Dodgers Superstar Shohei Ohtani Heads 1st Wave of Samurai Japan Players Named for WBC

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:29 JST, December 26, 2025

It’s official. Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, a key member of Samurai Japan’s victory in the last World Baseball Classic and the player the baseball world most wants to see, will be returning to the event to be held next year.

Ohtani was one of eight players named in the first wave as Japan fills out its 30-man roster, Samurai Japan promoter NPB Enterprise Inc. announced on Friday.

Ohtani, who led the Dodgers to the World Series title this year and was unanimously named the National League MVP for a third straight season, is listed as a pitcher/designated hitter, while all of the others are pitchers.

Two other current major leaguers were also named to the squad, with San Diego Padres reliever Yuki Matsui selected for the third straight time and Los Angeles Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi set to make his debut.

In his second season with the Padres, Matsui compiled a 3-1 record and 3.98 ERA with one save in 61 games. Kikuchi, in his seventh major league season with his fourth team, went 7-11 with a 3.99 ERA.

Among the players from Japan pro baseball teams chosen was Yomiuri Giants right-hander Taisei Ota, who was also on the Samurai Japan team that defeated the United States in the final of the 2023 tournament.

He is joined by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters right-hander Hiromi Ito, the winner of this season’s Sawamura Award as the top pitcher in Japan pro baseball. Ito compiled a 14-8 record to tie for the Pacific League lead in wins, with 195 strikeouts in 196 2/3 innings and a 2.52 ERA.

The others are the Saitama Seibu Lions’ Kaima Taira, the Chiba Lotte Marines’ Atsuki Taneichi and Hanshin Tigers’ Daichi Ishii, who had a 0.17 ERA with nine saves and 36 holds in 53 games. All three are right-handed.

The World Baseball Classic will be held from March 5 to 17. Japan will host Pool C in the first round, to be held at Tokyo Dome March 5-10 and organized by The Yomiuri Shimbun and others.

In the Tokyo Pool, Japan will face Taiwan, South Korea, Australia and the Czech Republic. The top two teams in each of the four groups will advance to the quarterfinals.

The championship game is scheduled for March 17 in Miami.

The previous tournament in 2023 had one of the most memorable endings in baseball history, as Ohtani struck out then Angels teammate Mike Trout for the last out to preserve a 3-2 victory for Japan.