But the Japanese players who were playing in front of their home country at the Tokyo Dome on Tuesday handled any jitters they had quite well, delivering in clutch moments as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs, 4-1, in Major League Baseball’s season opener.

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.

If you're looking for Freddie Freeman's name in the Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup in their opening game of the MLB season against the Chicago Cubs in Japan, you won't find it. That's because the superstar first baseman was taken out of the lineup due to left rib discomfort. He did play in spring training games before the Dodgers left for Tokyo.