# MLB Tokyo Series 2025

MLB Tokyo Series 2025 was a two-game Major League Baseball (MLB) series being contested between the Los Angeles Dodgers, the defending 2024 World Series champions, and the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, Japan, at the Tokyo Dome on March 18 and 19, 2025. The series is officially the Tokyo Series presented by Guggenheim due to sponsorship from Guggenheim Partners.

## Background

These are the first Major League Baseball (MLB) games to be played in Japan since the 2019 season opened in Japan. MLB has a long history of playing games in Japan, dating back to 1931 when a team of American All-Stars toured the country. This is the sixth MLB season to open in Japan, following opening games in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2019. Several notable Japanese players were expected to participate in the series, including Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki for the Dodgers, and Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki for the Cubs.

## Broadcast and schedule
### Exhibition games

The Dodgers and Cubs played exhibition games against two Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) teams, the Hanshin Tigers and the Yomiuri Giants, on March 15 and 16. These exhibition games gave fans an opportunity to see some of the best players from both leagues compete against each other. The exhibitions were aired regionally by SportsNet LA in Los Angeles and Marquee Sports Network in Chicago. Rights in Japan were held by Prime Video Japan. In these four games, the Tigers defeated both the Dodgers and Cubs, while the Dodgers and Cubs each defeated the Giants.
| Date | Time | Result | Attendance | Notes |
| March 15, 2025 (Japan) | 12:00 p.m. (JST) | Chicago Cubs 0 Hanshin Tigers 3 | 41,878 | WP: Mombetsu, Save: Iwazaki LP: Thielbar, HR: none |
| March 14, 2025 (US) | 11:00 p.m. (EDT) | Chicago Cubs 0 Hanshin Tigers 3 | 41,878 | WP: Mombetsu, Save: Iwazaki LP: Thielbar, HR: none |
| March 15, 2025 | 7:00 p.m. (JST) | Los Angeles Dodgers 5 Yomiuri Giants 1 | 42,064 | WP: Wrobleski, Save: none LP: Togo, HR: Conforto, Ohtani, T. Hernández |
| March 15, 2025 | 6:00 a.m. (EDT) | Los Angeles Dodgers 5 Yomiuri Giants 1 | 42,064 | WP: Wrobleski, Save: none LP: Togo, HR: Conforto, Ohtani, T. Hernández |
| March 16, 2025 (Japan) | 12:00 p.m. (JST) | Los Angeles Dodgers 0 Hanshin Tigers 3 | 42,095 | WP: Saiki, Save: Ishii LP: Snell, HR: Sato |
| March 15, 2025 (US) | 11:00 p.m. (EDT) | Los Angeles Dodgers 0 Hanshin Tigers 3 | 42,095 | WP: Saiki, Save: Ishii LP: Snell, HR: Sato |
| March 16, 2025 | 7:00 p.m. (JST) | Chicago Cubs 4 Yomiuri Giants 2 | 42,026 | WP: Taillon, Save: none LP: Griffin, HR: none |
| March 16, 2025 | 6:00 a.m. (EDT) | Chicago Cubs 4 Yomiuri Giants 2 | 42,026 | WP: Taillon, Save: none LP: Griffin, HR: none |

### Tokyo Series games

The Tokyo Series games between the Dodgers and Cubs were broadcast nationally in the United States by Fox Sports in English and Fox Deportes in Spanish. Fox reportedly decided to have their announcers remain in the US and broadcast remotely, due to other obligations such as the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Nippon Television and Prime Video Japan have broadcast rights in Japan.
| Date | Time | Matchup / Result | Attendance | Notes |
| March 18, 2025 | 7:10 p.m. (JST) | Los Angeles Dodgers 4 Chicago Cubs 1 | 42,365 | WP: Yamamoto, Save: Scott LP: Brown, HR: none |
| March 18, 2025 | 6:10 a.m. (EDT) | Los Angeles Dodgers 4 Chicago Cubs 1 | 42,365 | WP: Yamamoto, Save: Scott LP: Brown, HR: none |
| March 19, 2025 | 7:10 p.m. (JST) | Los Angeles Dodgers 6 Chicago Cubs 3 | | |
| March 19, 2025 | 6:10 a.m. (EDT) | Los Angeles Dodgers 6 Chicago Cubs 3 | | |