Dodgers' Japanese trio of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki captivate homeland in MLB Tokyo Series

TOKYO – The moment Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki set foot in Japan, their homeland embraced them like returning heroes. 

This wasn’t The Beatles, but three former Nippon Professional Baseball players returning to their nation as champions. Nonetheless, the reception they received–and continue to receive–is that of a global rock band. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers aren’t just arriving for two games against the Chicago Cubs in the MLB Tokyo Series—they’re coming home in a way that has transcended baseball itself.

First, their reception at Haneda Airport on March 12 was a frenzy. Thousands of fans swarmed the arrival hall, hoping for a glimpse of their country’s biggest baseball stars. Security barriers kept the players out of sight, but that didn’t stop the cheers, the camera flashes, the chants of “Ohtani-san! Yamamoto! Sasaki!” echoing through the terminal.

"Guys were excited to see how Shohei, Yamamoto, and Roki will be received by their own people," said Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts. "Most of the players on our team have never been to Japan, so they’re all excited to try new food and see as much of Tokyo as they can."

The trio—Japan’s finest exports from Major League Baseball—had returned, and they weren’t just here to play baseball. They were here to affirm what had been brewing for over a year: 

The Dodgers have become Japan’s team.

For more than a year, since Ohtani and Yamamoto decided to join forces with the Dodgers in January of 2024, the Tokyo streets have transformed into a sea of blue. 

Walk around any neighborhood and you’ll see Japanese people walking around in Dodger hats. Merchandise stores are draped in blue and white Dodger gear. Billboards across the city flash images of Ohtani’s iconic follow-through, Yamamoto’s precise delivery, and Sasaki’s lightning-fast arm.

Turn on the television anywhere in Tokyo, and you’ll see segments of the team’s arrival, or practicing on the Tokyo Dome diamond, or showing off their talent in their two exhibition games.

When the Dodgers stepped onto the field at the Tokyo Dome for their first practice on March 13, the energy was unlike anything they had ever experienced for a (in his best Allen Iverson voice) “practice” before. 

Over 10,500 fans packed the lower bowl, paying for the privilege of watching a workout. This wasn’t a game. It wasn’t a high-stakes matchup. It was simply batting practice. And yet, the crowd roared for every swing, every ground ball, every moment Ohtani so much as stretched his hamstrings.

“This is insane,” manager Dave Roberts said as he surveyed the scene. “We knew the support was there, but seeing it with our own eyes—it’s something else.”

Even Freddie Freeman, a former MVP with years of big-stage experience, was awed. “I don’t usually try to hit home runs in BP, but today, I had to,” he admitted, grinning.

For Sasaki, the moment was surreal. Just months ago, he was still pitching in Japan. Now, he was wearing Dodger blue in front of a country that had already embraced him as one of their own.

“I literally was in Japan up until a couple months ago, so it’s exciting for me to be able to perform in front of them again in a different uniform and with the Dodgers team," said Sasaki. "There’s been a lot of television coverage in the last year. All of the Dodgers games are televised here in Japan, and I think it helped a lot that the Dodgers won the World Series."

If the anticipation had reached a fever pitch during practice, it exploded when Ohtani took the field for an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants on March 14.

In the third inning, with a man on base, Ohtani stepped into the batter’s box. The Tokyo Dome fell silent, as if the entire crowd was holding its breath. And then—

CRACK.

The ball launched off Ohtani’s bat and soared toward the right-field stands, disappearing into a mass of blue-clad fans who erupted in deafening cheers. He jogged around the bases with the cool confidence of a man who had done this a thousand times before. But this one was different. This one was at home.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard a louder home run cheer in my life,” said Max Muncy of the crowd's reaction to Ohtani's home run.

For Ohtani, it was more than just another homer. It was a statement.

The Dodgers came to Japan for baseball, but what transpired was something far greater. This was a cultural moment, a sporting movement, a bridge between two baseball-loving nations.

“My teammates are really enjoying Japan right now, and I hope they continue to do so. I’m looking forward to the Japanese fans being able to see them and watch them play," said Ohtani of visiting his home country with his teammates. "It’s hard to tell if this is the golden age of Japanese players to play in the United States because there was a lot of Japanese players to come before me, but having five play in this opening Tokyo Series is a really big deal."

Over the past two offseasons, the Dodgers methodically built this connection. They signed Ohtani, Japan’s biggest star. They added Yamamoto, the country’s most dominant pitcher. They brought in Sasaki, a generational talent. They struck sponsorship deals, increased their presence in Japanese media, and ensured every Dodgers game was broadcast live across the country.

Now, as they prepared for their two-game series against the Cubs on March 18 and 19, the Dodgers weren’t just an MLB team playing overseas. They were Japan’s team.

“Mission accomplished,” Roberts said with a smile. “We painted the country of Japan in Dodger blue.”