July 5, 2020 9:47 PM : Akiyama will play in the corner outfield spots primarily to allow Nick Senzel to focus on center field, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. Speaking about the setup, manager David Bell said, "We really believe in his ability to adapt to any outfield position. That makes it nice. It gives more of the luxury of allowing Nick to settle into center field -- not that Shogo won't play center field. He will."
Analysis: It's pretty clear that Akiyama will play frequently, and the original plan was for him to lead off. He remained in the United States during the shutdown, hitting in Los Angeles frequently against Kenta Maeda.