"Cubs vs Dodgers" (19th, Tokyo Dome)

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts held a pre-game press conference and said of Freeman, who was dropped from the starting lineup for the second consecutive game, "He's feeling better than yesterday. He's not in the starting lineup." He explained, "He's a hard worker, so he wants to play every game. After talking with the trainer, we've decided that it's a long season, and we expect him to be ready in time for the opening game in his home country."

While Betts also made an emergency return to Japan, pitcher Shohei Ohtani led the batting line with two hits and two runs in the opening game. "Shohei's presence is huge. How many times have you seen the No. 17 uniform in the stands? It shows how special Shohei is," he commented. After the game, the team is scheduled to return home, but he revealed, "This whole trip was great. I told the players to win consecutive games before returning home." Regarding pitcher Roki Sasaki who will be making his first start, he said, "I think today will be a historic moment."

Regarding Sasaki's major league debut, he was asked "How excited are you?" to which Sasaki replied "I'm happy to be starting." He analyzed that the key point is "control of the fastball," saying, "When the control of the fastball is lost, it becomes difficult."