Teruaki Sato hit a three-run homer off two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, leading the Hanshin Tigers to a 3-0 exhibition victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.

Shohei Ohtani struck out and flied out to center in his two at-bats as the World Series champion Dodgers were limited to three hits, all singles, at Tokyo Dome without Mookie Betts, who is dealing with an illness.

A day earlier, Nippon Professional Baseball’s Hanshin beat the Chicago Cubs by the same 3-0 score. The Dodgers and the Cubs are in Tokyo to play the first two games of Major League Baseball’s 2025 season beginning Tuesday.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell waits as Teruaki Sato of the Hanshin Tigers rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run in the fourth inning of an exhibition game at Tokyo Dome on March 16, 2025. (Kyodo)

Snell, who joined the Dodgers on a five-year deal worth $182 million, was perfect through the first three innings but allowed a walk and a base hit before Sato’s home run to right on a 95-mile-per-hour fastball in the fourth.

The left-hander gave up three hits while striking out seven and walking two in 4-1/3 innings.

Hiroto Saiki of the Hanshin Tigers pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers in an exhibition game at Tokyo Dome on March 16, 2025. (Kyodo)

Asked to comment on his homer off Snell, third baseman Sato, one of the Japanese sluggers who have expressed their interest in playing in the majors in the future, said, “It’s unbelievable. I think I did a good job.”

Tyler Glasnow made a relief appearance and pitched well.

Hanshin’s starting pitcher was dominant again. Hiroto Saiki followed Keito Mombetsu’s five perfect innings against the Cubs with five innings of one-hit ball and seven strikeouts.

Members of MISAMO, a subunit of K-pop girls group TWICE, throw the ceremonial first pitch before an exhibition game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Hanshin Tigers at Tokyo Dome on March 16, 2025. (Kyodo)

 

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (front L), Hanshin Tigers manager Kyuji Fujikawa (front R) and their players pose for a photo after their exhibition game at Tokyo Dome on March 16, 2025. (Kyodo)

As for Betts’ health status, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “I was out there with him, taking ground balls, throwing it across the diamond, I think he took some swings in the cage. Really showed some fatigue, understandably, so we’ll see how he comes in tomorrow (for workout)”

The skipper expressed optimism that Betts would be available to play on Opening Day.

“I think that we’re really trying to be mindful of not just Opening Day, but not putting him in harm’s way, in the sense of he hasn’t taken live at-bats or played any games, and not to put him in a position where he potentially could get hurt,” he said.

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