Baseball is back, and the 2024 MLB season is kicking off in Korea when the Los Angeles Dodgers go toe-to-toe with their National League West Division rivals at the historic Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea.
South Korea has never hosted an MLB regular season game before; let alone a season opener! So with the MLB season starting earlier this year, and a drastic time change, we thought we'd help fans out so they don't miss all the action.
First and foremost, South Korea is 16 hours ahead of the Pacific Time Zone, so you'll have to wake up early to catch the Seoul Series opener. Mark your calendars for Wednesday, March 20, 2024, and set your alarm for 3:05 AM PT (or stay awake for the first pitch if you're a night owl).
The history-making series has plenty of juicy storylines as well.
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Tyler Glasnow will be the Opening Day starter for the Boys in Blue, while simultaneously making his Dodgers debut. The Southern California native was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays along with Manuel Margot in a trade this offseason that sent RHP Ryan Pepiot and outfielder Jonny DeLuca to Tampa Bay.
The game also marks the Dodgers debut of two-time MVP Shohei Ohtani, who will face off against his friend and countryman, Yu Darvish, for the first time in his career.
Speaking of Japanese players, the Dodgers didn't just sign Ohtani in the offseason, they also snagged his World Baseball Classic teammate Yosinobu Yamamoto for a cool $325 million contract.
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Yamamoto is a three-time Eiji Sawamura Award winner (the Japanese equivalent to MLB's Cy Young Award) and is the reigning MVP of the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization. He is expected to make his MLB debut in Game 2 on Thursday and baseball fans across the globe will be eager to see how he makes the transition to the big leagues.
Regardless of how Yamamoto does in his debut, he's certain to get plenty of run support, both on Thursday and throughout the season. The Dodgers' star-studded lineup features three former MVPs at the top of it starting with Mookie Betts, Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman. After that, it doesn't get any easier for opposing pitchers with Will Smith batting cleanup, Max Muncy, Teoscar Hernandez, James Outman, Jason Heyward, and Gavin Lux following. Talk about a nightmare for opposing pitchers!
After a disappointing season in 2023, the Padres parted ways with three-time All-Star Juan Soto, shipping him to the Yankees. Equipped with a new manager and a few new faces, the Padres "Big Three" of Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Manny Machado are a formidable offensive and defensive trio that rivals any in the league.
Where to Watch
ESPN is broadcasting the game nationally, but if you're local to Southern California, you can catch all the action on the Dodgers 24/7 channel SportsNetLA.
If you live in San Diego, you can watch the game on Padres TV.
Live Steam
If you don't happen to have cable, don't worry that's not a problem. Spectrum is offering a streaming option to watch all Dodgers games for the 2024 season without having to purchase their cable subscription package.
However, there's a catch. Fans who want to get SportsNet LA for free have to purchase the company's internet and mobile telephone service offered for an incredible combined price of $49.99 per month.
For many fans across the Southland who are perfectly happy with their internet and mobile telephone provider, you can also stream the game on services like fuboTV, or DirectTV Choice.
Seoul Series Schedule
Game 1: Wednesday, March 20, at 3:05 a.m. PT on ESPN (coverage starts at 2:30 a.m. PT).
Game 2: Thursday, March 21, at the same time and channels as Game 1.
