Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani announced on social media that he will represent Japan in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The tournament, set for March, sees Japan aiming to defend their 2023 title. Ohtani, the 2023 WBC MVP, expressed excitement about returning to the international stage.
Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers' standout player, shared his decision to play for Japan in the upcoming 2026 World Baseball Classic via social media on Monday evening, November 25, 2025. "Happy to play and represent Japan again," Ohtani wrote in his announcement post.
Ohtani's participation comes after a stellar performance in the 2023 WBC, where he earned MVP honors. He batted .435/.606/.739 across seven games, recording four doubles, one home run, and 10 walks. On the mound, he posted a 1.86 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 9 ⅔ innings, including a memorable strikeout of then-teammate Mike Trout to seal Japan's championship win. Japan went undefeated at 7-0, outscoring opponents 56-18 to claim their third WBC title, following victories in 2006 and 2009.
This marks Ohtani's return after missing the 2017 event due to an ankle injury. In the 2025 MLB season, Ohtani secured his fourth career MVP award, slashing .282/.392/.622 with 55 home runs and an MLB-leading 380 total bases. He resumed pitching in June following elbow surgery in September 2023, logging 47 innings with a 2.97 ERA and 62 strikeouts, contributing to the Dodgers' second consecutive World Series title.
The Dodgers cannot prevent Ohtani's involvement, as he remained on the active roster throughout 2025 without meeting injury-related blocking criteria. It remains unclear if teammates Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, who pitched for Japan in 2023, will join the roster. The 2026 WBC is scheduled to begin March 5 in Tokyo and conclude March 17 in Miami.