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5d ago

Yamamoto to Pitch for Japan at 2026 WBC as Dodgers Weigh Limits

Roki Sasaki is not expected to participate, according to Japanese reports.

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TORONTO, ONTARIO - OCTOBER 31: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after the third out of the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game six of the 2025 World Series at Rogers Center on October 31, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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Nov 3, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) during the World Series championship parade and celebration. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Overview

  • Japanese outlets report Yoshinobu Yamamoto will join Shohei Ohtani on Team Japan for the March 2026 World Baseball Classic.
  • Dodgers leaders say they are in ongoing talks with Team Japan and MLB about role restrictions, with Dave Roberts signaling a preference for Ohtani to hit only.
  • Reports indicate Sasaki will sit out the tournament, and the Dodgers had the ability to block him after his 2025 stint on the 60-day injured list.
  • Yamamoto is coming off roughly 211 innings in 2025 including postseason work, raising concerns about an accelerated March ramp-up and potential travel from Tokyo to U.S. knockout rounds.
  • MLB’s participation forms initiate a formal feedback period, and both sides expect clearer roster decisions by late December or early January.