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The Dodgers know that the chances of a player getting hurt exist, in Major League Baseball. And not just on an MLB field…
Their goal? To make sure they have the healthiest club in the game, so they can play up to their talent, their expectations, the fans' expectations… and their payroll.
Obviously, we expect to see the Dodgers well represented on the heels of the World Classic, which will take place next spring. In particular, there should be a few Japanese players from the L.A. club at the tournament.
We know that Shohei Ohtani will be there. We don't know what his precise role will be yet as far as the starting pitcher position is concerned, but he'll definitely be the DH at the very least.
Shohei Ohtani announces he will represent Team Japan in the 2026 World Baseball Classic
Will he lead his country to back-to-back WBC titles like he did in the World Series with the Dodgers?
pic.twitter.com/17OVs5G6FP
– Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) November 25, 2025
There's also a good chance that Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the hero of the most recent series, will be keen to represent his country. If he wants to go, the Dodgers will find it hard to say no.
And then there's Roki Sasaki.
The pitcher spent time on the 60-day injured list in 2025, and the Dodgers have the right to deny him access to the tournament. Rumor has it that club officials would like to say no to him, in the (likely) event of an invitation.
But whether they will do so remains to be seen.
More details here
https://t.co/dl8t3g422C
– Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) November 28, 2025
Because while it would be better for his preparation in the club's eyes, the last thing the MLB outfit wants is to insult Sasaki and have him in a bad mental place going forward.
There's still time to see what will be done, but it's a case to watch, in any case.
This content was created with the help of AI.
