Yoshinobu Yamamoto 'Training Hard' to Pitch for Team Japan in 2026 World Baseball Classic

Oct 31, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) reacts in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game six of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are going to represent the Los Angeles Dodgers on the Team Japan roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, which was largely an expected outcome for this year's tournament.

So too was Roki Sasaki not being with Team Japan, presumably due in large part to missing a significant amount of time with a right shoulder injury during his rookie season. Sasaki dazzled when he pitched for the Japanese national team in the 2023 WBC.

Yamamoto's inclusion on the Samurai Japan team is obviously as a pitcher, but Ohtani's role remains undecided.

When previously discussing the possibility of Ohtani, Sasaki and Yamamoto participating in the World Baseball Classic, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the team was understanding of their desire to do so but expressed some concern over the added work.

According to Taro Abe of the Chunichi Sports newspaper in Japan, Yamamoto said he feels a "great sense of responsibility" to pitch for Team Japan and has been diligently training to prepare for the WBC, per Google Translate.

#山本由伸 投手。WBC出場でコメント。
「再び日の丸を背負うことに身が引き締まる思いです。WBC を戦うためのコンディションを作るために、このオフにしっかりとトレーニングを積んできました。素晴らしいチームメイト、頼もしいスタッフの皆さんと一丸となって、一番を目指します」。#Dodgers

— 阿部太郎 MLB記者 (@taroabe0109) January 26, 2026

Yamamoto was limited to 18 starts during his rookie season with the Dodgers because of a right shoulder/triceps injury. He contributed in the postseason but set a goal to remain healthy throughout 2025, and lived up to that.

Yamamoto went 12-8 with a 2.49 ERA and 0.99 WHIP over 30 starts last year. He continued to receive at least five days of rest between outings but relayed to the Dodgers that starting on a traditional MLB schedule would be feasible.

Although that didn't come to be during the regular season, the Dodgers heavily leaned on Yamamoto in the World Series. He threw a complete game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 2, then was warming up to enter in extra innings in Game 3 two days later.

The Dodgers secured a walk-off win before that became necessary, but Yamamoto was back on the mound in Game 6 to help the team stave off elimination. He held the Blue Jays to one run over six innings and followed it the next night by closing out Game 7.

"It's unheard of, and I think that there's a mind component, there's a delivery, which is a flawless delivery, and there's just an unwavering will," Roberts said after the Dodgers captured a second consecutive championship.

"I just haven't seen it. I really haven't. You know, all that combined. And there's certain players that want moments, and there's certain players that want it for the right reasons. Yoshi is a guy that I just completely implicitly trust, and he's made me a pretty dang good manager."

Yoshinobu Yamamoto's outlook for WBC

Dodgers pitchers who are participating in the World Baseball Classic must report to Spring Training by Wednesday, Feb. 11. That's two days before pitchers and catchers are scheduled to hold their first official workout at Camelback Ranch.

Team Japan opens training camp in Miyazaki on Feb. 14.

Team Japan is part of Pool C for the 2026 WBC, which is playing first-round games at the Tokyo Dome from March 5-10. Australia, Chinese Taipei and Korea are in Pool C as well.

It can be presumed Yamamoto will make multiple starts during the World Baseball Classic, particularly if Team Japan reaches the gold medal game.