Modified on March 17, 2025
LA Dodgers and Chicago Cubs play exhibition matches in Tokyo
*Chicago Cub vs Tokyo Giants
In the final exhibition game in Tokyo on Mar 16 the Giants lost 2 to 4 to the Cubs, making it the only team in the exhibition series unable to win one game.
*LA Dodgers vs Hanshin Tigers
On Mar 16, the Tigers proved their strength.
Pitcher Hiroto Saiki pitched 5 innings giving up only a base hit.
Teruaki Sato slammed a 3 run home run off Dodgers Cy Young winner Blake Snell.
*LA Dodgers vs Tokyo Giants
Before a sell out crowd at the Tokyo Dome on Mar 15, Japan's ace pitcher Shosei Togo started.
But in the 3rd inning, he was in a mess. He gave up 3 home runs. One of them a 2 run by Shohei Ohtani.
*Chicago Cubs vs Hanshin Tigers
Also on Mar 15, Tigers pitcher Keito Mombetsu pitched a perfect 5 innings.
The Tigers won 3 to 0.
LA Dodgers and Chicago Cubs players land in Tokyo
The Cubs arrived first at midnight on Mar 12. Then the Dodgers landed on Mar 13 on a chartered flight.
They didn't come through regular immigration prodecures so fans could not see Shohei Otani,
Yoshinobu Yamamoto nor Roki Sasaki.
Tanaka joined the Giants
36-year old Masahiro Tanaka, a former New York Yankee pitcher, did not win one game with the Golden Eagles in 2024.
He was let go by the Golden Eagles which Japanese media criticized as lack of generosity towards a player that's contributed greatly to the team since he was a rookie.
The Giants decided to sign him up for the 2024 season. He joined Hayato Sakamoto for the first time since they were teammates when they were in elementary school.
| CENTRAL LEAGUE | |
|---|---|
| Yomiuri Giants | Miyazaki-city, Miyazaki (Feb.1-13) Naha, Okinawa (Feb.15 - 25) |
| Hanshin Tigers | Ginoza, Okinawa (Feb.1-28) |
| Yokohama DeNA BayStars | Ginowan, Okinawa (Feb.1-24) |
| Hiroshima Carp | Nichinan, Miyazaki (Feb.1-11) Okinawa-shi, Okinawa (Feb.13-26) |
| Tokyo Yakult Swallows | Urazoe, Okinawa (Feb.1- 26) |
| Chunichi Dragons | Chatan, Okinawa (Feb.1-25) ) |
| PACIFIC LEAGUE | |
|---|---|
| Fukuoka Softbank Hawks | Miyazaki-shi, Miyazaki (Feb.1-Mar.2) |
| Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters | Nago, Okinawa (Feb.1-26) |
| Chiba Lotte Marines | Ishigaki, Okinawa (Feb.1-16) Itoman, Okinawa (Feb.18 - 24) |
| Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles | Kincho,Okinawa (Feb.1-24) |
| Orix Buffaloes | Miyazaki-shi, Miyazaki (Feb.2-24) |
| Saitama Seibu Lions | Nichinan, Miyazaki (Feb.1-24) |
For info on previous baseball seasons, go to BASEBALL ARCHIVE
Go to BASEBALL INDEX