Wed Mar 19 11:40:00 UTC 2025: ## MLB Season Kicks Off Early in Tokyo, Full Swing Begins March 27th
**Tokyo, Japan –** The 2025 Major League Baseball regular season began a week early with a two-game series between the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers in Tokyo. The reigning champion Dodgers took the first game 4-1 on Tuesday, March 18th, fueled by strong pitching from Yoshinobu Yamamoto and timely hitting from Shohei Ohtani. This marks the second consecutive year the MLB has opened its season internationally; last year saw the Dodgers and Padres begin the season in Korea.
While the Cubs and Dodgers will return to the US to finish spring training after their Tokyo series, the rest of the league will officially begin the regular season on Thursday, March 27th, with 14 games scheduled. The Milwaukee Brewers and New York Yankees will throw the first domestic pitch at 3:05 p.m. ET, broadcast nationally on ESPN. ESPN will also air the Detroit Tigers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game later in the evening.
The Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Rays will open their seasons on March 28th. The Rays’ opening day was delayed due to damage to Tropicana Field from Hurricane Milton in October, necessitating a shift to their spring training home, George M. Steinbrenner Field, and pushing back their first game by a day.
Several starting pitchers have already been announced for Opening Day, including Freddy Peralta for the Brewers, Carlos Rodón for the Yankees, and several others. The Cubs, Dodgers, Guardians, and Rockies have yet to announce their starting pitchers. The full schedule for March 27th and the pitching matchups announced so far are included in the accompanying release. The early start to the season highlights the MLB’s continued efforts to expand its global reach, capitalizing on the popularity of baseball in Japan and showcasing prominent Japanese players like Ohtani and Yamamoto.
First Piper 