World Baseball Classic: Shohei Ohtani will not pitch

We are just over a month away from the start of the World Baseball Classic, and the picture is becoming clearer as to who will and will not be participating. And even in the case of players who have confirmed their attendance, some details are emerging ahead of the international tournament.

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— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) January 31, 2026

This is the case for Shohei Ohtani, among others. His manager, Dave Roberts, has informed us that he will not be pitching for Team Japan in the Classic.

I wasn't surprised. I can't even say I was relieved. With what he did last year, what he had to go through, and to prepare himself as best he can for 2026, it just seemed like the right decision.

If the skipper isn't surprised, the baseball world may be at least a little, since the man himself hadn't ruled out pitching just an hour before Roberts made his public announcement.

Shohei Ohtani said he will be ready to pitch from the outset during the regular season. As far as the WBC is concerned, he said it's up to “how my body feels” and that no matter what, he will be fully ready to DH for Japan.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) January 31, 2026

Ohtani took the mound in the regular season for the first time as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers this season, having had to recover from elbow surgery since September 2023, which kept him off the mound until June 2025.

The fact that Ohtani would likely not have been covered by insurance as a pitcher in the Classic probably weighed in the balance. Although the Dodgers manager said the decision was made by Ohtani himself, he added that the club would have supported him if he had decided to take the mound for the Japanese team.

Shohei Ohtani was unlikely to be covered as a pitcher in the World Baseball Classic, which means he couldn't have pitched even if he wanted to.

Details on the WBC insurance woes, which has led the MLBPA to say it's “disappointed.” Some decisions could change.
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— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) February 1, 2026

Ohtani will instead serve as the designated hitter for Team Japan and will attempt to help the club defend its 2023 title, a memorable tournament in which Ohtani came out of the bullpen in the ninth inning to face his then-teammate Mike Trout, whom he struck out to clinch the championship.

This content was created with the help of AI.