Ohtani to Join 2026 WBC as Hitter Only for Japan

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani will participate in the 2026 World Baseball Classic for Team Japan in March but will not pitch, focusing instead on his role as a hitter to prepare for a full two-way season with the Dodgers. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed the decision Saturday at the team's annual DodgerFest event at Dodger Stadium, noting that Ohtani made the choice himself about a month ago.

The 31-year-old Ohtani, a five-time Major League Baseball All-Star and four-time league MVP, returns to the international tournament after earning most valuable player honors in the 2023 edition. There, he batted .435 with a 1.86 earned-run average across six games, including a dramatic final-out strikeout of then-teammate Mike Trout to secure Japan's third WBC title. However, that performance came at a cost: five months later, Ohtani suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow during a start for the Angels, leading to his second Tommy John surgery in September 2023.

Ohtani did not pitch at all in 2024, his first season with the Dodgers after signing a 10-year, $700 million contract. He returned to the mound last June and posted a 1-1 record with a 2.87...