LAD Ambitious Plan, Otani-Yamamoto One-Two Punch as a starter for next year's Tokyo opener? MLB 2025 Schedule Announced
Jul 19, 2024
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According to MLB's 2025 Major League regular season schedule announced on the 19th (Korea time), the Dodgers will play the opening two consecutive games against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, on March 18-19 next year.
The Dodgers held the opening two consecutive games 'Seoul Series' against the San Diego Padres at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on March 20-21. It is the second consecutive year that the pennant race fanfare has been ringing in Asia.
Ohtani, who moved to the Dodgers last winter by signing an astronomical 10-year, $700 million FA contract, will mark the regular season in his hometown of Japan next year following Korea this year. It is the first time Ohtani will play in Japan after entering the Major League in 2018 except for the World Baseball Classic in March 2023.
This 'Tokyo Series' was planned to mark the 25th anniversary of 'the first major league to be held in Japan'. It is the 25th year since the Cubs and the New York Mets held a historic opening two consecutive games at Tokyo Dome on March 29-30, 2000.
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MLB.com predicted that "'We don't know how the opening roster will be organized next year, but the Dodgers will participate in the Tokyo series with Ohtani and right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Cubs left-hander Shota and outfielder Seiya Suzuki.'" This year's 'Seoul Series' was made as a match between Dodgers and San Diego because there were a number of Korean and Japanese players in the Dodgers, including Ohtani, Yamamato, and San Diego, Kim Ha-sung, Ko Woo-seok, Darvish Yu, and Matsui Yuki.
The Dodgers have been the most active team in MLB's 'World Tour Project'. It has had three international series: Sydney, Australia in 2014, Monterrey, Mexico in 2018, and Seoul, Korea in March this year, and this is the first time it will play in Japan. The Cubs are the third world tour after Tokyo in 2000 and London in 2003.
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The opening day of next year's U.S. mainland is March 28. Excluding the world tour, the date for the opening game was set at the earliest in history. Next year's regular season schedule will also be arranged in accordance with 'Balanced Schedule' to face all clubs. First, 13 games (52 games) will be played against teams in the same league and district, and 6 to 7 games (62 games) will be played against teams in other districts in the same league. On top of that, there are a total of 48 games in the interleague, with 6 games against local rivals and 3 games against other teams.
Another team that attracts attention in the regular season schedule announced on the day is the Oakland Athletics. Athletics will use Sutter Health Park, Sacramento, California, as its home for three years from next year to 2027. The Athletics will play three seasons at the stadium, which has a capacity of 10,500 spectators, before moving to Las Vegas, their new home in 2028. The Athletics' home opener next year is also the Cubs.
jhno@sportschosun.com
