The Los Angeles Dodgers opened the 2025 MLB season on Tuesday, March 18, against the Chicago Cubs in the Tokyo Series. One of the biggest storylines heading into the series was Shohei Ohtani’s return to his home country.
Ohtani is one of Japan’s biggest baseball stars. After an MVP-caliber season for Los Angeles in 2024, he was eager to start his 2025 campaign in front of his Japanese fans. After the game, Ohtani spoke about his at-bats.
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Opens Up About His At-Bats
In the game against the Cubs, Ohtani was the leadoff hitter for the Dodgers. After the game, he spoke with Harold Reynolds of MLB Network about his plate appearances. Ohtani said, “I was actually pretty nervous. It’s been a while since I’ve been nervous, but today I definitely felt it.”
It comes as no surprise that Ohtani was nervous; playing in front of his hometown fans was a big moment. Ohtani may have been nervous, but it didn’t affect his at-bats, going 2-for-5 against Chicago.
One of the most interesting parts of his at-bats, though, was the absolute silence in the Tokyo Dome whenever Ohtani stepped to the plate. He’ll have another chance to impress the home crowd when the Dodgers take on the Cubs again on Wednesday, March 19.
Every time Shohei Ohtani stepped up to the plate today, the fans at the Tokyo Dome went silent.
The @Dodgers superstar discussed his nerves to be back in Japan and more with Harold after getting the Game 1 victory.#MLBTonight | #TokyoSeries pic.twitter.com/QSQ1vBGrlK
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 18, 2025
Ohtani wasn’t the only Japanese-born player on the field. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the Opening Day starter for the Dodgers, while Shota Imanaga pitched Game 1 for the Cubs. Both performed well despite the pressure of playing in front of fans of their home country.
For Wednesday’s matchup in Tokyo, Roki Sasaki will make his MLB debut for Los Angeles.
As for Ohtani, will he still feel nervous at the plate in the second game of the series, or will he settle in after getting through the opener?
Shaking off the nerves, this was a solid start for Ohtani to the 2025 season. He didn’t hit a home run or drive in a run, but getting on base was a positive. Still, it would be a special moment for the Japanese fans if he can connect for a home run before the Dodgers return to the United States.
For the Cubs, Justin Steele is the projected starter in Game 2 vs. the Dodgers. He will look to avoid making mistakes against Ohtani, knowing that if he does, the Tokyo Dome crowd will erupt — and any lingering nerves Ohtani has will likely disappear.