Dodgers, Cubs have rich histories of Japanese players

The next stop on MLB¡¯s World Tour is here, and it's awfully fitting.

The Dodgers and Cubs open the 2025 season in the Tokyo Series, with a pair of games at the Tokyo Dome on March 18 and 19. Both clubs will showcase some of MLB¡¯s best Japanese-born talent; the two rosters feature a combined total of five Japanese players.

Shota Imanaga and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are set to square off in Game 1, while fellow countryman Roki Sasaki¨C the latest Japanese phenom ¨C is penciled in to make his MLB debut in Game 2. Shohei Ohtani begins his NL MVP defense on his home soil, and Seiya Suzuki anchors the Cubs lineup.

The two storied franchises have notable histories with Japanese players, dating back 30 years to Hideo Nomo, whose groundbreaking decision paved the way for future generations of Japanese-born players to reach the Major Leagues.

In total, 21 different Japanese players have suited up for either the Dodgers or the Cubs. Sasaki doesn¡¯t yet factor into the equation ¨C he¡¯ll have to throw an official MLB pitch to join the list. But there are still plenty of standout names. Let¡¯s look at each team¡¯s history with Japanese-born players, spanning Nomo to Yamamoto.

Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani, DH/RHP, 2024-present
The two-way megastar rocked the baseball landscape when he signed a 10-year, $700 million contract to join the Dodgers during the 2023-24 offseason. As for the historic deal? So far, so good: In Year 1, Ohtani earned NL MVP honors, became the first player in MLB history to post a 50-50 season and steered the franchise to a World Series title. Now, we await an encore in 2025, which will include a return to the mound.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP, 2024-present
Yamamoto joined the Dodgers last offseason on a 12-year, $325 million deal, the largest contract for a pitcher in MLB history. The 26-year-old proved his worth in the biggest moments, pitching like an ace in the postseason. He saved his best performance for last, tossing 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball in Game 2 of the World Series.

Yoshi Tsutsugo, 1B/OF, 2021
The slugging Tsutsugo ¨C a six-time Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star and two-time NPB Home Run Derby winner ¨C made a brief cameo with the Dodgers early in the 2021 season. A calf strain truncated his time with the big league club after just 25 at-bats.

Kenta Maeda, RHP, 2016-19
After a decorated NPB career, Maeda joined the Dodgers on an eight-year contract. He pitched to a 3.87 ERA across four seasons and was a key cog on the 2017 NL pennant-winning team, allowing one run in nine postseason appearances. He was then traded to the Twins in February 2020 as part of a pair of moves in which the Dodgers acquired Mookie Betts from the Red Sox.

Yu Darvish, RHP, 2017
Darvish joined the long lineage of Japanese-born pitchers to play for the Dodgers at the 2017 Trade Deadline, acquired in a four-player blockbuster with the Rangers. In nine regular-season starts, Darvish pitched to a 3.44 ERA.

Hiroki Kuroda, RHP, 2008-11
Kuroda made an instant impact stateside in 2008, helping Los Angeles win its first postseason series since 1988. Across four years, the right-hander compiled a 3.45 ERA and made 114 starts ¨C including the nod on Opening Day in 2009.

Takashi Saito, RHP, 2006-08
It¡¯s not every day that a 36-year-old rookie becomes one of the game¡¯s best pitchers. But after spending 13 years playing professionally in Japan, Saito did just that in 2006, finishing eighth in NL Cy Young Award voting. In 2007, Saito ¨C then the club¡¯s closer ¨C represented the Dodgers at his first and only All-Star Game.

Norihiro Nakamura, 3B, 2005
The Dodgers signed Nakamura to help fill the void left behind by Adri¨¢n Beltr¨¦, though it didn¡¯t quite work: Nakamura¡¯s MLB career lasted just 39 at-bats. In NPB, Nakamura¡¯s 404 career home runs rank as the 19th-most in league history.

Masao Kida, RHP, 2003-04
Kida pitched to a 2.16 ERA while making six appearances in parts of two seasons with the Dodgers.

Dave Roberts, OF, 2002-04
Roberts is the longest-tenured Japanese-born position player in franchise history, having played 302 games with the Dodgers. He hit .262 and accumulated 4.6 fWAR in parts of three seasons. And, of course, Roberts has since guided the franchise to a pair of World Series titles as manager.

Kaz Ishii, LHP, 2002-04
Seven years after signing Nomo, the Dodgers landed another Japanese hurler, posting the top bid to sign Ishii ahead of the 2002 season. The lefty made an instant splash ¨C striking out 10 batters in his MLB debut ¨C and would start 86 games across three seasons with Los Angeles.

Hideo Nomo, RHP, 1995-98 + 2002-04
Nomo paved the way for dozens of Japanese-born players to play in MLB, exploiting an NPB loophole ¨C the ¡°voluntary retirement clause¡± ¨C to join the Dodgers in 1995. Dubbed ¡°The Tornado¡± for his herky-jerky windup, Nomo quickly established himself as a strikeout machine. He started the 1995 All-Star Game ¨C opposing Randy Johnson ¨C and won NL Rookie of the Year honors; a year later, he threw an improbable no-hitter at Coors Field.

Cubs

Shota Imanaga, LHP, 2024-present
One of two Japanese-born players on the Cubs' active roster, Imanaga arrived in the U.S. last season as a 30-year-old rookie after a successful run in NPB. The loveable southpaw cemented himself as a fan favorite, and his on-field performance wasn¡¯t too shabby, either: Imanaga pitched to a 2.91 ERA and made his first MLB All-Star team.

Seiya Suzuki, OF, 2022-present
Suzuki began his big league career on an eight-game hitting streak and hasn¡¯t looked back since, becoming one of Chicago¡¯s most-productive hitters over the past three seasons. Last year, he mashed a career-best 21 home runs and led all Cubs with an .848 OPS.

Yu Darvish, RHP, 2018-20
Darvish is the only Japanese-born player to play for both the Dodgers and the Cubs, signing a six-year contract with Chicago after the 2017 season. His three-year tenure in the Windy City is best remembered for his 2020 campaign, in which he finished second in NL Cy Young Award voting.

Koji Uehara, RHP, 2017
The nine-year MLB veteran wrapped up his Major League career with the Cubs, pitching to a 3.98 ERA across 43 innings as a 42-year-old.

Munenori Kawasaki, INF, 2016
Kawasaki made a couple of cameos for the 2016 World Series champions, hitting .333 across just 21 at-bats. Though he did not play in the postseason, the always entertaining infielder nonetheless earned a World Series ring.

Tsuyoshi Wada, LHP, 2014-15
A six-time NPB All-Star, Wada saw his MLB career curtailed by injury. He pitched well when healthy, posting a 3.36 ERA in 21 games (20 starts) with the Cubs.

Kyuji Fujikawa, RHP, 2013-14
Tommy John surgery limited Fujikawa to just 25 innings and a 5.04 ERA across two years with the Cubs. Before arriving in the U.S. in 2013, Fujikawa established himself as one of the dominant relievers in NPB.

Hisanori Takahashi, LHP, 2013
Takahashi owns a 3.99 ERA across four big league seasons, though most of his success came with the Mets and the Angels. The left-hander made the last three appearances of his MLB career with the Cubs at the beginning of the 2013 season.

So Taguchi, OF, 2009
Better known for his six-year stint with the Cardinals, Taguchi ended his MLB career with the Cubs, notching three hits in 11 at-bats. In terms of oddities, Taguchi is one of two Cubs players to wear No. 99, alongside Todd Hundley.

Kosuke Fukudome, OF, 2008-11
Cubs fans may remember Fukudome best for his Opening Day heroics in 2008: In his MLB debut, he clubbed a game-tying, three-run homer in the ninth inning. The moment endeared Fukudome ¨C the first Japanese-born player to play for the Cubs ¨C as a fan favorite. He started the All-Star Game as a rookie, and went on to post a .772 OPS in 513 games with the club.