The Chicago Cubs are set to make history as Shota Imanaga takes the mound as the starting pitcher against the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 18 in Tokyo. This matchup marks the first time two Japan-born pitchers will face each other in a Major League Baseball regular season game on home soil, with Imanaga's impressive rookie season of 15-3 and a 2.91 ERA setting the stage for a thrilling encounter against Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who recently inked a record 10-year, $325 million deal.

Both pitchers have made significant impacts in their debut seasons; while Imanaga struck out 174 batters in over 173 innings, Yamamoto, who faced an injury setback but still finished with a 3.00 ERA, has been a focal point for the Dodgers since his high-profile signing. The excitement surrounding this historic matchup is anticipated to spark increased interest in baseball, particularly among Japanese fans, as Cubs President Jed Hoyer expressed excitement about the global viewership that Imanaga and Yamamoto will attract.