With March 2024 already here, it's only 19 days until the Major League Baseball season opens. But unlike the traditional Opening Day, the first two regular season games will pit the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea.
The earlier start to their schedule prompted both teams to start their Spring Training a week earlier than the other MLB teams. Both teams are ramping up their preparations for a pair of official games on March 20 and 21.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Yu Darvish (@faridyu) could be the starting pitching matchup March 20 in Seoul.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) February 29, 2024
That would be the first @MLB Opening Day game *ever* started by two Japanese-born pitchers, per research by @keithcostas.
@MLBNetwork @MLBJapan @MLBKOR @Dodgers @Padres
Since the games will be in Asia, there’s no shortage of star power on either team from the world’s biggest continent. The Dodgers have 2023 American League Most Valuable Player Shohei Ohtani, who signed a ten-year, $700 million contract this offseason.
Likewise, Yoshinobu Yamamoto joins the Dodgers on a 12-year, $325 million deal. After an impressive two-inning Spring Training debut, the three-time Nippon Professional Baseball Pacific League Most Valuable Player will be the projected starter for the Dodgers’ season-opener.
On the other side of the fence, Yu Darvish is the projected starter for the Padres. He will be playing his fourth season with the Padres after signing a six-year, $108 million contract extension. It’s also interesting to see Darvish’s recovery from the season-ending bone spur injury on his right shoulder.
MLB Network’s Jon Morosi tweeted that the potential Yamamoto-Darvish showdown will be the first Opening Day game started by two Japanese-born pitchers.
Aside from Darvish, the Padres have South Korean natives Ha-Seong Kim and Woo-suk Go. Kim has been with the Padres since 2021 after playing seven seasons for the Korean Baseball Organization’s Kiwoom Heroes. Meanwhile, they signed Go to a two-year, $4.5 million contract last January.
Finally, San Diego has Yuki Matsui in their pitching rotation. Before joining the Padres, he is a five-time NPB All-Star and three-time Pacific League Saves champion.
-Lance Fernandez