The Tokyo Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs is a full circle moment for Japanese baseball.

No player in professional baseball history has slugged more home runs than the 868 that Oh hit over 22 seasons with the Yomiuri Giants, the Japanese equivalent of the New York Yankees. “He was almost like a figment of my imagination and like a folk hero,” Roberts said. “A fictional character.”

Japanese players Shohei Ohtani and Shota Imanaga are transforming Major League Baseball and its fans — and the future of the game.

For the first time in six years, Major League Baseball games will be played in Japan this season. The Chicago Cubs and defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers will open the 2025 regular season with two games in Tokyo starting Tuesday.

Here's how to watch the MLB season opener. The Cubs and Dodgers will play a two-game series in Tokyo on Tuesday, March 18, and Wednesday, March 19. Both games will take place at 6:10 a.m. ET (5:10 a.m. CT/3:10 a.m. PT). Both the Tuesday and Wednesday matchups will take place at the Tokyo Dome, an indoor stadium.

It is hard to find a block in the heart of Tokyo that does not feature a banner or advertisement featuring Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani. This week, images of Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, along with Cubs stars Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki,