"The two-way star will again play for Team Japan as they look to repeat as champions in the international competition. Ohtani could ultimately be joined by fellow Dodgers teammates Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki on the Samurai Japan roster. All three players were part of the team that defeated the United States in the 2023 WBC championship game. It isn't clear if Ohtani will pitch in the upcoming tournament, or how heavily Yamamoto and Sasaki might be used should they decide to participate."
"Whatever they choose to do, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the team is going to support them, via Jack Harris of the L.A. Times: "We'll support them," Roberts told the Japanese media. "But I do think that the pitching, it's a lot on the body, the arm. The rest will be beneficial for next year, for our season. But we understand how important the WBC is for these individual players and for the country of Japan.""
Shohei Ohtani is the first confirmed Los Angeles Dodgers participant for the 2026 World Baseball Classic and will play for Team Japan. Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki could also join the Samurai Japan roster; all three were members of the 2023 championship team. Uncertainty exists about whether Ohtani will pitch or how heavily Yamamoto and Sasaki would be used. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the team will support players' WBC decisions while noting pitching workload and recovery considerations. Ohtani logged 67.1 innings in his Dodgers pitching debut season. Yamamoto posted career highs in innings (173.2) and starts (30). Sasaki missed most of his rookie season with a shoulder injury and could be blocked from WBC participation because of his 60-day injured list time.
Read at Dodger Blue
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]