Inside The Dodgers

Complete List of Dodgers Playing in 2026 WBC

Sep 25, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) (right) and infielder Hyeseong Kim (6) (left) celebrate in the locker after winning the National League West championship follow a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images
Sep 25, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) (right) and infielder Hyeseong Kim (6) (left) celebrate in the locker after winning the National League West championship follow a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images | Allan Henry-Imagn Images

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All 20 team rosters for the 2026 World Baseball Classic were officially unveiled Thursday afternoon on MLB Network.

As expected, the Los Angeles Dodgers are slated to have five participants in this year's international tournament. If Miguel Rojas had his druthers, they would've had a sixth player in the WBC.

But because Rojas is slated to turn 37 years old on Feb. 24, he was deemed uninsurable due to a new provision.

"If I can still play in the big leagues for the Dodgers, why not go to play for my team in Venezuela and represent my country?” Rojas asked rhetorically when discussing the matter during his appearance at DodgerFest.

"It's really hard to not have the opportunity to put my country on my chest and having the opportunity to represent them and help win a World Baseball Classic. Not having the opportunity to do it because I'm 37 years old, that's not right. I don't feel that's right."

Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages each withdrew from WBC consideration for various reasons.

The Dodgers blocked Roki Sasaki from participating due to the amount of time he missed last season with a right shoulder impingement.

Which Dodgers are in World Baseball Classic 2026

Edwin Díaz (Team Puerto Rico)

Edwin Díaz reacts after a Team Puerto Rico win during the 2023 WBC.
Mar 15, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Puerto Rico relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) reacts after defeating the Dominican Republic at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Edwin Díaz is pitching in the World Baseball Classic for a third time in his career. He previously was on the Team Puerto Rico roster in 2017 and 2023.

Díaz's participation this year comes as he's entering his first season with the Dodgers. Moreover, it's a return to the tournament in which the right-hander suffered a gruesome injury that required season-ending surgery.

Díaz's torn right patellar tendon from the 2023 WBC is believed to have been a factor in insurance coverage decisions this year.

Clayton Kershaw (Team USA)

Clayton Kershaw with Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in the dugout at Dodger Stadium.
Oct 1, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) smiles in the dugout in the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Although no longer part of the Dodgers organization due to retiring at the conclusion of the 2025 season, the future Hall of Famer is participating in the WBC for the first time in his career.

Kershaw was poised to be part of the Team USA roster in 2023 but could not get insured. That's no longer an issue for the 37-year-old given he's not part of an MLB organization.

Kershaw is going to pitch out of the bullpen, just as he did with the Dodgers during the postseason.

Hyeseong Kim (Team Korea)

Hyeseong Kim celebrates after the Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2025 NLCS.
Oct 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Hyeseong Kim (6) celebrates in the dugout after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers in game four of the NLCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Hyeseong Kim is a WBC participant for the second time, but it's a first since he signed with the Dodgers.

Given some of the MLB experienced he gained last year, Kim could be in line for a larger role with South Korea in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Kim is going to be teammates on the Korean team with former Dodgers starter Hyun Jin Ryu.

Shohei Ohtani (Team Japan)

Shohei Ohtani with his 2023 World Baseball Classic MVP Award and championship trophy.
Mar 21, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Japan designated hitter and closing pitcher Shohei Ohtani (16) stands with the World Baseball Classic trophy trophy after defeating the USA in the World Baseball Classic at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

This year is also a second time for Ohtani in the WBC. He memorably won MVP honors en route to leading Team Japan to a championship by defeating the United States in the 2023 gold medal game.

But this iteration of the tournament is going to see Ohtani limited to just designated hitter duties. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed Ohtani decided to not pitch in the WBC, but it later was reported he wouldn't have received insurance coverage for that anyhow.

Will Smith (Team USA)

Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel and Will Smith with Team USA during the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Team USA's Will Smith rounds the bases after hitting a home run against Mexico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. | Joe Rondone / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Will Smith is back with Team USA for a second consecutive World Baseball Classic. He backed up J.T. Realmuto that year and now is going to complement Cal Raleigh.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Team Japan)

Yoshinobu Yamamoto in a game for Team Japan in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Aug 4, 2021; Yokohama, Japan; Team Japan pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (17) reacts against Korea in a baseball semifinal match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images | Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is in the WBC for a second time as well. The right-hander is the unquestioned ace of Samurai Japan and assured a heavy workload with the Dodgers last year is not going to be an issue.

2026 WBC pools

Pool A (San Juan, Puerto Rico): Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Panama, Puerto Rico

Pool B (Houston, Texas): Brazil, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, United States

Pool C (Tokyo, Japan): Australia, Chinese Taipei, Czech Republic, Japan, Korea

Pool D (Miami, Florida): Dominican Republic, Israel, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Venezuela

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Matthew Moreno
MATTHEW MORENO

Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is the publisher of Dodgers On SI. Matthew has covered the Los Angeles Dodgers as a credentialed reporter since the 2014 season, which has included attending multiple World Series and All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium, among other experiences. Prior to joining Dodgers On SI, Matthew most recently was the Executive Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com.

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