On the final day of the 2024 All-Star break, Major League Baseball (MLB) made a grand announcement by unveiling its 2025 regular-season schedule. Fans can now access each team's individual schedule on their official websites. As MLB continues to globalize the sport, the 2025 season will commence overseas with games on March 18-19 at the iconic Tokyo Dome.
Opening Series in Tokyo
The Los Angeles Dodgers will clash with the Chicago Cubs to kick off the season, adding an international flair to the traditional start of the MLB season. This exciting series will see standout players like Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto from the Dodgers, along with Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki from the Cubs, showcasing their talents on a global stage. This marks MLB’s first return to Japan since the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners opened the 2019 season in Tokyo.
Historic Opening Day
Following the Tokyo Series, the traditional Opening Day is slated for Thursday, March 27. All 30 teams will be in action, making it a landmark event as the earliest traditional Opening Day in the history of baseball. However, there will be only four divisional matchups, a relatively small number for such a significant date in the MLB calendar. Highlights include the Athletics beginning their season with a four-game series in Seattle and their inaugural game in Sacramento on Monday, March 31, against the Cubs in a three-game series.
International Series and Missed Opportunities
Despite ambitions to extend MLB's reach further into Europe, plans for hosting games in Paris fell through, making the Tokyo Series the sole international event on the 2025 schedule. While this represents a missed opportunity for fans in Paris, the return to Japan will undoubtedly be a spectacle for the global baseball community.
Rivalry Weekend
Set to take place from May 16-18, "Rivalry Weekend" will be a highlight of the 2025 season. It promises intense competition with 11 series involving division rivals and four geographic rivalries. Some interleague rivals will play extended six-game series instead of the traditional four, ensuring fans get extra doses of high-stakes baseball.
Midseason Festivities in Atlanta
July is set to be a festival of baseball, starting with the 95th All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta on Tuesday, July 15. Leading up to the midsummer classic, the Futures Game will take place on July 12, giving fans a glimpse of baseball’s bright future. The 2025 draft will commence on July 13, followed by the much-anticipated Home Run Derby on July 14, rounding out an exciting break in the regular season.
Regular Season's End and Postseason Beginnings
The regular season is scheduled to draw to a close on Sunday, September 28, with all 30 teams taking the field. The final day promises high drama with eight divisional matchups, potentially deciding playoff spots and seeding. The postseason chase will then begin almost immediately, starting on Tuesday, September 30, ensuring a seamless transition from regular-season excitement to playoff tension.
With these well-crafted plans, MLB is set to deliver yet another memorable season, blending tradition with innovation, and offering fans around the world a thrilling baseball experience right from its opening salvo in Tokyo to the dramatic final days of the postseason. Whether you're tuning in for the early international games or the domestic divisional clashes, the 2025 MLB season promises to captivate and entertain baseball aficionados everywhere.