Tokyo Series Game 2: Lineups, starting pitchers and more

TOKYO -- Opening Day gave the fans inside the Tokyo Dome and those tuning in around the globe much of what they wanted to see. Shohei Ohtani sparked the L.A. lineup, while Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga and Dodgers righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto turned in strong outings.

• Top moments from Cubs-Dodgers Game 1 in Tokyo

Now the stage is set for Roki Sasaki and his highly-anticipated Major League debut Wednesday at 6 a.m. ET on FS1.

¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯ve been looking forward to since I was in school,¡± Sasaki said this past weekend via interpreter Yuji Akimoto. ¡°So to be able to make my debut in the Tokyo Dome is something my high school self would have been very surprised about.¡±

The 23-year-old Sasaki vaulted to the No. 1 slot on Pipeline¡¯s Top 100 prospects list after the Dodgers signed him as an international amateur free agent in January. Sasaki will be tasked with taking on Cubs lefty Justin Steele and a Chicago lineup featuring fellow Japanese star Seiya Suzuki.

¡°It¡¯s a big start for him, obviously,¡± Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of Sasaki. ¡°Imanaga and Yamamoto did a really good job handling the nerves of the start of the game [on Tuesday]. I think we¡¯ve got to put pressure on Sasaki early in the game. I think that¡¯s the way to not let him settle into the game. That will be the goal.¡±

Here is everything you need to know about Game 2 in Tokyo:

When is the game and how can I watch it?

The second game of the 2025 Tokyo Series is set for 5:10 a.m. CT/3:10 a.m. PT. The game will be aired nationally on FS1, while also available on Marquee Sports Network and SportsNet L.A., along with MLB.TV. The game will be aired on the radio on 670 AM The Score and WRTO 1200 AM for Chicago and on Dodgers Radio AM 570 and KTNQ 1020 AM for Los Angeles.

What are the likely lineups?

Dodgers

1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Tommy Edman, 2B
3. Freddie Freeman, 1B
4. Teoscar Hern¨¢ndez, RF
5. Max Muncy, 3B
6. Will Smith, C
7. Kik¨¦ Hern¨¢ndez, LF
8. Miguel Rojas, SS
9. Andy Pages, CF

Cubs

1. Ian Happ, LF
2. Kyle Tucker, RF
3. Seiya Suzuki, DH
4. Michael Busch, 1B
5. Dansby Swanson, SS
6. Matt Shaw, 3B
7. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
8. Carson Kelly, C
9. Jon Berti, 2B

Who are the starting pitchers?

Dodgers: RHP Roki Sasaki

2024 Season: 10-5, 2.35 ERA in 111 innings (in NPB)

Sasaki was one of the most highly coveted free agents this past offseason after an impressive four-year tenure with the Chiba Lotte Marines. He was at the center of much fascination in Dodgers camp this spring, as the baseball world got to see how his stuff played against Major League hitters for the first time. His devastating splitter -- his signature offering -- looked as good as advertised, and his impending big league debut may be one of the most anticipated in recent memory.

Cubs: LHP Justin Steele

2024 Season: 5-5, 3.07 ERA, 134 2/3 innings

Steele was the Cubs¡¯ Opening Day starter last season, but the lefty had no issue allowing Imanaga to take on that assignment this year for the Tokyo Series. The 29-year-old lefty is a homegrown arm (picked by the Cubs in the fifth round of the 2014 Draft) and has quietly emerged as one of baseball¡¯s top lefty starters. Steele enjoyed his breakout in ¡®23, when he was an All-Star and placed fifth in balloting for the NL Cy Young Award. While he lost time to injury in ¡®24, many of his rate stats were right in line with the previous showing.

How might the bullpens line up after the starter?

Dodgers: Anthony Banda, Ben Casparius, Blake Treinen and Tanner Scott covered an inning apiece on Opening Day, and none threw more than 16 pitches. Those four arms should realistically be available to pitch again in Game 2 if needed, although manager Dave Roberts has fresher options to choose from.

Cubs: The Cubs used Ben Brown and Eli Morgan for multi-inning appearances after Imanaga¡¯s four no-hit innings, and ended the evening with Ryan Brasier. That still leaves a near fully-stocked bullpen for Game 2. Counsell avoided using late-inning arms Ryan Pressly, Porter Hodge and Nate Pearson in the opener, so they will be at the ready, among others.

Any injuries of note?

Dodgers: Freeman, who was scratched from the Opening Day lineup with left rib discomfort, said he has a 75% chance of playing in Game 2. Mookie Betts departed Tokyo early to continue recovering from the non-contagious illness he came down with at the end of Spring Training. Although he's out for the Tokyo Series, Betts is expected to be ready in time for the domestic opener on March 27.

Cubs: Second baseman Nico Hoerner did not make the trip to Japan, as his comeback from right flexor tendon (forearm) surgery in October lingered into the early part of Spring Training. While the Cubs went overseas, Hoerner stayed in Arizona to begin playing in games. The goal is to have him ready for the domestic opener on March 27 against the D-backs. Righty Javier Assad (left oblique) is throwing, but is on the 15-day injured list.

Who¡¯s hot and who¡¯s not?

Dodgers: Ohtani went 2-for-5 on Opening Day, scorching a single and a double. He's showing few signs of being hampered as a hitter by the left shoulder surgery he had in the offseason. Muncy, Kik¨¦ Hern¨¢ndez and Pages were the only Dodgers starters who didn't notch a hit in the opener.

Cubs: The Cubs¡¯ lineup went cold overall against Yamamoto and the Dodgers¡¯ bullpen from the third inning on, ending 0-for-21 after Happ¡¯s single to begin that frame. Swanson notched the Cubs¡¯ first hit of the season and catcher Miguel Amaya followed his strong spring showing with a double in Game 1.

Anything else fans might want to know?

• This is the Cubs¡¯ second visit to Japan for an opening series. The North Siders split a two-game set with the Mets to begin the 2000 season, picking up a 5-3 win on Opening Day at the Tokyo Dome. In that victory, Sammy Sosa went 2-for-3, Mark Grace belted a homer and Jon Lieber earned the win.
• The Cubs and Dodgers boast five current players from Japan, but each ballclub has a rich history of players from the country. Hideo Nomo and Kosuke Fukudome were the first Japanese players for the Dodgers and Cubs, respectively, paving the way for plenty more to follow over the years.
• Previously, only three Japanese pitchers had appeared in a Major League game at the Tokyo Dome: Daisuke Matsuzaka (Red Sox, 2008), Hideki Okajima (Red Sox, ¡®08) and Yusei Kikuchi (Mariners, ¡®19). Since Yamamoto and Imanaga started in the opener, and Sasaki will make his MLB debut in Game 2, that number will double by the time this series is over.