Dodgers president predicts Shohei Ohtani & Co. to bring World Series parade-like atmosphere every day at Tokyo Series 

The LA Dodgers, led by Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki and others, will play in Japan to kick off their campaign in 2025. Much like last year's trip to Korea, the Dodgers will open the season a little early in Japan before returning home.

Dodgers president Stan Kasten is not oblivious to the significance of a team with such a presence in Japan being able to visit the country and play an official MLB game.

He believes it will be an easy sellout. He said (via USA Today):

“The stadium doesn’t hold 100 million people, which is approximately how many Japanese people would love to see Shohei and Yoshi and Roki. Everyone appreciates the historic significance unlike any other international adventure we’ve ever undertaken in baseball."

Kasten added:

“We think the reception that this team, especially because of Shohei, Yoshi and Roki, it will feel the way our [World Series] parade felt every day we’re there."

He concluded that the team's trip to Japan will be "off the charts." Another layer of significance is that the Chicago Cubs, the Dodgers' opponent in this two-game series, also have a prominent Japanese star in Shota Imanaga. He is likely to pitch one of the two games.

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Dodgers president says his team is 'different' ahead of Japan trip

The Dodgers feature perhaps the three most prominent Japanese baseball players namely Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, with the latter two expected to pitch in the Tokyo Series against the Cubs.

The Dodgers have Japanese star Shohei Ohtani (Imagn)

Dodgers president Stan Kasten acknowledged that the Cubs aren't lacking there, either. They just don't compare. He said via USA Today:

“The Cubs have a couple of really good Japanese players too, and a long, proud history, but we are the Dodgers. I think the Dodgers are just different, especially in Japan."

The Dodgers signed Ohtani and then landed Yamamoto in the same offseason not too far apart in 2023. Their brilliance helped lead to a World Series win, and they followed that up by signing the highly-coveted Sasaki this offseason, who becomes just the latest Japanese star to land in LA.