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.

The Los Angeles Dodgers gave Shohei Ohtani an unprecedented $700 million contract hoping to drive interest — and the dollars that come with it — from fans across the Pacific.

Shohei Ohtani met the moment in his return to the Tokyo Dome, because of course he did. In Saturday’s exhibition against the Yomiuri Giants, Ohtani – ever the showman – was quick to slug a home run while wearing a major league uniform in his home country for the first time for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run home run in his return to his home country and the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers earned a 5-1 victory over Japan's Yomiuri Giants on Saturday at Tokyo. Michael Conforto and Teoscar Hernandez also hit home runs for the Dodgers,