With the upcoming Tokyo Series set to welcome two major league teams with a plethora of Japanese players, the Dodgers plan to let two of their most attractive pitchers shine at Tokyo Dome.

Dodgers head coach Dave Roberts said Wednesday that Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki are likely to serve as starting pitchers when the team kicks off the season opener in Tokyo next month. Yamamoto will start in the opening bout on March 18, while Sasaki will take the plate in the second bout on March 19.

"I think it's fair to say that Yamamoto is going to make the first game," Roberts said. "As for Sasaki...... The plan was for him to pitch there. We'll determine the exact time. A lot depends on how he reacts in spring training and how he adjusts, we just want to make sure he's in good shape and happy with the timing of his pitches. ”

On the opponent side, Shota Imanaga is expected to start the Cubs in the opener, which will set the stage for a thrilling matchup between two of the top pitchers from NPB who have made the switch to Major League.

Yushin Yamamoto's 12-year, $325 million contract makes him the most guaranteed pitcher in major league history. Despite missing nearly three months due to injury, he averaged a 3.00 ERA in 18 starts in his rookie season. After the ups and downs of the early playoffs, he started three straight games to help the Dodgers win their eighth World Series title, including redemption in Game 5 of the National League Division against Padres' Yu Darvish, the first time in major league playoff history that two Japanese-born pitchers faced off.

When the Dodgers started their season in Seoul last year, Yamamoto started in Game 2. It will be the first time in his career that he has started in the opening bout.

Ronshi Sasaki chose to sign with the Dodgers after being released by Chiba Lotte Marines. The 23-year-old right-handed pitcher is regarded as one of the most talented young pitchers in the world with 394.2 innings in four seasons for Rhodes, with a 29-15 record, a 2.10 ERA and 505 strikeouts.

If he hits the board in Tokyo, it will mark Sasaki's highly anticipated major league debut.

If Sasaki wasn't ready for the regular season when the Dodgers left Arizona, the team might consider having him pitch in an exhibition game leading up to the Tokyo series. The Dodgers will take on the Yomiuri Giants and the Hanshin Tigers at Tokyo Dome for March 15 at 3 a.m. and 8 p.m. EST, respectively.

"I think anything is possible," Roberts said. "But it's fair to say that he'll probably pitch in the second game of the season. But if the timing isn't right, that's a different story. ”

One thing is certain, though: if Sasaki plays in the Tokyo series, he will appear as a starting pitcher. The Dodgers want to keep him in the role he is used to to helping him make a smooth transition to the big leagues.

While Shohei Ohtani has attracted a lot of attention as he prepares to return to the role of the second sword, Sasaki has also been in the spotlight in the early stages of spring training. On Wednesday, dozens of members of the media were in attendance to watch his first cowshed practice throw.

Wearing bright yellow gloves in his left hand, Zozo threw the ball in front of Dodgers executives, coaches and players, including Clayton Kershaw, and even threw a particularly sharp shot that caused catcher Austin Barnes to exclaim, "Oh my God! ”

"He's got a lot of power with his fastball, he's got a lot of speed, he's got a lot of tailing," Barnes said. "His split-finger fastball is special. I've never seen anything like this before. It's different from Yamamoto's finger ball. It's hard to catch and it's running around. ”

Sasaki, through translator Yuji Akimoto, said that he "didn't feel particularly good" when pitching, attributing it to the nervous and cold weather. Still, he was happy to have completed his first bullpen practice pitch in spring training and continued to prepare for future competitions.

"Obviously, the opportunity to start a major league season in Japan is rare in itself," Sasaki said. "It's even more special to be able to do that as a rookie. So for now, I'm just focused on getting ready for that. ”