"Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto will pitch for Team Japan in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, per Yahoo! News Japan. Yamamoto's status for the WBC has been under question all offseason, with the Dodgers wanting to ensure he'd be healthy come the beginning of the 2026 season, especially after the prolonged season the Dodgers had. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman met with Team Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata during the Winter Meetings to discuss the participation of the Dodgers' Japanese players."
"Yamamoto had a masterful 2025 season, taking a huge step forward from an already impressive rookie campaign. he had a 2.49 ERA through 30 starts, recording 201 strikeouts through 173.2 innings pitched. He made his first All-Star Game and placed third in NL Cy Young award voting. The right-hander took over the postseason, keeping a 1.45 ERA through six appearances and throwing 37.1 innings across his outings. He earned the World Series MVP award for his stellar performance across three games in the Fall Classic."
Yoshinobu Yamamoto will pitch for Team Japan in the 2026 World Baseball Classic while the Dodgers coordinate to protect his health after a prolonged 2025 campaign. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman met with Team Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata to keep communication open and manage player participation. Yamamoto posted a 2.49 ERA through 30 starts with 201 strikeouts in 173.2 innings, made his first All-Star Game, finished third in NL Cy Young voting, produced a 1.45 postseason ERA across 37.1 innings and earned World Series MVP. Shohei Ohtani will also play; Roki Sasaki will miss due to a shoulder injury. Yamamoto struck out 12 in 7.1 innings during the 2023 WBC as Japan won its third title.
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