Will Ohtani Pitch For Japan At World Baseball Classic? Roberts 'Hoping He Doesn't'

Admitting participation by Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki in the World Baseball Classic is "very delicate" following a World Series that stretched into November, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts isn't sure whether any limits will be placed on his team's Japanese stars.

Ohtani had elbow surgery in September 2023 and returned to the mound in June. The two-way sensation helped the Dodgers become the first repeat World Series champion in a quarter century, starting the Game 7 win over Toronto.

"I would like to think that it’s going to be a dialogue as far as restrictions and limitations, in the sense of just trying to give them the opportunity," Roberts said Monday at baseball's winter meetings. "They’ve come off some stuff, some long seasons, and certainly with Yamamoto and looking out for 2026. But right now there’s no more clarity than we had before."

Ohtani won his fourth unanimous Most Valuable Player award, hitting .282 with 55 homers, 102 RBIs and 20 stolen bases while going 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA over 14 shortened starts that included 62 strikeouts in 47 innings. He had eight homers and 14 RBIs in 17 postseason games along with a 2-1 record and 4.43 ERA in four postseason starts.

Roberts said he wasn't sure whether Ohtani will pitch for defending champion Japan in the WBC, which starts March 5 and ends March 17 — nine days before the Dodgers' opener against Arizona.

"I’m hoping he doesn’t but I don’t know," Roberts said. "Shohei’s — he’s very in tune with his body. But I would say probably the thought is he’s probably just going to hit."

Ohtani was MVP of the 2023 WBC, when Japan beat the United States 3-2 in the final as Ohtani struck out then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout for the