LOS ANGELES — Each the Cubs and Dodgers made main splashes over the previous few offseasons by signing big-name Japanese gamers. Chicago introduced in outfielder Seiya Suzuki forward of the 2022 season, then signed left-hander Shota Imanaga this previous winter, when the Dodgers dedicated greater than $1 billion to two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani and right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. That’s a part of why the 2 golf equipment made sense to open the 2025 season dealing with one another on the Tokyo Dome.
Followers acquired an opportunity to see these stars take one another on stateside on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium. It marked simply the second time that 4 Japanese-born gamers began in an MLB recreation — and it hadn’t occurred in 17 years, since Ichiro Suzuki and Kenji Johjima suited up for the Mariners in opposition to the Yankees’ Hideki Matsui and Kei Igawa on Could 4, 2007.
“It is good for everybody to make it a worldwide recreation,” stated Cubs supervisor Craig Counsell. “And I feel, actually gamers like Shota and Yamamoto assist that for certain. Video games like tonight assist that, completely.”
Imanaga, Suzuki, Yamamoto and Ohtani had been all conversant in one another to a point, as all 4 had been a part of Group Japan in the course of the 2023 World Baseball Basic (though Suzuki didn’t play resulting from damage). Their expertise in opposition to one another in NPB was restricted. Yamamoto confronted Suzuki in Chicago on April 6 and Imanaga confronted Ohtani on April 7, the pitchers lacking a head-to-head battle by at some point.
In that April begin, Imanaga threw 4 scoreless innings earlier than his day was lower brief resulting from rain. On Tuesday, he took the mound coming off throwing seven hitless innings within the Cubs’ mixed no-hitter vs. the Pirates final Wednesday. He as soon as once more went seven frames, one thing he’s performed 9 instances this season, hanging out 4, strolling none and needing simply 89 pitches. This time, nevertheless, he was tagged for 3 runs — all on solo homers, two by Tommy Edman. He retired Ohtani all 3 times they confronted, though Ohtani did simply miss hitting his forty seventh homer of the season by one foot within the fifth inning.
“Yu Darvish gave me nice phrases after I was on the nationwide group,” Imanaga stated by way of interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “He stated, ‘If you’re dealing with nice competitors, you type of lose your limits, and also you type of go previous that. You virtually really feel like there’s one other step forward of that.’ And at this time, dealing with Yamamoto, dealing with Ohtani, dealing with all these nice hitters on the Dodgers, I really feel like that is type of what occurred, the place I had a restrict, and I type of went previous that.”
Yamamoto had been activated from the injured record to make the beginning and was engaged on a brief leash, going simply 4 innings. However he supplied some stiff competitors in that restricted time, hanging out eight, with Suzuki accounting for 2 of these punchouts.
Suzuki, although, contributed loads later. Coming to the plate within the eighth inning with two on and the Cubs down by two, he singled to heart area for an RBI, with Dansby Swanson scoring on an error to tie it.
Suzuki then scored the go-ahead run on a fielder’s alternative throwing error, a part of a five-run rally to place Chicago forward for good. It ended up being a three-hit evening for Suzuki, who additionally doubled within the sixth and singled within the ninth.
“Each group makes errors,” stated Suzuki by way of Stanberry. “If you do, the momentum shifts. I feel at this time, we did not have any errors. We saved taking part in effectively. And as soon as they did, we type of took that momentum and saved using it ahead. And so I feel that was type of a key.”
