BOX SCORE

Opening Day 2025 always was going to be special for the Chicago Cubs.

Starting the season against the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the MLB Tokyo Series was a one-of-a-kind experience with four Japanese superstars — Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto for LA and Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki for the Cubs — returning to their home country to showcase the game.

[MORE: Watch Shota Imanaga best Shohei Ohtani in Cubs-Dodgers Tokyo opener]

Unfortunately for the Cubs, though, the day ended on a sour note, as they fell to the Dodgers 4-1 on Tuesday at the Tokyo Dome.

Here are three observations from the Cubs’ first game of the 2025 season:

Shota’s big day

Imanaga did something he hadn’t before in his career — and something he and the Cubs hope he won’t repeat — as the left-hander issued four walks for the first time in an MLB outing.

Those free passes racked up Imanaga’s pitch count to 69 and chased him out of the game after four no-hit innings. He became the first starting pitcher ever to allow zero hits to the defending World Series champions on Opening Day.

The 31-year-old was on a pitch count – the timing of the games in the spring schedule meant both teams’ starters weren’t fully stretched out — but the Cubs likely hoped for an inning or two more. The Dodgers’ patient approach nixed that, and LA then touched up Ben Brown (0-1) for three runs (two earned) in the fifth.

Imanaga showed his moxie, working out of a first-and-second, no-out jam in the second inning and a first-and-second, one-out pickle in the fourth.  

[MORE: Cubs name 2025 Opening Day roster, part ways with Keegan Thompson]

Yes, the Cubs want to win, and yes, they wished Imanaga had pitched deep into the game, but it’s Game No. 1 of 162, and they want to make sure he’s putting on a show for that whole time, not just one game.

Amaya’s hot stick

Miguel Amaya‘s improved offense was one of the Cubs’ stories of the second half of 2024, as he slashed .282/.331/.468 (.799 OPS) with six home runs and 32 RBI.

That production carried over to the first game of 2025. In his first at-bat, Amaya delivered a two-out RBI double that plated Dansby Swanson and gave the Cubs an early 1-0 lead in the second inning.

If the Cubs’ offense is to have success this season, it’s critical that the bottom of the order — it was Pete Crow-Armstrong, Amaya and Jon Berti on Tuesday — contribute. That wasn’t always the case early in 2024, as Swanson, Crow-Armstrong and Amaya struggled.

Amaya has swung a hot bat this spring — he was 11-for-21 (.524 batting average) with two home runs and a 1.450 OPS in seven Cactus League games — which should encourage Cubs fans that he could be the type of player who outperforms expectations and help the team exceed projections.

Offensive woes again

For the all promise Amaya showed on Opening Day and this spring, the Cubs’ large offensive woes can’t be glossed over.

Ian Happ led off the third inning with a single, but Chicago’s bats hit a wall from that point, as they collectively went 0-for-16 with six strikeouts. The Cubs didn’t have a baserunner until Berti was hit by a pitch with one out in the eighth. Yes, it’s only one game, but the Cubs’ offensive woes the last two seasons make stretches like that noteworthy.

In 2023, a difficult May — highlighted by offensive struggles — caused the Cubs to fall 10 games under .500, and while they clawed back, that stretch ultimately hurt their season. Last season, a poor run in May and June again torpedoed their season. So, the Cubs must limit offensive valleys this season if they hope to play in October.

[MORE: Jed Hoyer on Opening Day: ‘Let’s get ready to play’]

Again, it’s only one game, and they faced a top pitcher in Yamamoto (1-0) for five innings and a potent Dodgers bullpen for four more, but the hope is this Cubs lineup is talented and deep enough to avoid 0-for-16 stretches.

The MLB Tokyo Series will conclude Wednesday with Cubs lefty Justin Steele opposing Roki Sasaki, a Japanese right-hander who will make his MLB debut for the Dodgers. First pitch is scheduled for 5:10 a.m. CT, and fans can watch the game on Marquee Sports Network and/or stream it on the app.