**Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Won’t Pitch in 2026 World Baseball Classic, Team Faces Limited Representation**
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani delivered the signature moment of the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) by striking out Mike Trout to clinch the championship for Team Japan. However, fans will not get a repeat of that iconic moment in the 2026 event—at least not with Ohtani on the mound.
“He’s not going to pitch in the WBC,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed Saturday during the team’s annual DodgerFest event. “But he will be ramping up his arm to get ready for this season. I don’t know how many innings he threw last year (47 in the regular season, 20⅓ in the postseason), but obviously, with the full offseason, going north of what he did last year.”
Ohtani himself was less definitive when discussing the WBC. While he said he would be “fully prepared” to serve as Designated Hitter (DH) for the defending champion Team Japan, he added that pitching participation will depend on how his body feels. “I have to see how my body feels, feel the progression [of my throwing program] and see what happens,” he explained.
Roberts emphasized that the decision not to pitch was entirely Ohtani’s. “I wasn’t surprised. I can’t even say I was relieved,” Roberts said. “He wants to understand what he did last year, what he had to go through, and how best to prepare himself for ’26 to do both. It just seemed like the right decision. So, I wasn’t surprised, and I feel really good about that one.”
### Limited Dodgers Representation Expected at 2026 WBC
Despite a roster packed with star power, the Dodgers will see fewer players participate in the upcoming WBC than anticipated. So far, only four players are confirmed participants:
– Catcher Will Smith (Team USA)
– Infielder Hyeseong Kim (Korea)
– Shohei Ohtani (Japan)
– Pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Japan)
Clayton Kershaw, who is set to retire following the 2025 season, is also listed on Team USA’s roster.
Rising right-hander Roki Sasaki expressed interest in playing for Team Japan but was ultimately sidelined due to a “team decision” prioritizing his preparation for his second MLB season. Having spent extended time on the injured list with a shoulder injury, the Dodgers were able to prevent Sasaki from participating in the WBC to focus on his recovery.
### Other Notable Dodgers Players Withdraw from Participation
Freddie Freeman, who represented Team Canada in the 2017 and 2023 WBC in honor of his late mother, has withdrawn from this year’s competition for “personal reasons,” which he declined to disclose. “There’s no health [issue]. I feel great. Body feels great,” Freeman said. “I needed to be close to California. That’s all I’ll say. But it’s personal.”
Teoscar Hernandez also removed himself from consideration for the Dominican Republic’s roster, citing the need for additional recovery time following the Dodgers’ late finish to the 2025 season.
Veteran infielder Miguel Rojas planned to represent Venezuela but had to drop out after failing to secure adequate insurance coverage. Similarly, insurance issues led the Houston Astros to advise Jose Altuve against playing for Venezuela, and eight players—including Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa—were dropped from Puerto Rico’s roster.
### Controversy Over Insurance Restrictions for Latin American Players
Rojas voiced his disappointment with the insurance hurdles blocking his chance to represent his country for the first and likely only time. “Even though we know we have to be ready for the season and play healthy for our contract, at the end of the day, we didn’t know all those restrictions were going to be in place the way they are right now,” he said.
Puerto Rico is reportedly considering withdrawing from the tournament altogether following the complications setting its roster. Rojas questioned why the insurance issues seem to disproportionately affect players from Latin American countries. “My only question is why is it just with our [Latin American] countries like Venezuela, Puerto Rico, a couple Dominican players? I don’t see that happening with the United States or Japan,” he said.
“I’m not trying to attack anybody or what’s going on behind the scenes. But at the end of the day, it feels like it’s just happening with the players that want to represent their country from Latin America. So there’s a lot I would like to talk about with someone from MLB. If I can still play in the big leagues with the Dodgers, why not go play for my team in Venezuela and represent my country?”
Insurance was also the reason Clayton Kershaw did not play for Team USA in 2023.
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### Dodgers Players’ Health Updates Ahead of 2026 Season
**Tommy Edman** recently discarded the boot he had been wearing after right ankle surgery on November 2 and began “baseball activities” last week. Edman underwent ligament repair and removal of bone chips due to recurrent ankle injuries over the past two seasons. Though Opening Day readiness remains a possibility, Edman acknowledged his recovery might extend into the season.
“I am doing everything I can to be ready for Opening Day,” he said Saturday. “But if it comes around and my ankle is 90 percent, not quite where I need it to be, I’m going to be patient and get it back to 100 percent—so I’m not dealing with it all year.”
**Brusdar Graterol**, who missed the entire 2025 season after labrum surgery on his throwing shoulder, has been following a long-tossing program and expects to start mound throwing within the next week. Pitchers and catchers report for spring training on Feb. 12.
**Blake Snell** is taking a more cautious approach to his spring preparation after a shoulder injury sidelined him for four months in 2025. After signing a five-year, $182 million contract with the Dodgers before last season, Snell admits he pushed too hard in his prior spring training.
“Last year, I had so much to prove, I got way too excited and was really pushing to get through spring,” Snell said. “This year, I’m going to go slower and be smarter with the ramp-up.”
Snell noted his shoulder “just never felt great” last year but has strengthened following extensive physical therapy. “The goal is to be ready for Opening Day, but I’m going to take my time.”
Manager Dave Roberts supports a cautious approach. “Whatever is best for Blake or any of our pitchers, we’re going to do that,” Roberts said. “If it doesn’t line up with Opening Day or the first series, then it doesn’t. That goes for all the pitchers.”
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As the Dodgers prepare for the 2026 season, the combination of limited WBC participation and ongoing player recoveries could shape their early-year roster and performance. Fans will keenly watch how Shohei Ohtani and the rest of the team balance international duty with their MLB seasons ahead.
https://www.ocregister.com/2026/01/31/dodgers-shohei-ohtani-will-not-be-pitching-in-wbc-this-time/