Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani won't pitch for Team Japan in World Baseball Classic, Dave Roberts says

The Dodgers' other Japanese star, right-hander Roki Sasaki, was not named as part of Team Japan's roster. Sasaki had an uneven rookie season in MLB, including a prolonged absence due to injury.

Shohei Ohtani will not pitch for Japan in WBC: ‘Just seemed like the right decision’

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said at the team's annual DodgerFest at Dodger Stadium that Shohei Ohtani would not pitch for Japan in the World Baseball Classic.
Just Baseball

World Baseball Classic: Team Japan Roster News, Notes, and Analysis

Here is everything we know about which MLB and NPB players are joining Team Japan for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto joins Shohei Ohtani on Team Japan’s WBC roster

After months of speculation, Los Angeles Dodgers star Yoshinobu Yamamoto was named to Team Japan’s roster Monday and will ...

Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto among those named to Team Japan’s WBC roster

Eight major leaguers were named to Team Japan’s WBC roster, including the Angels left-hander Yusei Kukuchi, Padres ...

Japan WBC roster: Yoshinobu Yamamoto officially joins reigning champs, Shohei Ohtani's pitching role uncertain

Yamamoto and Ohtani aren't the only names on the roster that will be familiar to MLB fans. They are joined by Seiya Suzuki ( ...
Major League Baseball

Japan names 8 MLB players to World Baseball Classic roster

Samurai Japan's World Baseball Classic squad will boast a record eight MLB players for the upcoming tournament after manager ...