Thousands of Los Angeles Dodgers fans began lining up outside Dodger Stadium hours before the scheduled 7:10 p.m. PT first pitch on Thursday, eager to participate in the team's "One Piece Night." The event celebrates the widely recognized Japanese anime and manga series, which chronicles the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, a pirate with a rubber body, and his crew.
The primary draw for the early arrivals was the giveaway for the first 52,000 fans in attendance: a custom straw hat and a trading card inspired by the "One Piece" franchise. The festivities also included a special themed drone show following the conclusion of the game between the Dodgers and the San Diego Padres.
The large turnout, expected to fill the stadium to near capacity, is largely attributed to the promotional giveaway and the themed night, rather than the in-game rivalry. The Dodgers entered the series opener with a 12-game lead in the NL West. The Padres were coming off a historic 23-3 defeat by the Chicago Cubs.
On the mound for the Dodgers was Roki Sasaki, a right-handed pitcher who entered the game with a 4.88 ERA after giving up 13 runs across his previous 14 innings. He faced Padres right-handed pitcher Randy Vasquez, who had posted a 4.44 ERA in 81 innings. Vasquez had previously given up seven runs, four of them earned, against the Dodgers in his most recent start the previous weekend.