Takeaways From The MLB Tokyo Series
Reflecting on the Dodgers' dominance - and impressive depth - Ohtani's brilliance, mixed MLB debuts for two rookies, and much, much more from Japan...
The first two games of the 2025 MLB regular season are now in the books following the completion of the Tokyo Series.
In what served as a breathtaking and mouthwatering appetizer to the main event of Opening Day next week, the Dodgers took both games against the Cubs to open the new season - and their World Series defense - in style.
All eyes were on Shohei Ohtani throughout the Tokyo Series, and the phenom delivered as only he can. There were also a slew of other highlights to digest and soak in from Major League Baseball’s marquee season opener in Japan.
To that end, here are some of my top takeaways from the MLB Tokyo Series 2025 between LA and Chicago…
Growing The Game
I’ve been vocal before about the fact that I don’t love Major League Baseball holding regular season games in the middle of spring training. Something just doesn’t sit right about having games that matter take place a week away from Opening Day with players and teams still ramping up.
I’m also pretty confident that Dodgers fans didn’t love having to wake up at 3am on back-to-back days in order to see their team open up the 2025 regular season. Cubs fans back home also had an early start, as did baseball neutrals who wanted to indulge in games that actually mattered.
However, as was the case with the two games in Korea last year, Major League Baseball took their product on the road to Japan in order to grow the game. And, when assessing the Tokyo Series through that prism, it was certainly a grand slam by the league.
After all, baseball is gargantuan in Japan, and Shohei Ohtani is like Michael Jackson, The Beatles and Elvis Presley all rolled into one in his homeland. Or Michael Jordan on steroids. Take your pick. He’s an all-time megastar. It felt like the entire country was brought to a standstill as soon as Ohtani stepped off the plane, and Ohtani fever only intensified as the Tokyo Series began.
With Ohtani’s Dodgers teammates Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, as well as Cubs ace Shota Imanaga and outfielder Seiya Suzuki, also all playing an MLB game in their native Japan for the first time, the iconic Tokyo Dome was packed to the rafters in anticipation of seeing so many home-grown stars wearing Major League Baseball uniforms in one game.
It was also pretty cool to hear how extra pumped up the crowd got whenever Ohtani or Suzuki stepped to the plate, or when Yamamoto, Sasaki and Imanaga were on the mound. You could hear the decibel levels rise exponentially and, for a brief moment, it felt as though I was actually at the Tokyo Dome.
Of course, the roof of the dome nearly got blown off every time Ohtani did something meaningful, which happened a lot throughout the two-game series. Ohtani is like a Super God in Japan and his exploits in North America are worshipped on a daily basis back home. And, as long as the two-way superstar continues to dominate Major League Baseball, the glorious game of baseball will continue to grow and blossom worldwide, and especially in Japan.
From everything we’ve witnessed in Tokyo over the last few days, the sport will only continue to sore with Ohtani at the helm.
And that’s an incredibly good thing.
So, while I’m not exactly thrilled about now having to go back and watch spring training games for the next week, and while I’m feeling the effects of back-to-back early starts, it is all a small price to pay when you consider how beneficial events like the Tokyo Series are for the future growth of the game.
After all, per MLB Communications, more than 25 million viewers across all platforms watched Game 1 of the Tokyo Series, making it the most-watched game ever in Japan.
That’s only going to attract more eyeballs and more young fans to the game we all so dearly love.
Plus, there was something quite charming about watching regular season baseball in the early hours of the morning while sipping a steaming cup of delicious coffee.
Cometh The Hour, Cometh The Man
Let’s be honest; while there were five Japanese-born players all involved in the Tokyo Series, all eyes were on Ohtani. And he certainly delivered. After finishing Game 1 with a single, a double and two runs scored, the three-time MVP stepped it up in Game 2 with two walks and his first home run of the year. Now, there was some controversy over Ohtani’s fifth-inning solo shot. Fan interference ensured that the ball dropped back on to the field of play, and the home run was reviewed before the call on the field stood. And, while there were plenty of people taking to social media to accuse MLB of rigging the play, it was clear from the slowed-down replay that it was indeed a home run.
Ohtani finished the Tokyo Series 3-for-8 with three runs scored, 1 RBI, two walks and one strikeout. He delivered the kind of show Japan and the rest of the baseball world were waiting for. I also don’t think it will ever get boring to watch Ohtani’s majestic swing. He is so fun to watch and his passion and love for the game of baseball is infectious.
It still perplexes me as to how anyone could not like Ohtani and the seismic impact he’s had on the sport we all love.
Growing Pains & Flashes Of Brilliance
All eyes were on Roki Sasaki’s Major League Baseball debut, and it did not disappoint. Sasaki’s outing on the mound in Game 2 was wild and electrifying in equal measure. He came out swinging, reaching 100 mph on three straight fastballs to Ian Happ, before striking out Seiya Suzuki on a nasty 101 mph slider. The velocity and the filthy stuff that had every team in Major League Baseball drooling during the offseason was on display for all to see. And it was breathtaking.
However, for all the good, there was some bad too. Sasaki had some control issues, leading to two batters being walked in the second. The rookie did get out of that inning by getting fellow rookie Matt Shaw to pop out, before inducing a hard-hit double play ball from Pete Crow-Armstrong. Then, the wheels really began to fall off in the third. Sasaki couldn’t find the plate at all, resulting in an ugly canvas of missed pitches and failed opportunities to retire the Cubs. After Carson Kelly grounded out, Jon Berti got the inning going for Chicago with a ground ball single, before stealing second base. Sasaki then walked three consecutive batters to score Berti and make it a two-run game. It sure felt like all the hype and all the lofty expectations, coupled with the pressure of making his MLB debut in his native Japan, was starting to get to Sasaki. The wheels had fallen off, and the rest of the sports car was left teetering on the edge.
However, the great players are able to reach another level because of their ability to gut things out and find another gear when everything is on the line. And, although Sasaki isn’t one of the greats yet - he sure has the ability to get there at some point - he did show a lot of cubes in striking out Michael Busch and Shaw back-to-back to escape one hell of a bases-loaded jam having allowed only one run to score.
That kind of mental toughness and fortitude is just as important as the filthy stuff and the impressive physical attributes.
Sasaki’s night was done after that and he left his Major League display having shown more than a few flashes of brilliance. For instance, his trademark slider was at its lethal best when perplexing Shaw at the plate in the final strikeout of that third inning. There were growing pains too, with Sasaki throwing more balls (31) than strikes (25) and getting into trouble on far too many occasions. However, such growing pains were always going to be a thing with Sasaki. He’s never thrown in the bigs before and, due to the fact that the Tokyo Series took place with Opening Day more than a week away, Sasaki still has a lot of ramping up to do.
Overall, there was more good than bad and the bad isn’t all that concerning. Sasaki will have time to make adjustments and iron out any kinks in his mechanics. And, once he does, he’s going to be a major problem for opposing hitters given the tantalizing high upside we all saw in spells on Wednesday.
Pitching Duels
Talking of pitching, we were treated to a doozy of a battle between two Japanese starters in Game 1 on Tuesday.
Shota Imanaga was sensational for the Cubs, firing four scoreless innings without allowing a hit. The lefty also struckout two batters, but he did walk four as command proved to be an issue at times.
It was Yoshinobu Yamamoto who got the win, however, in part thanks to five really strong innings of work. Yamamoto allowed just one run and one walk on three hits, while striking out four. Both pitchers showed why they are ace-caliber starters for their respective teams.
Now, my biggest complaint about the Tokyo Series was that all four starting pitchers were on tight pitch counts due to the fact that we’re still in mid-March. As such, we were robbed of a true pitching masterclass in Game 1 given that both starters were out of the game after five innings. I get it, of course. Managers don’t want to run the risk of having one of their key starters blow out an arm this early. And pitchers themselves are still ramping up and figuring things out on the fly. Don’t forget the jet leg, too, and having to adapt to pitching in a different country in the middle of spring training.
It all takes its toll.
That was evident with Chicago’s Justin Steele, who got absolutely shelled in Game 2. He allowed five earned runs on five hits - including two homers - in just four innings of work. It is worth remembering that Steele is no bum. He’s been one of the best starters in baseball over the last two years - earning Cy Young votes in 2023, while his 0.76 home run-per-nine-innings since 2013 is third-best among qualified starters. And, last season, Steele allowed two or more home runs in a game just three times.
But that is the cost of doing business this time of year, especially when teams have to play two regular season games a week earlier than the rest of the league. Pitchers are still building up and, as a result, we probably shouldn’t have expected long or perfect outings from any of the starters involved in Tokyo.
Welcome To The Show, Kid
Matt Shaw - poor young Matt Shaw. Okay, I’m sure you probably won’t have much sympathy for a young prospect on the cusp of stardom with the world at his feet, but hear me out. The third baseman had to contend with a lot during his first taste of life as a Major League Baseball player.
Not only was his spring training interrupted, but he had to prepare for his Big League debut thousands of miles away from home. He was also still working his way back from an oblique injury that limited him to just six Cactus League games prior to the Tokyo Series. Oh, and Shaw had to contend with going up against Yamamoto, Sasaki and a loaded Dodgers bullpen in his first two MLB games. Far from an easy task.
With all that considered, then, perhaps it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that Shaw struggled offensively. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his debut, while also being credited with his first error in the big leagues. He followed that up by going 1-for-5 with two more strikeouts in Game 2. Now, Shaw did record his first hit in the majors on Wednesday with an infield single off the glove of Jack Dreyer. Although, without wanting to take anything away from the rookie, it probably should have been scored as an error.
Shaw finished the Tokyo Series 1-for-9 with four strikeouts.
Stats aside, some of Shaw’s at-bats were tough to watch. His swing was ugly at times, and his approach looked slow. He took four of Chicago’s nine slowest swings in Game 1, and four of the seven slowest in Game 2. He finished the two games with an xBA of just .185.
Now let’s look at some positives. Again, Shaw isn’t going to have to contend with that pitching staff full of freaks every single day, thank god. Most players would look overmatched against that vaunted Dodgers pitching staff. Plus, as we mentioned with Sasaki, growing pains are always going to be expected with all rookies. Shaw is no different. Yes, the fact he didn’t make quality contact and lacked bat speed and exit velocity is obviously concerning. But, remember, these were just Games 1 & 2 of 162, and Shaw will have time to make adjustments, work on his mechanics and tweak his approach at the plate before *actual* Opening Day arrives next week.
Plus, I was really impressed with Shaw at the hot corner on Wednesday. After committing an error in Game 1, he looked way more confident and assured with the glove in Game 2, executing three really nice defensive plays, including a really nice diving stop and then throw to retire the Dodgers with two runners on in the top of the seventh.
I’ve been high on Shaw for a while and, although he has things to work on, the high upside and the skillset should ensure that he becomes a meaningful contributor to a Cubs team hoping to engineer a way back to the postseason this year.
Did Chicago Do Enough?
Let’s stick with the Cubs for a minute. Did they really do enough this offseason to put themselves in a position to get back into the playoffs, and then make some noise once they get there?
I’m not so sure.
Yes, the Cubs are in a relatively easy NL Central division - although you should never underestimate the Brewers, and I think the Reds with all their young talent will be a lot better with veteran manager Terry Francona at the helm - and they did get better this offseason by adding Kyle Tucker to the outfield and fortifying their bullpen somewhat.
However, as of right now, they have a 35.2% chance of winning the division, and a 47.1% chance of making the postseason, per FanGraphs.
I still think the division is Chicago’s to lose, even if I refuse to sleep on both the Brewers and the Reds, and I’ll be shocked if the Cardinals are truly terrible again in 2025. However, I think, ultimately, the Cubs are a playoff team and nothing more. Tucker will make that lineup better and he will also bring a Gold Glove presence to the outfield. And Ryan Brasier was a nice and much-needed addition to a bullpen that blew chunks in 2024 - that unit blew 26 saves last year, the ninth-most in MLB.
I think not signing Alex Bregman will come back to bite this team in the butt, too. Yes, I can see the logic in not wanting to clog up third base and limit playing time for Matt Shaw. However, Bregman is essentially playing on a one-year deal in Boston when you consider all the options included in that contract, and the Cubs could have easily generated enough at-bats for both Shaw and Bregman by using them at third base and at the DH spot. Plus, they would then have the added advantage of having their top prospect learn from a Gold Glove winner, a two-time All-Star and a World Series champion. That level of mentorship would no doubt have been invaluable for a top prospect like Shaw.
Furthermore, after going all-out for Tucker, the Cubs also whiffed on adding a high-end closer like a Tanner Scott. Yes, Tucker was a really nice move, but it won’t be enough to transform this Chicago team into a legit contender. Not even close.
Sure, Shaw has the potential and the ability to morph into a significant contributor this season. Tucker will provide elite offense and defense. Steele is a lot better than his struggles in Tokyo suggest. Imanaga has ace-like quality on the mound. I’m really excited to see the electric Pete Crow-Armstrong take a giant leap this year. And Dansby Swanson is a really nice piece.
But, and especially after watching the Tokyo Series, I can’t help feel that this Cubs team still has way too many flaws and warts to be anything other than a mid playoff team.
A lot more work needs to be done if Chicago wants to become a force in the game again.
LA’s Incredible Depth
One team you can’t accuse of not doing enough this offseason is the Dodgers. They possess a ton of quality and, perhaps more importantly, depth.
That wealth of depth was on full display in Japan. It is easy to forget that the Dodgers swept the Tokyo Series - and did so with embarrassing ease - without two of their stars and best hitters. Mookie Betts was sent back home to LA with an illness, while Freddie Freeman missed both games because of left rib discomfort. Yet, despite being without two of the best hitters in the game, the Dodgers hardly missed a beat. Of course, it helps having Ohtani. That goes without saying. But others stepped up too.
Kiké Hernández started at first base and led the team with three RBIs and a run scored in Game 2. Miguel Rojas made a couple of really nice plays at shortstop. Tommy Edman hit the first home run of the 2025 regular season. Michael Conforto and Andy Pages were both productive. And Will Smith drew a staggering five walks across the two games.
On the pitching side, you know you are stacked when you can roll out Yamamoto in Game 1, followed by Sasaki in Game 2. If that wasn’t enough, LA also has Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Dustin May in the rotation. Oh, and Ohtani will pitch at some point this year too. As for the bullpen, that unit dominated by combining for four perfect innings with five strikeouts in Game 1. Then, in Game 2, after giving up two runs across the fourth and fifth innings, they shutdown the Cubs with four scoreless innings and six strikeouts to end the game.
We all knew just how loaded the Dodgers were coming into the season but, after seeing this team in meaningful action for the first time in 2025, it is hard to see many teams being deeper or better than this formidable LA roster.
The 2000 Yankees were the last team to repeat as World Series champions. I would not be surprised if the Dodgers end the lengthy wait for back-to-back winners this year.
They are that damn good.