New doc 'Homecoming: The Tokyo Series' chronicles MLB's imprint in Japan
Baseball might be America’s pastime, but it is also an omnipresent part of everyday life in Japan.
Never was that more clear than during Major League Baseball’s Tokyo Series between the Cubs and Dodgers that opened the 2025 regular season this past March. That two-game series -- headlined by Japanese superstars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki -- and the impact of baseball all around the country is the focus of a new documentary that will be coming to movie theaters soon.
“Homecoming: The Tokyo Series” celebrates the intersection of culture and global sport, illuminating how baseball unites beyond borders. Produced by Supper Club and in coordination with MLB Studios and BD4, Banijay Americas’ premium documentary label, the documentary will be shown in theaters on Feb. 23 and 24, distributed by Fathom Entertainment.
"We focused on the places where the game really lives, from workshops to local fields to people’s homes," said director and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Jason Sterman. "The Tokyo Series gave us a clear look at how baseball sits inside the country’s identity."
The vérité-style documentary also reveals how Japan took an American invention and infused it with its own values, rituals, and spiritual relationship to work. As the Tokyo Series unfolds, human stories intertwine with the atmosphere and emotion surrounding the games, revealing baseball to be a true global sport.
"Major League Baseball continues to transcend around the globe," said Noah Garden, MLB Deputy Commissioner, Business & Media. "The 2025 season started in grand fashion with five Japanese-born MLB players returning home as larger-than-life sports figures. It ended with the great Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki and the Dodgers winning the World Series, watched by record-setting global audiences.
"Collaborating on this film to showcase how America’s pastime has become a world game is an opportunity we couldn’t pass up and are excited for fans everywhere to see."
Ex-Saints WR Linked To Steelers After Shocking Release
The New Orleans Saints are one of the worst teams in the league this season and they took a few steps toward their rebuild at the trade deadline.
This week, they took another step toward that rebuild. The Saints opted to cut ties with veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks in an attempt to save a bit of money. Cooks is able to sign a deal with any team in the league at this point.
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Bleacher Report's Adam Wells recently suggested the Pittsburgh Steelers could be a potential fit for Cooks in free agency for the rest of the season. The Steelers notably whiffed on other top wide receivers at the trade deadline.
Sep 7, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks (10) is tackled by the Arizona Cardinals during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
"After being mentioned as a potential trade candidate earlier this month, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks will be able to pick his next destination for the remainder of the season," Wells wrote. "For teams seeking help at wide receiver for the stretch run, Cooks immediately becomes a viable option as soon as he hits the free-agent market. Some of the playoff contenders with an obvious need at wideout include the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers.
"The Steelers were all over the receiver market prior to the Nov. 4 deadline, but were unable to make a deal. They reportedly made offers to the Saints for Shaheed and Las Vegas Raiders for Jakobi Meyers that were both turned down. DK Metcalf has been exactly what Pittsburgh wanted when he was acquired from the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason. No other pass-catcher on the Steelers has more than 300 receiving yards entering Week 12."
The Steelers need one more wide receiver for the stretch run of the season. They would have been a perfect fit for Rashid Shaheed at the trade deadline, but they whiffed on him.
Now, adding Cooks would be the perfect fit. He's not going to be a superstar if he signs with the Steelers, but he would fill a valuable role in the team's offense.
The move would be affordable and easy to make. There's very low risk to it, but potentially a decent amount of reward if he plays well.
