Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani will not pitch for Japan in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Ohtani will serve as the designated hitter for his home country.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed this news in late January, but noted that it was Ohtani’s decision. Ohtani plans to be ready to pitch for the Dodgers during the 2026 MLB season, as his team attempts to win a third consecutive World Series.
Ohtani made two starts for Japan in the 2023 WBC before coming out of the bullpen to close out the championship game. In his closer role, Ohtani struck out his then-teammate Mike Trout to put the finishing touches on Japan’s third WBC title.
Ohtani was named the World Baseball Classic MVP in 2023, hitting .435 with four doubles, eight RBIs, one home run, and 10 walks. As a pitcher, Ohtani recorded two wins and one save with 11 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings of work.
This will be Ohtani’s second WBC appearance in his career.
Dodgers Players Competing in 2026 WBC
The Dodgers have eight players slated to compete in the 2026 World Baseball Classic:
- Edwin Díaz (Puerto Rico)
- Jake Gelof (Israel)
- Hyeseong Kim (Korea)
- Antonio Knowles (Great Britain)
- Shawndrick Oduber (Netherlands)
- Shohei Ohtani (Japan)
- Will Smith (United States)
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Japan)
In addition, Christian Suarez (Venezuela) is part of the designated pitcher pool (DPP) and could be called up after the first round.
How Many MLB Players are on Japan’s Roster in WBC?
In search of a fourth WBC title, Japan has eight MLB players on the roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic:
- Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers) – DH
- Yusei Kikuchi (Angels) – Pitcher
- Tomoyuki Sugano (Rockies) – Pitcher
- Yuki Matsui (Padres) – Pitcher
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers) – Pitcher
- Kazuma Okamoto (Blue Jays) – Infielder
- Munetaka Murakami (White Sox) – Infielder
- Seiya Suzuki (Cubs) – Outfielder
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