{"id":35387,"date":"2025-03-23T11:46:19","date_gmt":"2025-03-23T11:46:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=35387"},"modified":"2025-03-23T11:46:19","modified_gmt":"2025-03-23T11:46:19","slug":"mlb-tokyo-series-recap-dodgers-unforgettable-opening-week-shatters-viewership-sales-and-attendance-records","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=35387","title":{"rendered":"MLB Tokyo Series recap: Dodgers unforgettable opening week shatters viewership, sales, and attendance records"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2025 MLB Tokyo Series shattered records for viewership, merchandise sales, and attendance. Here’s a recap of the opening week between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs including all the unforgettable moments.<\/h2>\n
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TOKYO \u2014 The\u00a02025 Tokyo Series\u00a0wasn\u2019t just about the\u00a0Los Angeles Dodgers\u00a0and\u00a0Chicago Cubs\u00a0kicking off the Major League Baseball season at the world-famous Tokyo Dome. It was the grand finale of a weeklong celebration of Japan\u2019s deep-rooted passion for baseball, a reminder that the sport is at its best when it\u2019s global.<\/p>\n

From\u00a0Shohei Ohtani\u2019s homecoming to Yoshinobu Yamamoto\u2019s dazzling start and Roki Sasaki\u2019s electric MLB debut, the Tokyo Series shattered records, electrified crowds, and showcased baseball\u2019s international appeal in unprecedented ways.<\/p>\n

Here were just a few of the unforgettable moments of the week:<\/p>\n

Shohei Ohtani\u2019s Triumphant Return<\/strong><\/p>\n

The reigning NL MVP, and World Series champion came home to a hero\u2019s welcome, and he gave the fans exactly what they wanted.\u00a0In Game 2, Ohtani launched a towering home run, sending the Tokyo Dome into a frenzy. The blast wasn\u2019t just a moment\u2014it was a statement.<\/p>\n

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