Shohei Ohtani will not pitch for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, adding that it is the player’s decision. Ohtani will be the designated hitter for his country.
Asked if the organization would have supported his decision to pitch, Roberts said, “Absolutely.”
Ohtani made two starts in the 2023 edition, then came on in relief in the ninth inning to win the championship. During the following season in the MLB, he suffered a torn ligament in his elbow, forcing him to spend his first year with the Dodgers away from the mound, as a full-time designated hitter.
Ohtani, who is 31, gradually resumed his pitching role in 2025 before getting four playoff starts. In his last, he recorded seven strikeouts, in Game 7 of the World Series, despite only three days of rest.
Roberts said he was not surprised that Ohtani ultimately chose to sit out the international tournament, which begins in March.
“It is understandable after what happened last season, it is better to prepare well for 2026. It seems to me the right decision, so I was not surprised. »
Speaking to the media earlier at a fan event at Dodger Stadium, Ohtani did not provide confirmation on his situation, saying only that he would “see how his body is, how things are progressing.”
Ohtani was part of a star-studded rotation at the 2023 Classic, alongside Yu Darvish, Shota Imanaga and current teammates Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki.
In fact, Sasaki mentioned that the Dodgers asked him not to pitch in the tournament, a likely result of an inconsistent rookie season.
