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Breakfast with the Dodgers: Fans prepare for historic and bleary-eyed season opener
Yoshinobu Yamamoto works out at the Tokyo Dome on Monday. He's the Dodgers' opening day starter on Tuesday.
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IN THIS ARTICLE
As legendary announcer Vin Scully used to say, “It’s time for Dodgers baseball!” But that time has never before been 3 o’clock in the morning.
Baseball season is finally here, and you’d better believe many Dodgers fans will be up early (or will pull an all-nighter) to watch L.A. take on the Chicago Cubs at the Tokyo Dome. Game time is 3:10 a.m. Pacific on Tuesday. Yes. Break out the coffee.
Why this game is big
The Dodgers are the defending World Series champions. Any time a team wins the championship, the first game of the following season takes on a whole new meaning. L.A. is now the team to beat. The Dodgers will bring out the best in teams every time they hit the diamond.
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But this game in Tokyo is next-level. Huge. Historic. For the first time in MLB history, two Japanese-born players will be on the mound to start for their respective teams.
Starting for the Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is looking to build on his rookie year and be that “go-to” guy. For the Cubs: Shota Imanaga, who had a fantastic 2024 and solidified his standing as the top pitcher for Chicago. Just to see these two hurl fastballs and devastating splitters at opposing batters will be a treat.
A total of five Japanese players will be playing in this opening two-game series. The Dodgers have two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, Yamamoto and rookie phenom Roki Sasaki, who will pitch Game 2 on Wednesday. The Cubs will counter with Imanaga and outfielder Seiya Suzuki.
The fan experience
One of the cool things besides watching the game on the field will be looking into the stands. The Dodgers are the de-facto home team, and many fans will be wearing Dodger blue and L.A. caps. You will see plenty of people dressed in Cubs garb too, but no doubt about it, this will be a Dodgers crowd. Star players Ohtani, Yamamoto and Sasaki have turned Japan “blue.” Every Dodgers game is broadcast live in Japan during the season. Ohtani’s face is splashed on billboards. He’s in television commercials hawking all sorts of products. Walk around and you will see so many fans wearing his No. 17 jersey.
And you know here in Southern California, many fans will be putting on their Ohtani jerseys and T-shirts as they turn on their flatscreens and have an early breakfast with the Dodgers. There will be many home watch parties because nothing is better than a shared experience of a historic moment. If you want an even bigger party — head over to LaSorted’s in Chinatown or the Cosm in Inglewood. Both spots are hosting massive watch parties.
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What to watch for
Expect these games to be close because both teams will have fantastic pitchers on the mound. On Wednesday, Sasaki is making his MLB debut, but he’s pitched in many big games during his career, including Japan's winning World Baseball Classic bid in 2023, and he had a solid spring training.
Even though the Dodgers offense will not have eight time All-Star and former American League MVP Mookie Betts in the lineup because of an illness, the Dodgers are still loaded with the best player in the world in Ohtani, World Series MVP Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez, National League Championship Series MVP Tommy Edman and Will Smith.
The Dodgers also have a stellar bullpen led by offseason acquisitions Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates to close things out. They are two of the best relievers in the game.
The Dodgers and the Cubs. Can’t think of two better teams to kick off the regular season in Japan. The Tokyo Series is here, and Dodgers fans can’t wait to begin their baseball journey.
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