SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Texas Rangers signed free-agent left-hander Patrick Corbin to a one-year contract on Tuesday, plugging a durable veteran into their injury-addled starting rotation.
Corbin, who'll enter his 13th major league season, struggled through most of his six-year, $140 million contract with the Washington Nationals, but he's a two-time All-Star who is the only pitcher in baseball who made 31 or more starts in every full season since 2017.
The Rangers placed right-hander Jon Gray on the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster for Corbin. Gray broke his right wrist when he was hit by a line drive in a spring training game on Friday. Left-hander Cody Bradford, who was shut down from throwing last week when he developed soreness in his elbow, will start the season on the injured list.
Injuries were an issue for the rotation last year, but the re-signing of Nathan Eovaldi and the return of Jacob deGrom and Tyler Mahle after recoveries from elbow surgeries delayed their 2024 debuts had the 2023 World Series champion Rangers appearing to be in good shape entering spring training.
Corbin, who has logged the third-most innings in Major League Baseball since he broke in with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2012, was a stabilizer.
“A competitor, by all accounts, just a winning personality, somebody who’s going to fit in our clubhouse well and gives us added protection,” president of baseball operations Chris Young told reporters. “We also believe that there’s some things we saw in the second half of last year with his performance that indicate he can continue that and be a very serviceable major league starting pitcher, which we need right now.”
Corbin had a solid debut season with the Nationals in 2019, when he matched his career high of 14 wins, posted a 3.25 ERA in 33 starts and was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the World Series. But he went 33-70 with a 5.62 ERA over the next five years after the pandemic shortened the 2020 season.
The 35-year-old allowed the most hits (208) and earned runs (109) in the major leagues in 2024, but he was second on the 91-loss Nationals with 174 2/3 innings. In 342 career appearances, including 324 starts, Corbin is 103-131 with a 4.51 ERA and 1,729 strikeouts in 1,892 1/3 innings.
On the latest episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo are joined by Jon Hurwitz, co-creator of Cobra Kai, Harold & Kumar, and a die-hard Mets fan, to talk about movies, the Mets, and more.
Jon reveals what it was like ending Cobra Kai and also working with John Cena before revealing what it was like hanging out with Joe and Connor in spring training!
Jon also talked to the guys about becoming a Mets fan, how he found out the news of Juan Soto’s signing, the best Mets games he’s ever attended, and some 2025 predictions - while also helping to review and grade Joe’s performance on the SNY broadcast of the Mets Spring Breakout game.
Later, Connor and Joe go Down on the Farm for a full recap of the prospects in Sunday’s game, and answer Mailbag questions about pitch shape and lesser-known prospects on the rise.
Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Yankees tied the Boston Red Sox, 4-4, on Tuesday afternoon in Tampa.
Here are the key takeaways...
-Max Fried looked dialed in and ready for the start of the regular season. Showcasing a nasty pickoff move to nab Kristian Campbell in the first inning, Fried looked ready to take on the role of ace in Gerrit Cole’s absence.
The lefty went 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out three without a walk. He threw 68 pitches, 44 of which were strikes, and lowered his spring ERA to 2.53.
-Legendary manager Joe Torre came out to take the ball from Fried, and both Torre and Fried received a nice ovation from the crowd.
-Aaron Judge has had a rough spring at the plate, but after punching out in the first, he roped a double off of Walker Buehler in the fourth, slamming it off the wall in left-center for the Yanks' first hit of the game.
-On the other end of that hitting spectrum has been Cody Bellinger, as he continued his red-hot spring with an RBI single to score Judge and put the Yankees on the board.
-Anthony Volpe has also had a tough going at the plate this spring, but he stung an RBI single to center in the fourth to score Bellinger and increase the lead to 2-0.
Volpe came up clutch again in the sixth, sneaking a single up the middle to score two more (one on a bobble by the center fielder) and break a 2-2 tie.
The young shortstop went 2-for-3 to raise his batting average to .179.
-Some notes on a couple of players on the roster bubble:
Dom Smith had a tough first inning in the field. After he couldn’t scoop a would-be double play ball, he then dropped a routine throw from Oswald Peraza at third base, and was charged with an error. Smith went 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
Also on the bubble is J.C. Escarra, who served as the DH on Tuesday. Signed to a minor league contract this offseason, Escarra’s bat has made him a very viable option for the Opening Day roster. Escarra went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
Who was the game MVP?
Fried, who wasn't overpowering, but had batters off balance for the first 4.1 innings.
Wednesday, March 19 the Los Angeles Dodgers (1-0) are in Tokyo for Game 2 of their series against the Chicago Cubs (0-1).
The Dodgers took Game 1 by the score of 4-1. Shota Imanaga and Yoshinobu Yamamoto started for Chicago and LA respectively in the first all-Japanese starting pitching matchup on opening day in MLB history. Although Imanaga threw four shutout innings, the Cubs' bullpen could not hold the lead. Yamamoto threw five innings of 3-hit, 1-run ball for the win and the Dodgers' bullpen was perfect over the final four innings. Shohei Ohtani picked up a couple of hits and scored two runs to spark the LA lineup that was without Mookie Betts (illness) and Freddie Freeman (ribs).
Rookie Roki Sasaki (0-0) takes the mound for the Dodgers in the series finale against Justin Steele (0-0).
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Cubs
Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Time: 6:10AM EST
Site: Tokyo Dome
City: Tokyo, Japan
Network/Streaming: FS1
Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Dodgers at the Cubs
The latest odds as of Tuesday afternoon:
Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers (-150), Chicago Cubs (+125)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5 (+110)
Total: 8.0 runs
Listen to the Rotoworld Baseball Show for the latest player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.
Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Cubs
Wednesday’s pitching matchup (DATE): Roki Sasaki vs. Justin Steele
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Expert picks & predictions for Wednesday’s game between the Dodgers and the Cubs
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday's game between the Dodgers and the Cubs:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
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Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 8.0.
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Dodgers vs. Cubs: Betting Trends and Recent Stats
Shohei Ohtani was the only player on either team to pick up multiple hits
Kyle Tucker went hitless in 4 trips to the plate
Tanner Scott picked up 1st save with LA pitching a perfect 9th
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Shohei Ohtani went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed one run over five innings in front of 42,365 fans at the Tokyo Dome.
The two teams are set to conclude the two-game series, with the Dodgers looking to return to the states with a 2-0 record.
Here’s how to watch the finale of the Tokyo Series.
When is the Dodgers vs. Cubs game?
The Tokyo Series began Tuesday, March 18 with the Dodgers defeating the Cubs 4-1. The second and final game of the series will be played Wednesday, March 19.
What time is the Dodgers vs. Cubs game?
Set your alarm clock for first pitch — or just stay up really, really late. The second game between the Dodgers and Cubs is set for 3:10 a.m. PT/6:10 a.m. ET.
What channel is the Dodgers vs. Cubs on?
The second game of the Tokyo Series between the Dodgers and Cubs will air on FS1.
How to stream Dodgers vs. Cubs
The game can be streamed live on the Fox Sports App, FOXSports.com and MLB.TV.
Who is pitching in the Dodgers vs. Cubs game?
The Dodgers’ starting pitcher for the second game of the Tokyo Series will be Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, who will make his MLB debut. Pitching for Chicago will be Justin Steele, who went 5-5 with a 3.07 ERA in 24 starts for the Cubs last season.
The 23-year-old Sasaki, who transferred from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league, signed with the Dodgers in January as an international amateur free agent.
While pitching for the Chiba Lotte Marines, he posted a 2.02 ERA and racked up 524 strikeouts in just over 414 innings.
In two spring training outings, one in relief and the other as a starter, Sasaki combined to throw seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.
When is Opening Day?
Opening Day for most other MLB teams is officially scheduled for Thursday, March 27. The 14-game slate begins with the Milwaukee Brewers against the New York Yankees at 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET.
The Dodgers will also be in action for their home opener, facing the Detroit Tigers and reigning American League Cy Young Tarik Skubal at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET. The Dodgers have not yet announced their starting pitcher for the game.
The Cubs will travel to Arizona to play the Diamondbacks at 7:10 p.m. PT/10:10 p.m. ET.
Shohei Ohtani went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed one run over five innings in front of 42,365 fans at the Tokyo Dome.
The two teams are set to conclude the two-game series, with the Dodgers looking to return to the states with a 2-0 record.
Here’s how to watch the finale of the Tokyo Series.
When is the Dodgers vs. Cubs game?
The Tokyo Series began Tuesday, March 18 with the Dodgers defeating the Cubs 4-1. The second and final game of the series will be played Wednesday, March 19.
What time is the Dodgers vs. Cubs game?
Set your alarm clock for first pitch — or just stay up really, really late. The second game between the Dodgers and Cubs is set for 3:10 a.m. PT/6:10 a.m. ET.
What channel is the Dodgers vs. Cubs on?
The second game of the Tokyo Series between the Dodgers and Cubs will air on FS1.
How to stream Dodgers vs. Cubs
The game can be streamed live on the Fox Sports App, FOXSports.com and MLB.TV.
Who is pitching in the Dodgers vs. Cubs game?
The Dodgers’ starting pitcher for the second game of the Tokyo Series will be Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, who will make his MLB debut. Pitching for Chicago will be Justin Steele, who went 5-5 with a 3.07 ERA in 24 starts for the Cubs last season.
The 23-year-old Sasaki, who transferred from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league, signed with the Dodgers in January as an international amateur free agent.
While pitching for the Chiba Lotte Marines, he posted a 2.02 ERA and racked up 524 strikeouts in just over 414 innings.
In two spring training outings, one in relief and the other as a starter, Sasaki combined to throw seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.
When is Opening Day?
Opening Day for most other MLB teams is officially scheduled for Thursday, March 27. The 14-game slate begins with the Milwaukee Brewers against the New York Yankees at 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET.
The Dodgers will also be in action for their home opener, facing the Detroit Tigers and reigning American League Cy Young Tarik Skubal at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET. The Dodgers have not yet announced their starting pitcher for the game.
The Cubs will travel to Arizona to play the Diamondbacks at 7:10 p.m. PT/10:10 p.m. ET.
Chapman’s performance has been as advertised so far this spring. The seven-time All-Star has racked up 10 strikeouts over 5.1 innings (six games), but his four walks suggest command remains a concern. He had 5.7 walks per nine innings last season with the Pittsburgh Pirates and hasn’t had a BB/9 below 5.0 since 2020.
Still, Chapman’s pitching has looked sharper than Hendriks’ and Slaten’s over the last month. Hendriks, returning from Tommy John recovery, entered Tuesday with a 10.80 ERA over five spring appearances. Slaten has a 4.91 ERA in four games.
If Chapman falters out of the gate, the Red Sox shouldn’t hesitate to give the closer job to Hendriks or Slaten. Hendriks was an elite closer from 2019-22 and Slaten is coming off a breakout rookie season in which he notched a 2.93 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 44 appearances.
The trio will play a significant role in the club’s 2025 success. Boston’s bullpen ranked near the bottom of the league in ERA (4.39) and WHIP (1.34) last year.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora has not yet made any official Opening Day roster decisions. He’ll have to finalize his 26-man roster before March 27, when the club begins its 2025 campaign on the road against the Texas Rangers.
Boston signed Chapman to a one-year, $10.75 million contract in December. Chapman has 15 years of MLB experience with the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, and Pirates.
Since being traded to the New York Rangers, Carson Soucy hasn’t exactly found a consistent role.
The Rangers acquired Soucy from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2025-third round pick just one day before the NHL Trade Deadline.
With Soucy also under contract for next season, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury had high hopes for what the 30-year-old could provide not just this season, but into the future.
He envisioned Soucy being a staple on the Rangers’ blue line.
“We think there's a lot of possibilities with Carson, whether it's with Schneids or Foxy or Will (Borgen), or even having him on the right side at some point,” Drury said. “We'll see how it plays out. I'm glad we were able to get him. I was excited about the term, excited about the number. He's not a rental.
“He’s someone we could have in for the rest of the year and next year. I just like the overall game – the size, the skating, the sense, how he defends. We were able to do some homework on him the last couple weeks and we’re excited to get him with a piece we got in the Reilly Smith trade.”
Drury’s vision has not come into fruition whatsoever thus far.
Soucy has been scratched out of the lineup for the past two games and will be benched once again on Tuesday night against the Calgary Flames.
The emergence of Zac Jones on top of Adam Fox’s return have a lot to do with why Soucy finds himself in the doghouse.
While Peter Laviolette isn’t necessarily discouraged with what he’s seen from the veteran defenseman, he feels that Rangers’ defense has been strong over the past couple games and isn’t looking to shake things up as of right now.
“He’s been good,” Laviolette said of Soucy. “I don’t have an issue with the players that aren’t playing. Again, there are six spots on defense and we have eight defensemen here. I like the six in the way they are playing right now, so we didn’t make a change tonight, but we are happy to have both him and de Hann here. I know it is tough sitting out. Nobody likes to sit out, but I like the way our defense is playing right now.”
This dosn’t mean Soucy will be benched permanently. Things could change on a game-to-game basis depending on how well the Rangers are playing.
In all likelihood, Soucy will be back in the lineup sooner rather than later.
Based on Drury’s comments though, you would think Soucy would instantly jump into a prominent role and that just hasn’t happened.
The Mets break camp in less than a week, before traveling to Houston to begin the regular season against the Astros on March 27.
The expectations they had entering spring training remain the same with them about to wrap spring training: compete for the NL East title, make the playoffs, and be a legitimate threat to win the World Series.
New York will be challenged early, though, with a handful of key injuries. And those injuries have altered how their roster will look from the jump.
Here is our 26-man roster prediction 3.0 for Opening Day...
REGULAR LINEUP
Luis Torrens: C Pete Alonso: 1B Brett Baty: 2B Francisco Lindor: SS Mark Vientos: 3B Brandon Nimmo: LF Jose Siri: CF Juan Soto: RF Jesse Winker: DH
In Alvarez's place as the starter will be Torrens, who knows the pitching staff and should be able to hold things together.
New York Mets second baseman Brett Baty (7) fields a ground ball during the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at Clover Park. / Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
The other injury is to Jeff McNeil, who was having a strong spring before going down with a mild oblique issue.
McNeil is only expected to be out until the second or third week of the season, but the Mets will need a regular starter at second base in his stead. And that will be Baty.
Even before McNeil went down, the Mets were getting Baty exposure at second base in addition to third base -- in preparation for him potentially landing a role on the bench.
And Baty has excelled -- adeptly handling second base while looking very good at the plate. He has earned this shot.
Everything else is as expected as it pertains to the regular position players, including Winkeras the designated hitter and Siri as the initial choice to get the bulk of the starts in center field.
New York will begin the season without Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, though Manaea has already resumed throwing and should return at some point in April.
The prognosis isn't as promising for Montas, who could be back in May but whose next time on a big league mound will likely come in June.
That means added stress on a unit that was already the Mets' one big question mark when it still had a fully healthy Manaea and Montas.
New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes (35) pitches against the Houston Astros in the third inning at Clover Park / Jim Rassol - Imagn Images
Holmes, who will start on Opening Day, has been mostly dominant in spring training. So there shouldn't be much concern about his stuff translating to a starting role. But it's still fair to wonder about his stamina and how many innings he'll be able to provide.
Peterson will be looking to build off his strong 2024, while Senga -- who has been proceeding deliberately this spring -- is attempting to shake off a year mostly lost to injury.
The back end of the rotation will feature Canning (who seems to be benefiting from the Mets' pitching lab) and Megill (who has yet to find consistency, but has good stuff and some upside).
BULLPEN
Edwin Diaz: CLS A.J. Minter: LHP Reed Garrett: RHP Ryne Stanek:RHP Jose Butto: RHP Max Kranick: RHP Danny Young: LHP Paul Blackburn: RHP
The Mets' bullpen should be a strength this season, and it has a chance to be one of the best in baseball if things break right.
Diaz, Minter, Stanek, and Garrett are legitimate late-inning weapons, while Butto and Kranick -- who are expected to be able to provide multiple innings at a clip -- could be X-factors.
Since Kranick has a minor league option remaining, New York could theoretically have him begin the season in the minors. But with his stuff playing up as he transitions to a full-time relief role and Kranick having been one of the Mets' most dominant pitchers this spring, it makes no sense to not carry him right away.
New York Mets pitcher Max Kranick (32) throws during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Clover Park / Reinhold Matay - Imagn Images
Dedniel Núñez will be a huge part of the relief corps this year after missing the end of last season due to injury, but his first game action of the spring didn't come until March 17. And while Núñez was dominant in that appearance, the guess here is that he'll need a bit longer to get ready.
That would open the door for the Mets to carry Young, who is out of options and will give New York a second left-hander to go along with Minter.
The final spot in the bullpen will go to Blackburn, who is also out of options and can provide serious length if needed.
BENCH
Tyrone Taylor: OF Hayden Senger: C Donovan Walton: INF Starling Marte: DH/OF
The most interesting thing to watch here is the backup infielder role, though this one seems easy to call.
Luisangel Acuñahas been in competition for a bench spot and (recently) the regular second base job with McNeil down for a bit. But unless the Mets think it will benefit them and Acuña for him to be part of a platoon with Baty at second and a bench player the rest of the time, it doesn't make much sense to carry him.
The better plan is to have Acuña begin the year with Triple-A Syracuse, where he can continue to work on his offense. That would mean a spot on the bench for Walton, who has five years of big league experience as a defense-first backup capable of playing third base, shortstop, second base, and corner outfield.
The rest of the bench will be Taylor or Siri (whoever isn't starting in center field that day), Senger (who will be the backup in place of Torrens until Alvarez returns), and Marte.
Marte's inclusion was a bit of a question until recently, with him continuing to deal with a lingering knee issue.
But with Marte's main role as the short end of a DH platoon, it's easy to have him on the roster despite his limited mobility.
Private equity firm Sixth Street has invested in the San Francisco Giants in a deal that includes both the MLB team and its real estate efforts in the city’s downtown waterfront.
That project, a public-private partnership called Mission Rock that sits on land right outside Oracle Park, has been years in the making. The first phase, a reported $1.5 billion series of office and residential buildings, opened in 2023 with three more phases yet to come. Sportico values the team, and its team-related holdings, at $4.2 billion, the fourth highest in MLB.
Sixth Street’s stake will be about 10%, and it is not buying its equity from an existing minority partner, according to a source familiar with the details, who was granted anonymity because the details are private. A rep for Sixth Street declined to comment on the financial terms. Reps for the Giants and Raine Group, which was retained to handle the sale, didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Real estate has become a primary way that sports teams leverage their popularity, with mixed-use developments serving as year-round income and ancillary revenue streams. Across town in San Francisco, for example, the Golden State Warriors’ privately financed Chase Center includes two office buildings, 100,000 square feet of mixed-use retail and underground parking. Its development played a critical role in the NBA team’s rapid rise to becoming the league’s most valuable team at $9.14 billion.
In baseball, the example most often cited is The Battery Atlanta, a mixed-use development around the Braves stadium that includes a hotel, residential housing, office space, retail shops and other entertainment spaces. By the Braves’ own accounting, the development has been significantly more profitable than the team itself. In 2024, the Battery reported $45 million in adjusted OIBDA, as opposed to $6.6 million for the baseball team, per the Braves financials.
These real estate opportunities have been particularly attractive to the private equity firms that are investing heavily in sports team ownership. Arctos Partners, the most aggressive firm over the last few years, has bought into the Cubs, Red Sox and Dodgers—all of which have significant real estate holdings. Arctos also previously invested in the Giants.
The 28-acre Mission Rock development is located in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood, a rapidly changing area that’s home to a slew of biotech and AI startups. That’s a rare success in a city where retail spaces have struggled to stay viable—the San Francisco Chronicle recently called it one of the city’s “most successful redevelopment experiments.” The Giants partnered with real estate developer Tishman Speyer on the project, which broke ground in 2020 and was estimated at the time to take more than a decade to complete.
Giants CEO Larry Baer recently told the Chronicle that no money from the MLB team is diverted to the real estate project, and vice versa.
“We’re 50-50, so it’s not like we can say, ‘Oh, Tishman, sorry, we’ve got an infielder to sign for $25 million,’” he told the newspaper. “I think there’s some confusion, because you see all this stuff going up. It’s like, ‘Oh, the Giants are just rolling in it.’ Well, hopefully one day this will be a really strong asset for this organization. It’s a 50% [ownership] of it. But for now, we’re focused on whatever comes in, goes back into the next phase and into improvements and into retail and the [tenant improvements] and all the different things you have to do to make the project work.”
The Giants won the World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014, but have made just two playoff appearances since, and total attendance has fallen from its highs a decade ago. In September the team hired former star catcher Buster Posey as its president of baseball operations.
Sixth Street’s other sports holdings include Legends and NWSL club Bay FC, plus minority investments in the San Antonio Spurs, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.
PJT Partners advised Sixth Street on the deal, and Latham & Watkins LLP served as its legal counsel.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Chicago White Sox infielder Josh Rojas has a hairline fracture in his right big toe, putting his availability for opening day in question.
Rojas is batting .313 (10 for 32) in his first spring training with the White Sox. He left a split-squad game against Colorado with toe soreness.
“We’re just kind of going to give him treatment and see where it goes,” first-year manager Will Venable told reporters. “I think we just kind of get him doing his treatment and his rehab and kind of take it day by day and see where he’s at. Hopefully he’s back here with us soon.”
The 30-year-old Rojas batted .225 with eight homers and 31 RBIs in 143 games with Seattle last year. He became a free agent in November when Seattle declined to offer him a 2025 contract.
Rojas finalized a one-year, $3.5 million contract with Chicago in January. The White Sox host the Los Angeles Angels for their season opener on March 27.
Chicago optioned outfielder Dominic Fletcher to Triple-A Charlotte. Catching prospects Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero were among 10 players reassigned to minor league camp.
Shohei Ohtani went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed one run over five innings in front of 42,365 fans at the Tokyo Dome.
The two teams are set to conclude the two-game series, with the Dodgers looking to return to the states with a 2-0 record.
Here’s how to watch the finale of the Tokyo Series.
When is the Dodgers vs. Cubs game?
The Tokyo Series began Tuesday, March 18 with the Dodgers defeating the Cubs 4-1. The second and final game of the series will be played Wednesday, March 19.
What time is the Dodgers vs. Cubs game?
Set your alarm clock for first pitch — or just stay up really, really late. The second game between the Dodgers and Cubs is set for 3:10 a.m. PT/6:10 a.m. ET.
What channel is the Dodgers vs. Cubs on?
The second game of the Tokyo Series between the Dodgers and Cubs will air on FS1.
How to stream Dodgers vs. Cubs
The game can be streamed live on the Fox Sports App, FOXSports.com and MLB.TV.
Who is pitching in the Dodgers vs. Cubs game?
The Dodgers’ starting pitcher for the second game of the Tokyo Series will be Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, who will make his MLB debut. Pitching for Chicago will be Justin Steele, who went 5-5 with a 3.07 ERA in 24 starts for the Cubs last season.
The 23-year-old Sasaki, who transferred from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league, signed with the Dodgers in January as an international amateur free agent.
While pitching for the Chiba Lotte Marines, he posted a 2.02 ERA and racked up 524 strikeouts in just over 414 innings.
In two spring training outings, one in relief and the other as a starter, Sasaki combined to throw seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.
When is Opening Day?
Opening Day for most other MLB teams is officially scheduled for Thursday, March 27. The 14-game slate begins with the Milwaukee Brewers against the New York Yankees at 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET.
The Dodgers will also be in action for their home opener, facing the Detroit Tigers and reigning American League Cy Young Tarik Skubal at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET. The Dodgers have not yet announced their starting pitcher for the game.
The Cubs will travel to Arizona to play the Diamondbacks at 7:10 p.m. PT/10:10 p.m. ET.
TOKYO — Shortstop Mookie Betts has returned to Los Angeles to continue recovering from an illness that will cause him to miss the Dodgers’ first two games of the regular season at the Tokyo Dome.
Manager Dave Roberts said that the eight-time All-Star wouldn’t play against the Chicago Cubs because of an unspecified illness that’s caused him to lose nearly 15 pounds. The 2018 AL Most Valuable Player is feeling better, but Roberts said Betts needed to return home and recuperate ahead of the team’s domestic opener on March 27.
“Mookie flew home early evening, late afternoon yesterday and arrived safely,” Roberts said. “It just made the most sense for him to get back to a regular routine. That’s kind of where we’re at and we all support it.”
The Cubs and Dodgers open the Major League Baseball season with two games at the Tokyo Dome.
Miguel Rojas is in the starting lineup at shortstop.
Betts started to feel sick the day before the team left for Japan but the shortstop still made the trip. He went through a workout but quickly became tired.
Betts is making the full-time transition to shortstop this season after playing most of his career in right field and second base. The 2018 AL MVP hit .289 with 19 homers and 75 RBIs last season, helping the Dodgers win the World Series.
If there ever was a Rangers man in the dugout, Barry Ferguson is that.
The former midfielder and ambassador was drafted in the take the reins on an interim basis as there was a strong belief he'd be able to galvanise and, in his own words, "put an arm around some players and give some others a clip behind the ear".
It's safe to say so far, he's succeeding.
But former striker Rory Loy believes there's much more to this Rangers revival than simply having "a man who gets it" in charge.
"A lot of people put it down to Barry Ferguson being an ex-Rangers man, someone who knows the club and who has this heart and drive to take the team," Loy said on the Scottish Football Podcast.
"That's all a small added bonus, to me.
"I think he's able to convey clear instructions, that's the difference.
"It's almost like the players know the gameplan now. They know the instruction and they just need to go and carry it out.
"Under the previous manager, the last couple of managers, it was almost like they just didn't know what they were doing.
"The difference now is Barry Ferguson has been able to convey a clear message that players can understand and follow."
TOKYO — Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw five strong innings, Shohei Ohtani had two hits and scored twice, and the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 on Tuesday in Major League Baseball's season opener at the Tokyo Dome.
Playing in front of their home country, Yamamoto and Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga both pitched well in the first all-Japanese starting pitching matchup on opening day in MLB history. Imanaga threw four scoreless innings, allowing no hits but walking four.
The Dodgers jumped on Cubs reliever Ben Brown (0-1) in the fifth, scoring three runs, partly because of a throwing error by second baseman Jon Berti. Tommy Edman and Will Smith had RBI singles.
Ohtani was part of the rally, delivering a hard-hit single through the right side. He finished 2 for 5 at the plate, including a double to lead off the ninth, eventually scoring another run.
Yamamoto (1-0) gave up one run on three hits and a walk, striking out four. Tanner Scott earned his first save.
Chicago's Miguel Amaya drove in Dansby Swanson with a two-out double that made it 1-0 in the second. The Cubs didn't have a hit after the third.
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was scratched before the game because of left rib discomfort. Shortstop Mookie Betts will miss both games in Japan because of an illness.
Ohtani's single was the first hit of the game for the Dodgers, helping start a rally that would turn the game in their favor.
Yamamoto, Anthony Banda, Ben Casparius and Blake Treinen combined to retire 16 batters in a row from the third to the eighth innings. The streak ended when Treinen hit Berti with a pitch with one out in the eighth.
Japanese rookie Roki Sasaki will make his MLB debut for the Dodgers while left-hander Justin Steele takes the mound for the Cubs on Wednesday night for the final game in Tokyo.
