The Los Angeles Dodgers opened the regular season by facing the San Diego Padres in the Seoul Series, which was the first leg of the 2024 MLB World Tour. The matchup marked the first regular-season games played in South Korea.
For the Dodgers, it was their third international series in franchise history. They previously faced the Arizona Diamondbacks for an Opening Series in Sydney, Australia, in 2014, and later played the Padres in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, during the 2018 season.
The Dodgers are now rumored to be part of Opening Day 2025 in Japan for a series against the Chicago Cubs that is expected to be played at the Tokyo Dome.
“I have heard rumblings, I hope we’re included, I know there’s nothing finalized yet. But obviously it would make a lot of sense,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
The Dodgers are an obvious choice for MLB’s planned return to Japan next season due to the presence of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Roberts was also born to a Japanese mother in Naha, Okinawa.
The Cubs additionally have two Japanese natives on their roster in Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki, making them a natural opponent for the Dodgers.
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There have been five Opening Series played in Japan, including most recently in 2019, when the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners played at the Tokyo Dome. The matchup was notable for it being the final time Ichiro Suzuki stepped on a baseball field as a player.
Dave Roberts: Seoul Series was ‘absolute plus’ for Dodgers
While the earlier start to the regular season and long travel could be viewed as disadvantages to some, Roberts believes the Seoul Series was a positive experience for his team. “Absolutely. It’s an absolute plus,” he began.
“Obviously we’d like to win two, but to come out of this series 1-1, keep our guys healthy, pray that both teams get home safely. You look at bringing Major League Baseball here to South Korea, it’s been a win for everyone.
“I can’t say enough how welcomed we felt here, the accommodations, the fans, the interest, the excitement. So yeah, it was absolutely successful.”
