team before opening the 2024 season with the Seoul Series in South Korea.
The upcoming Tokyo Series marks the fourth time the Dodgers will be playing overseas. They previously opened the 2014 season with a series in Australia and also played in Mexico four years later.
The Tokyo Series will be the sixth time that MLB opens its regular season in Tokyo, and the 25th anniversary of the first-ever regular season games played in Japan in 2000 between the Cubs and the New York Mets.
It will be the first MLB games played in Japan since the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics opened the 2019 season at the Tokyo Dome.
MLB cancels some 2025 World Tour Games
Although the Dodgers and Cubs are opening the 2025 MLB season in Japan, commissioner Rob Manfred said plans to play games in Puerto Rico next year have been canceled.
Manfred also revealed that the 2025 Mexico City Series has been canceled, but did note MLB will return to the country in the future.
MLB also intended to play regular-season games in France, but that will no longer happen due to a lack of a presenting sponsor.
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