Shohei Ohtani will not pitch for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic in March, Roberts told reporters during Saturday’s annual DodgerFest at Dodger Stadium. Ohtani said in November he would participate in the WBC but did not signal at the time whether he would pitch. The expectation going into the season, he told reporters, had been he would be able to pitch without restrictions from the start for the Dodgers. In the 2023 WBC, Ohtani won tournament most valuable player with a .435 batting average and 1.86 ERA, helping Japan to the title. MLB players like Ohtani and teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto are expected to join Team Japan for exhibition games on March 2.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 31, 2026 23:16 UTC