The Chicago Cubs will be one of two Major League Baseball teams getting an exceptionally early start on the 2025 season.

They will play the Los Angeles Dodgers in a two-game series in Tokyo on March 18-19, then head back to Mesa, Arizona, for a full week of spring training before resuming their regular season at the Diamondbacks (4 games) and the Athletics (3 games).

Chicago will finally play its home opener on Friday, April 4, against the San Diego Padres. A three-game home series against the Texas Rangers will follow.

The Cubs finished 83-79 in 2024.

Among their top hitters are expected to be right fielder Kyle Tucker (.289, 23 HRs, 49 RBIs in 78 games with Houston Astros), designated hitter Seiya Suzuki (.283, 21, 73, 16 SBs), left fielder Ian Happ (.243, 25, 86), first baseman Michael Busch (.248, 21, 65), shortstop Dansby Swanson (.242, 16, 66, 19 SBs) and second baseman Nico Hoerner (.273, 7, 48, 31 SBs).

Their projected rotation will feature left-handers Shota Imanaga (15-3, 2.91 ERA, 174 Ks in 173 1/3 IP), Justin Steele (5-5, 3.07, 135 Ks in 134 2/3 IP) and Matthew Boyd (2-2, 2.72 in 8 starts with Cleveland Guardians), and right-handers Jameson Taillon (12-8, 3.27) and Colin Rea (12-6, 4.29 in 32 games — 27 starts — with Milwaukee Brewers).

Right-handers Ryan Pressly (2-3, 3.49, 4 saves with Houston Astros), Porter Hodge (3-1, 1.88, 9 saves), Ryan Brasier (1-0, 3.54 in 29 games with Los Angeles Dodgers) and RH Eli Morgan (3-0, 1.93 in 32 games with Cleveland Guardians) anchor the bullpen.

The Cubs haven’t reached the postseason since 2020 and haven’t won a playoff game since 2017. But they are much improved compared to the end of last season.

The addition of Tucker puts a dynamic presence in the middle of the lineup, and Pressly should help anchor a refurbished bullpen. Swanson and Hoerner form one of baseball’s best double-play combinations, but Swanson is coming off core surgery and Hoerner is working his way back from an operation on his right forearm.

A healthy Hoerner could be used to spell Swanson at shortstop, but his flexor tendon injury affected his throwing last year. One big key for the Cubs is the play of young center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and infielder Matt Shaw. Crow-Armstrong could put together a breakout season after showing signs of growth last year. The 23-year-old Shaw, a first-round pick in the 2023 amateur draft, is poised to take over at third base after Isaac Paredes was traded to Houston in the Tucker deal.

The home opener will start at 2:20 EDT at Wrigley Field, and tickets are going fast.

Here are the sites where you can purchase tickets and the lowest price you can grab.