Major League Baseball (MLB) revealed Thursday that the 2025 season will kick off in Tokyo, featuring a high-profile series between Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Los Angeles Dodgers and Japanese stars Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki’s Chicago Cubs. The games are scheduled for March 18-19 at the Tokyo Dome, marking the 25th anniversary of MLB’s inaugural regular-season games in Japan.
The Dodgers’ appearance in Tokyo continues a trend of international season openers for the team, following their participation in the 2024 Seoul Series against the San Diego Padres. The traditional MLB Opening Day for the rest of the league is set for March 27, with all 30 teams scheduled to play on March 29.
In addition to the international opener, the 2025 MLB season will feature “Rivalry Weekend” from May 16-18. This event will include 11 series showcasing prominent interleague rivalries, such as the Mets vs. the Yankees and the Cubs vs. the White Sox, along with two matchups between state rivals: the Pirates vs. the Phillies and the Astros vs. the Rangers.
The 95th MLB All-Star Game is slated for Tuesday, July 15, at Truist Park in Atlanta. The season will conclude on September 28 with the final day featuring eight divisional matchups.
