After playing into November and winning a second consecutive World Series championship with the Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani announced on Instagram on Monday that he will play for Team Samurai in the World Baseball Classic next spring.
“Dear fans, thank you for sharing this wonderful season with me. I will train hard and see you again next year,” Ohtani posted in Japanese. “I am delighted to have the opportunity to play again representing Japan.”
Ohtani was named the MVP of the 2023 WBC, when he memorably struck out Mike Trout to end the gold-medal game against Team USA. As Japan’s DH, Ohtani hit .435 with a home run, eight RBIs and a 1.345 OPS in seven games during the tournament. He was 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA in three appearances as a pitcher.
Ohtani’s post does not specify whether he will participate for Japan as a two-way player or possibly as a hitter only.
The number of stars on the Dodgers’ roster makes it likely several will be participating in the WBC next spring. In the case of Team Samurai, pool play begins on March 6 in Tokyo.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki were also part of the 2023 Japanese team and are also likely to feel pressure to join the defending WBC champions next spring – though the Dodgers would probably prefer Yamamoto not participate after the World Series MVP’s team-high 173⅔ innings during the 2024 season plus 37⅓ more during the postseason.
During the GM Meetings earlier this month, Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said the team would discuss with the three Japanese players whether they would play in the WBC but those discussions hadn’t been held yet.
Also earlier this month, Japanese national team manager Hirokazu Ibata was asked about the potential participation of the Dodgers’ trio of Japanese stars and answered carefully, saying in non-committal fashion that “I will do my best” to get them to participate.
“I can honestly answer this in South Korea,” he said at the event there. “But if I say it in Japan, there might be chaos. I will do my best.”
The Dodgers could have several other players participating in next spring’s WBC. Based on past participation, first baseman Freddie Freeman (Canada), catcher Will Smith and shortstop Mookie Betts (USA), infielder Hyeseong Kim and utility player Tommy Edman (South Korea) and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (Dominican Republic) are all good bets to play again in 2026. Relief pitcher Brusdar Graterol (who missed the 2025 season while recovering from shoulder surgery) and free agent infielder Miguel Rojas are candidates for the Venezuelan team. Starting pitchers Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow have never participated but could also be candidates for Team USA this spring.
The 2026 event begins with pool play on March 5 and runs through the gold-medal game on March 17 at LoanDepot Park in Miami. The Dodgers open the regular season just over a week later on March 26 at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Their spring exhibition schedule features a game against Team Mexico on March 4 in Glendale, Arizona.