Dodgers-Cubs opener in Tokyo averages more than 25 million viewers in Japan, a record audience
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Tuesday's first game of the Tokyo Series averaged more than 25 million viewers in Japan according to Major League Baseball, making it the most-watched MLB game in the country's history.
The audience for the Los Angeles Dodgers' 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs surpassed the 18.7 million viewers who tuned in for the first game of last year's Seoul Series in South Korea, which featured the Dodgers against the San Diego Padres.
Tuesday's game featured the first all-Japanese starting pitching duel on opening day. Los Angeles' Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave up one run in five innings while Chicago's Shota Imanaga threw four scoreless frames.
The Dodgers' 6-3 win on Wednesday, which featured a towering solo home run by Shohei Ohtani, averaged more than 23 million Japanese viewers. The second game also featured pitcher Roki Sasaki making his Dodgers' debut.
The two games in the U.S. — which started at 5 a.m. CDT in Chicago and 3 a.m. PDT in Los Angeles — averaged 590,000 viewers.
Tuesday's game on Fox averaged 838,000 viewers with Wednesday's on FS1 drawing 361,000.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
recommended
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Letters to Sports: Dodgers must figure out their injured pitcher problem
Injured Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow throws in the outfield at Dodger Stadium before a game against the New York Mets on June 4. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) The Dodgers now have 15 pitchers on the injured list. This team, with all of its talent, is going nowhere without frontline pitching. Andrew Friedman realized this when he emptied Fort Knox during the offseason. But, like previous seasons, they are dropping like flies, with shoulder and forearm issues. Other MLB teams don't seem to have these issues, at least not to this degree. Advertisement At what point do we begin to look at the training staff, starting with pitching coach Mark Prior? What is it that he's asking (and teaching) these guys to do with their arms, to get that extra 'something' out of them? Too often that extra something becomes nothing at all. Rodger Howard Westlake Village The underperforming, injury-plagued — and very well-paid — Dodger pitching staff illustrates the true financial advantage of big-market teams willing and able to spend. Yes, the Dodgers can afford to sign and pay frontline players, but, just as important, they can also afford to set aside or simply eat the contracts of those expensive players if they become hurt or ineffective, and replace them with additional highly (over)paid players. It's almost a lock that, if their staff isn't healthier and more reliable come August, the Dodgers will probably trade for pitching help and take on even more salary. Small-market teams such as the Reds, Guardians and Pirates can't sign many top-tier players in the first place, let alone replace them if they don't pan out. John Merryman Redondo Beach Instead of spending hundreds of millions on pitchers to sit on the injury list for the majority of every year, I recommend the Dodgers instead allocate those funds to put nine All-Star offensive players in the lineup. Then just do what the team always winds up doing anyway — rely on inexpensive, lower-tier and journeyman pitchers for the season. Advertisement Jerry Leibowitz Culver City Time to say goodbye It's about time that the Dodgers separate from Clayton Kershaw. Yes he has been with them forever, and was very good. But that was then, not now. The Dodgers separated from Chris Taylor, and Austin Barnes, long-term team members, now it's time to do the same with Kershaw. Deborah R. Ishida Beverly Hills Dear Clayton, It's time to say goodbye. Injuries have taken their toll. Don't ruin what has been a first-ballot Hall of Fame career by performing at a level that is a shadow of yourself. It's been a great run, but you are hurting the team. Announce that you're leaving so the fans can give you the send-off you deserve. Please don't hang around and make us watch you continue to pad the worst stats of your career. Advertisement Geno Apicella Placentia At 37 and having pitched more than 3,000 innings, there's no doubt Clayton Kershaw still has the smarts if not the scintillating fastball of days gone by to help the Dodgers race toward another World Series appearance. Manager Dave Roberts says he trusts him to keep taking the mound, and so do I. Like the headline reads, 'History says don't count out Kershaw.' Marty Zweben Palos Verdes Estates Max retention While we all lament and understand the need to move on from fan favorites, thank goodness the Dodgers resisted the urge to go the youth route with Max Muncy. And it's not his glasses. Have you seen his swing of late? Probably not — it's too fast for the naked eye. Advertisement Robert Gary Westlake Village Too much Ohtani praise? Look, I get it. Ohtani is great. Amazing. Remarkable. Fill-in-the-blank with any superlative. But it seems like every week Dylan Hernández writes the exact same column, praising Ohtani for his greatness and saying how important he is to the Dodgers. And it was the same when he was on the Angels. Everyone knows that. I'd like to see Dylan mix it up with his critique and commentary a bit more. Greg Wagner Huntington Beach It looks like "Plaschkeitis" has spread to another LAT sportswriter. In his report of the Dodgers' 18-2 win over the Yankees, Jack Harris writes, "It was a statement, a reminder and a warning all wrapped into one." It was also just one game, and 24 hours later, the Dodgers lost to the Yankees. Advertisement Try to hold it down fellas; you're giving everybody whiplash. Ralph Martinez Arcadia Don't run from rivalry An easier path to the playoffs is no reason to cancel the most storied intersectional rivalry in sports. If USC cannot defeat Notre Dame, USC does not belong in the playoffs. Recruit and coach a team to beat them. Don't look for a way to claim success by running away from them. Jay McConnell Los Angeles USC football coach Lincoln Riley makes excuses why his team can't or won't play Notre Dame. I think the truth is he's scared to play Notre Dame because he feels overmatched. USC lost to Notre Dame in 2023 and 2024, and Riley can't handle another loss. Advertisement Neil Snow Manhattan Beach Verdict on Bauer There are two subjects I hope never to read about again in The Times' Sports section: 1. The 2017 Houston Astros.* 2. Trevor Bauer. Jim Lawson Santa Barbara Night terrors Got an unused night light? Send it to Mookie Betts. Mike Eberts Los Feliz The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used. Email: sports@ Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Matt Shaw completes an already dangerous Cubs lineup
The potential search for a third baseman on the trade market for Chicago Cubs team president Jed Hoyer and his front office. In an era when third basemen aren't as productive as years past, prying any good ones away from teams, contenders or not, would have been difficult and come at a high cost. The Cubs always saw Matt Shaw as the best-case solution to their hole at third. Whether he could actually produce was the only question worth asking. From the time Shaw was sent to the minors on April 14 to when he arrived back on May 19, Cubs third basemen posted a 38 wRC+ with just four doubles in 105 plate appearances. Advertisement Before Friday's 3-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers, in 59 plate appearances since his return, Shaw had a 132 wRC+ with six doubles. Then, against the best pitcher in baseball, Tarik Skubal, Shaw went 2-for-3 with another double. Where once there was a revolving door at third, Shaw has taken a great lineup and solidified its one weak spot. 'I think we're dangerous right now,' Craig Counsell, Cubs manager, said. 'What you always want is — they say, 'length,' which really just means you have a lot of players who are capable of changing the game and doing something to help on a daily basis. I think that's what we have.' When Shaw was sent down to the minors, he was tasked with making some mechanical adjustments — he's more upright in his stance — and worked to rebuild his confidence. Shaw said the mechanical adjustments didn't take long to become second nature. 'He's himself offensively right now,' Counsell said. 'That's the biggest positive. He needed the reset. He did a good job with his time, our staff did a good job with his time in Iowa.' Shaw has always been known for his ability to hit the ball hard and on a line. In his first stint in the big leagues, he had a line-drive rate of 20.5 percent and a hard-hit rate of 12.5 percent. That led to a 63 wRC+ and a very uncharacteristic 26.5 percent strikeout rate. This time, the line-drive rate has jumped to 23.9 percent and the hard contact is at 26.1 percent. His strikeout rate is back to a more Shaw-like 15.3 percent. 'It's good to see those results,' Shaw said. 'Even when they're catching it, I'm spinning the ball better, hitting more fly balls, hitting balls harder. It feels like baseball's always felt for me.' Those early struggles took a mental toll on a player who has had very few slumps in his professional career. Seeing the results over the last few weeks has him believing he belongs. Advertisement 'Just mentally I needed to get back in a position where I'm on time,' Shaw said. 'Get on top of the baseball. I just feel like myself again. Realizing that I can be myself and play here in the big leagues, it's exciting.' What's exciting for anyone watching the Cubs is that this offense feels complete. There are no weak spots in the lineup. This is a group that can handle a slump from one key player because someone else will step up. Having so much talent, whether it's a veteran like Kyle Tucker or an emerging star like Pete Crow-Armstrong, means there's very little pressure on Shaw to perform. Just go out there and be yourself. The rest will take care of itself. 'I want to perform no matter what,' Shaw said. 'I want to be a great contributor to this lineup. Every day I'm trying to put together better at-bats and continue to grow. I feel very blessed to be in a great lineup. We're winning games and putting together amazing at-bats one through nine. Being in a great lineup is a lot of fun. You can see that watching us play, we're having a lot of fun.' In one of his first days back in the big leagues, Shaw had a question for veteran Justin Turner: 'When did it go from feeling like the big leagues to just baseball?' There can be an overwhelming nature for athletes when reaching the highest level. The pressure is intense, the need to perform is high. Failure could mean you might be sent packing. Shaw allowed that feeling to overwhelm him once before. Now he's at peace with his failures. In fact, he has learned from them. In doing so, he has become the third baseman the Cubs so desperately needed. 'That's how I'm starting to feel,' Shaw said. 'I'm realizing this is just baseball.'
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
Letters to Sports: Dodgers must figure out their injured pitcher problem
The Dodgers now have 15 pitchers on the injured list. This team, with all of its talent, is going nowhere without frontline pitching. Andrew Friedman realized this when he emptied Fort Knox during the offseason. But, like previous seasons, they are dropping like flies, with shoulder and forearm issues. Other MLB teams don't seem to have these issues, at least not to this degree. At what point do we begin to look at the training staff, starting with pitching coach Mark Prior? What is it that he's asking (and teaching) these guys to do with their arms, to get that extra 'something' out of them? Too often that extra something becomes nothing at all. Rodger HowardWestlake Village The underperforming, injury-plagued — and very well-paid — Dodger pitching staff illustrates the true financial advantage of big-market teams willing and able to spend. Yes, the Dodgers can afford to sign and pay frontline players, but, just as important, they can also afford to set aside or simply eat the contracts of those expensive players if they become hurt or ineffective, and replace them with additional highly (over)paid players. It's almost a lock that, if their staff isn't healthier and more reliable come August, the Dodgers will probably trade for pitching help and take on even more salary. Small-market teams such as the Reds, Guardians and Pirates can't sign many top-tier players in the first place, let alone replace them if they don't pan out. John MerrymanRedondo Beach Instead of spending hundreds of millions on pitchers to sit on the injury list for the majority of every year, I recommend the Dodgers instead allocate those funds to put nine All-Star offensive players in the lineup. Then just do what the team always winds up doing anyway — rely on inexpensive, lower-tier and journeyman pitchers for the season. Jerry LeibowitzCulver City It's about time that the Dodgers separate from Clayton Kershaw. Yes he has been with them forever, and was very good. But that was then, not now. The Dodgers separated from Chris Taylor, and Austin Barnes, long-term team members, now it's time to do the same with Kershaw. Deborah R. IshidaBeverly Hills Dear Clayton, It's time to say goodbye. Injuries have taken their toll. Don't ruin what has been a first-ballot Hall of Fame career by performing at a level that is a shadow of yourself. It's been a great run, but you are hurting the team. Announce that you're leaving so the fans can give you the send-off you deserve. Please don't hang around and make us watch you continue to pad the worst stats of your career. Geno ApicellaPlacentia At 37 and having pitched more than 3,000 innings, there's no doubt Clayton Kershaw still has the smarts if not the scintillating fastball of days gone by to help the Dodgers race toward another World Series appearance. Manager Dave Roberts says he trusts him to keep taking the mound, and so do I. Like the headline reads, 'History says don't count out Kershaw.' Marty ZwebenPalos Verdes Estates While we all lament and understand the need to move on from fan favorites, thank goodness the Dodgers resisted the urge to go the youth route with Max Muncy. And it's not his glasses. Have you seen his swing of late? Probably not — it's too fast for the naked eye. Robert GaryWestlake Village Look, I get it. Ohtani is great. Amazing. Remarkable. Fill-in-the-blank with any superlative. But it seems like every week Dylan Hernández writes the exact same column, praising Ohtani for his greatness and saying how important he is to the Dodgers. And it was the same when he was on the Angels. Everyone knows that. I'd like to see Dylan mix it up with his critique and commentary a bit more. Greg WagnerHuntington Beach It looks like 'Plaschkeitis' has spread to another LAT sportswriter. In his report of the Dodgers' 18-2 win over the Yankees, Jack Harris writes, 'It was a statement, a reminder and a warning all wrapped into one.' It was also just one game, and 24 hours later, the Dodgers lost to the Yankees. Try to hold it down fellas; you're giving everybody whiplash. Ralph MartinezArcadia An easier path to the playoffs is no reason to cancel the most storied intersectional rivalry in sports. If USC cannot defeat Notre Dame, USC does not belong in the playoffs. Recruit and coach a team to beat them. Don't look for a way to claim success by running away from them. Jay McConnellLos Angeles USC football coach Lincoln Riley makes excuses why his team can't or won't play Notre Dame. I think the truth is he's scared to play Notre Dame because he feels overmatched. USC lost to Notre Dame in 2023 and 2024, and Riley can't handle another loss. Neil SnowManhattan Beach There are two subjects I hope never to read about again in The Times' Sports section: 1. The 2017 Houston Astros.* 2. Trevor Bauer. Jim LawsonSanta Barbara Got an unused night light? Send it to Mookie Betts. Mike EbertsLos Feliz The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used. Email: sports@
