Yoshinobu Yamamoto Shares Honest Feelings on Pitching for Dodgers and in World Baseball Classic

The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently without Edwin Díaz, Hyeseong Kim, Will Smith, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto due to the World Baseball Classic overlapping with Spring Training.

Those five players representing the Dodgers in the international tournament wasn't much of a surprise, though Díaz did suffer a season-ending right knee injury during the 2023 WBC. It also would have been reasonable for Yamamoto to skip participating given his heavy workload to finish last season.

"Yes, I had a conversation with the Dodger organization. And it's hard to explain," Yamamoto said through an interpreter during his World Baseball Classic press conference.

"The Dodgers understand how big the WBC tournament is in Japan, and as a player, as a Japanese person. The Dodgers and the WBC, they both are very important to me equally. So yes, I'm trying to do my best and I'm also trying to work out hard, and I had a conversation with the Dodger organization and I decided to pitch at the WBC tournament."

Although the Dodgers didn't block Yamamoto from being on the Samurai Japan roster, Roki Sasaki wasn't extended the same benefit and Ohtani is only going to be a designated hitter.

How to watch Yoshinobu Yamamoto's first start in 2026 WBC

Team Japan starts their World Baseball Classic title defense with a matchup against Chinese Taipei on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 a.m. PT and the first-round game is being televised live on FS1.

The expectation is Yamamoto will make a start of three innings. Per WBC rules, Yamamoto will not be able to exceed more than 65 pitches in his start during the first round.

Yamamoto made two starts for the Dodgers before leaving Spring Training. He threw 52 pitches over three innings during the second outing.

Whether during his NPB career or with the Dodgers, the right-hander has become accustomed to pitching in big games. That experience is something Yamamoto intends to lean on while maintaining an even-keeled approach.

"I'm trying to be in the same mentality," he said. "To me, every single game is very important, so I'm trying not to change a lot. I'm trying to be in the same approach as possible."

World Baseball Classic pool details for Tokyo

Team Japan is in Pool C, along with Australia, Chinese Taipei and Korea. The group is playing first-round games at the Tokyo Dome from March 5-10.

The top two seeds from Pool C will advance to the quarterfinal round that is being held at loanDepot Park in Miami.