The Opening Day pitching matchup between the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers has already been confirmed, featuring Shota Imanaga and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Now, the second game’s starting pitchers are nearly finalized. On Wednesday, Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters that left-hander Justin Steele is “in line” to start Game 2 in Tokyo. Meanwhile, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently stated that newly signed right-hander Roki Sasaki is expected to take the mound for Los Angeles.
Steele’s selection comes as no surprise, given that he is clearly the Cubs’ second-best starting pitcher. Over 98 career appearances, he has posted a 3.24 ERA and finished fifth in the 2023 Cy Young voting. While it remains uncertain whether the pitchers will have any workload restrictions, Counsell has indicated he plans to use multiple starters throughout both games.
Assuming no injuries or last-minute changes, the pitching matchups for the two-game series will be:
Game 1: Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Shota Imanaga
Game 2: Roki Sasaki vs. Justin Steele
MLB fans will be treated to an elite showcase, with four top-tier pitchers taking the mound. Notably, three of the four starters have Japanese heritage, making the Tokyo-based series a fitting and exciting way to kick off the 2025 MLB season.