Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani returned to Japan ahead of the Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs. The series will take place on March 18-19 and will mark the start of the 2025 MLB season for both teams.
With Ohtani back home, he did something that pleased his Dodgers teammates. Team bonding has been a priority for Los Angeles dating back to last season when the team went on a World Series title run. This year, the team wasted no time strengthening those bonds in Japan.
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Organizes Team Gathering
On Sunday night ahead of the series, Ohtani organized a private sushi and yakitori dinner for his teammates, following a players-only meeting led by Mookie Betts on Saturday afternoon in Tokyo. Ohtani had help planning the event from Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, both of whom are also from Japan.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “In baseball-player terms, we call it show dinners. And they said it was like the best show dinner they’ve ever had.”
According to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, “During the meal, the Dodgers were treated to a traditional ‘tuna cutting show,’ where three sushi chefs wielding several-foot-long knives sliced a nearly 500-pound fish into chunks.
“They were encouraged by their Japanese teammates to sample some more exotic local cuisine, including sea urchin (known as uni) and hairy crab (which did not earn the approval of first baseman Freddie Freeman).”
Lots of people enjoy these kinds of food shows, and it appeared as if this was a great experience for the Dodgers organization.
“I just think that it’s their sense of nationalism and pride in their country, that they wanted to put their best foot forward to welcome their teammates to Japanese cuisine and show hospitality,” Roberts added.
“I think there’s power in guys having a shared experience together. I think that’s pretty cool.”
The Dodgers hope this kind of team bonding will pay off as they begin their 2025 season against the Cubs. First pitch is set for 6:10 a.m. ET on Tuesday in Tokyo. Show dinners like this create lasting memories — especially if the Dodgers make another championship run.