Does MLB Seoul Series count as regular season games?

The MLB will host its first-ever Seoul Series on Wednesday, March 20 and Thursday, March 21. The Los Angeles Dodgers will battle the San Diego Padres in a two-game series, with both games starting at 6 a.m. ET. That is AM — the morning. It's an early start to the MLB season.

Both games will be nationally televised on ESPN. It is, of course, the first time fans can watch Shohei Ohtani officially in Dodgers blue. Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hernandez, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be among those also making their LA debut over the course of the series.

The question is, will these games actually count toward the regular season records?

Does the Seoul Series count as regular season games?

The answer is yes. For all intents and purposes, Wednesday morning serves as MLB Opening Day, even if it's not branded as such. These will be the first MLB games ever played in South Korea, a noteworthy step in the league's attempt to globalize the game and expand the MLB's international footprint.

What better way to break into the Asian market and celebrate the global nature of baseball than by featuring two teams headlined by Asian superstars? In addition to Ohtani and Yamamoto on the Dodgers' side, San Diego is expected to start Japanese legend Yu Darvish on the mound Wednesday morning. Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim will also get to play in his home country, undoubtedly a special moment for the Gold Glove winner.

Tyler Glasnow will get the first start for Los Angeles, but Yoshinobu Yamamoto is expected to start the second game of the Seoul Series opposite Padres vet Joe Musgrove.

The Padres recently acquired Dylan Cease from the Chicago White Sox in a blockbuster trade. Cease is eventually expected to operate as the Padres' No. 1 ace — that is the hope, at least — but he won't be on the mound in Seoul as he gets up to speed with his new team.

All eyes will invariably land on the Dodgers' fearsome lineup. The 1-2-3 punch of Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman is unmatched anywhere else in baseball. And there are some great 1-2-3 punches in the MLB. The 4-5-6 combo of Will Smith, Max Muncy, and Teoscar Hernandez won't provide much relief for opposing pitchers either.

San Diego's lineup features its share of powerful bats as well, but the absence of Juan Soto — traded to the New York Yankees over the winter — will be deeply felt.

Baseball is back, folks. So set your alarms, feel the warm caress of the air in springtime, and get ready for what promises to be another entertaining season.