The Chicago Cubs are capping off their spring training slate in Japan ahead of their opening series of the regular season against the Los Angeles Dodgers next w

With the team going with a bullpen day for their first exhibition game in Japan, Merryweather opened for the Cubs against the NPB’s Hanshin Tigers. And after a relatively subdued first half inning, the chants began soon after Merryweather took the mound for warmup pitches.

The star has lost weight from a lingering virus that could jeopardize his availability for the Dodgers’ regular-season games Tuesday and Wednesday in Tokyo.

Baseball mania reached fever pitch in Japan on Friday with public appearances of national hero Shohei Ohtani and other Japanese players set to take part in MLB season-opening games between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs.

The Dodgers don’t start the season until next week, but fans are already showing up in Tokyo. Thousands came to the Tokyo Dome to watch the team’s first practice. Mark E. Potts is the senior editor for video at the Los Angeles Times.