Mariners, A's to play next season's MLB opener in Japan

NEW YORK (AP) — The Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners will play an opening two-game series in Tokyo on March 20 and 21, the fifth time Major League Baseball will start its season in Japan.

Major League Baseball said Tuesday that Oakland will be the home team for both games. Both the Athletics and Mariners will play Japanese teams in exhibitions on March 17 and 18.

The A's and Mariners also faced each other in the last opening series at the Tokyo Dome, splitting two games in 2012. The Chicago Cubs and New York Mets played there in 2000, the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2004, and the Boston Red Sox and Oakland in 2008.

In addition, MLB announced a postseason All-Star tour of Japan from Nov.