Tuesday’s first game of the Tokyo Series averaged more than 25 million viewers in Japan according to Major League Baseball, making it the most-watched MLB game in the country’s history.

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MLB’s global ambassadors enjoyed the unique experience, but they’re eager to sleep in their own beds and get their lineup healthy for next week’s home opener.

The Japanese slugger was introduced before each at-bat to loud roars that continued until a few seconds before the pitch, when the crowd went into a silent trance that’s normally reserved for events like Wimbledon or the Masters.

Fanatics reported Thursday that the Tokyo Series generated $40 million in sales of fan gear and trading cards, making it the bestselling event in company history. The merchandise created for the games was sold on the Fanatics-operated MLB Official Shop retail locations across Tokyo,

The 2025 season couldn’t have had a much better start for the sport, which showcased its international appeal over the past week in Japan. The Tokyo Dome hosted a capacity crowd of roughly 42,000 for all four games and thousands more came downtown to enjoy the spectacle of a wildly successful overseas trip.