Yoshinobu Yamamoto had a little extra zip on his fastball. Shohei Ohtani even admitted to some nerves. There was little doubt this was no ordinary baseball game.

The Los Angeles Dodgers opened the regular season with a 4-1 win over the Chicago Cubs at the Tokyo Dome, which marked a homecoming for Shohei Ohtani. The two-way star, back in his native Japan, played a key role in helping the team win their first game of the season.

The Los Angeles Dodgers opened the 2025 MLB season on Tuesday, March 18, against the Chicago Cubs in the Tokyo Series. One of the biggest storylines heading into the series was Shohei Ohtani’s return to his home country.