Ahead of the Tokyo Series between the teams, Topps launched an interactive trading-card experience to celebrate Japan’s baseball icons.

The spotlight will be on slugger Shohei Ohtani when the superstar returns to Japan and leads the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers against the Chicago Cubs in the first two games of the Major League Baseball season at the Tokyo Dome.

More than 10,000 fans packed into the lower bowl of the Tokyo Dome on Friday to watch the Dodgers go through their first official workout.

This week, Suzuki returned to his hometown of Tokyo, representing the Cubs in his fourth MLB season. “My goal is to stay in this league and play for as long as I can, until my body stops working,” Suzuki said. “Here [in MLB] it’s so hard with age, but also, whenever your performance drops, there’s always that next guy up.”

Seiya Suzuki was too young and not yet into baseball when the Chicago Cubs last played at the Tokyo Dome 25 years ago. But the memory of being in the ballpark in 2004 and watching Japanese great Hideki Matsui slug a home run for the New York Yankees still resonates with the 30-year-old Suzuki.

Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki describe bonding with their Cubs teammates and inspiring young Japanese baseball players at the 2025 Tokyo Series

The Chicago Cubs played their final spring training game stateside on Tuesday afternoon before their official start of the season, falling 9-7 to the Milwaukee Brewers. While there will be another chance for a tune up after the Tokyo Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers before their domestic Opening Day on March 27 against the Arizona Diamondbacks,

The Chicago Cubs 31-man travel roster for Japan is set. Top prospect Matt Shaw, who still needs to be placed on the 40-man roster, is making the trip. On the flip side, their opponent, the Los Angeles Dodgers,

"I’ve been preparing for this opportunity for my entire life," the 23-year-old Shaw said of making Chicago's travel roster.

Suzuki, now in his fourth season with Chicago, played nine seasons with the Central League's Hiroshima Toyo Carp from 2013 to 2021. During that time, he made five NPB All-Star teams, won Central League batting titles in 2019 and 2021, and earned five Golden Glove Awards for his defense in the outfield.

Dodger-mania is in full swing in Tokyo. The Los Angeles Dodgers are getting ready for their season opener against the Chicago Cubs in Japan. KCAL Sports reporter Darren Haynes has been reporting from Tokyo,