The 2025 season began this morning with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs facing off at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo Come City in Japan. Yoshinobu Yamamoto got the ball for the Dodgers while Shota Imanaga opposed him for the Chicago Cubs. Both starters pitched well to start the season. Mookie Betts did not play this morning due to illness and Freddie Freeman was scratched as he’s dealing with a rib discomfort.
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Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs
The Cubs wasted no time getting on the board as Miguel Amaya doubled home Dansby Swanson to make it 1-0 Chicago. Imanaga shut down the Dodgers offense as he went four no-hit innings, he walked four and struck out two. The Dodgers got to the Cubs bullpen in the top of the fifth. Ben Brown came in for Imanaga. Brown struggled out of the gate giving up three runs in the fifth. He got the first out rather quickly before walking Andy Pages, then Shohei Ohtani singled and moved Pages to third. Tommy Edman then singled home Pages to make it 1-1. Teoscar Hernandez grounded into a force out and Ohtani would score to make it 2-1 Dodgers. Will Smith then singled home Hernandez to make it 3-1 Los Angeles. Brown would settle in ending his going 2.2 innings giving up three runs, two earned on four hits; he walked three and struck out five.
Yamamoto would get the win going five innings giving up one run on three hits; he walked one and struck out four. The Dodgers bullpen then shut down the Cubs as Anthony Banda, Ben Casparius, Blake Treinen, and Tanner Scott went four shutout innings without allowing a baserunner, they combined to strike out five. In the top of the ninth, the Dodgers tacked on an insurance run as Ohtani started off the inning with a leadoff double, he would then move over to third on an Edman ground out. Ohtani would then score on a single by Hernandez to make it 4-1 Dodgers.
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Next Up
These two teams will face each other again tomorrow to wrap up the Tokyo series. Roki Sasaki will make his big-league debut for the Dodgers. Sasaki is the top prospect in baseball according to ITD. He will be going up against Justin Steele for the Chicago Cubs. First pitch is set for 6:10 PM EST on FS1.
