Los Angeles Dodgers (0-0) at Chicago Cubs (0-0)
Game 1:
Date: March 18th
Time: 6:10 AM CST
Broadcast: Fox Sports/Marquee Sports Network
Game 2:
Date: March 19th
Time: 6:10 AM CST
Broadcast: FS1/Marquee Sports Network
Purchase tickets via Ticketmaster
Probable Starters:
Game 1: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7-2, 3.00 ERA) Vs Shota Imanaga (15-3, 2.91 ERA)
Yamamoto will take the ball for the Dodgers in game one of the series in Tokyo. This will kick off the 2025 season for the defending World Series champions. Last year in 18 starts he was seven and two with a 3.00 ERA, had a 2.61 FIP to go along with his 1.11 WHIP, and impressive 10.5 K/9. Shota will get the ball in game one for the Cubs after a 15-3 rookie season for the Cubs. He had a 2.91 ERA, with a 1.021 WHIP, 3.72 FIP, and a 9 K/9 stat line last season.
Game 2: Roki Sasaki (10-5, 2.35 ERA) Vs Justin Steele (5-5, 3.07 ERA)
In game two, the Dodgers will hand the ball to Sasaki. He is a free agent from the Japan Pacific League. Sasaki pitched last year for the Chiba Lotte Marines. In his last year in Japan, he recorded a 10-win season taking five losses while producing a 2.35 ERA. He had a 1.036 WHIP and struck out batters at a 10.5 K/9 rate last year. Justin Steele will pitch in game two for the Cubs. He aims to return to his 2023 form. Steele missed a chunk of the early season last year for the Cubs. Last year he went five and five with a 3.07 ERA while posting a 3.23 FIP, 1.099 WHIP, and a 9.0 K/9.
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Players to Watch:
Los Angeles Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani is had an absolutely fantastic 2024 with the Dodgers in 159 games he had 9.2 WAR and a .310 batting average with a 1.036 OPS. He excelled across all categories. Ohtani hit 38 doubles and seven triples. He achieved 54 home runs and scored 134 runs. He also tallied 130 RBIs and stole 59 bases. In six games last year against the Cubs he was very productive. He hit .400 with two doubles, one triple, two home runs, six RBIs, six runs scored, and stole two bases.
Chicago Cubs
Kyle Tucker spent last year with the Houston Astros and came over to the Cubs via a trade this winter. He only played in 78 games last year after missing time mid-season with injuries. Tucker had a 4.7 WAR over those games. He also recorded a .289 batting average, .993 OPS, 13 doubles, 23 home runs, 49 RBIs, 56 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. He did not face the Dodgers last season, but in his career, he has a .257 batting average, with three doubles, two home runs, four RBIs, two stolen bases and five runs scored.
Next Up:
Los Angeles: March 27th-March 29th vs Detroit Tigers
Chicago: March 27th-March 30th at Arizona Diamondbacks
