The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to notch a win in the 2025 MLB season after they took down the Chicago Cubs in the first leg of the Tokyo Series at the Tokyo Dome on Tuesday night.
Los Angeles’ 4-1 victory over the Cubs featured excellent pitching from the reigning World Series champions’ pitching staff. Yoshinobu Yamamoto started for LA and barely had trouble on the mound. He allowed the first run of the game in a shaky second inning but he was impressive the rest of the way. The same can be said about the other four pitchers LA called upon to finish the job on the hill.
In fact, the Dodgers accomplished something on the pitching side of things that was previously last done in the big leagues by the New York Yankees nearly five decades ago.
“The Dodgers retired 16 straight batters at one point today,” Sarah Langs of MLB.com wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “They’re the first reigning WS champs to retire 15+ straight on Opening Day since the 1979 Yankees (also 16).”
The Dodgers offense was also stymied by Shota Imanaga in the first four innings, but they immediately showed signs of life when the Cubs starter was replaced on the mound. Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers scored three runs in the fifth inning to grab the lead that they never relinquished.
Yamamoto pitched for five innings, surrendering only an earned run on three hits with a walk and four strikeouts. The Dodgers did not allow Chicago to score a run, record a hit, or draw a walk after Yamamoto’s departure from the mound, as Los Angeles’ bullpen put on a solid performance one pitcher after another. Anthony Banda, Ben Casparius, Blake Treinen and Tanner Scott each pitched a scoreless inning, with Scott picking up the save.
The Dodgers now have a chance to sweep the Cubs in the Tokyo Series which will conclude this Wednesday night. Los Angeles will give the ball to rookie Roki Sasaki for the series finale while Chicago will counter with Justin Steele.
After the Cubs series, the Dodgers will finish their spring training schedule with a three-game set with the Los Angeles Angels before making their home season debut on March 27 against the Detroit Tigers.
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