All things eventually end, and there will come a time when we will no longer be able to see Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani accomplish things that seemed borderline impossible. Did you ever imagine a team intentionally walking a player four times in one game, as the Toronto Blue Jays did to Ohtani on Monday night? And then have that same player, after playing 18 innings, come out and take the mound as the next day's starting pitcher?
Luckily for baseball fans, Ohtani’s mammoth postseason could be a sign of things to come in next spring’s World Baseball Classic. Although Ohtani hasn’t committed to playing in the 2026 WBC, he’s previously hinted that he’s more than willing to represent Team Japan once again.
“I’ve said this before as well — if I’m chosen to participate, it would be a tremendous honor,” Ohtani said earlier this year. “But first and foremost, I think I need to prove myself again this season. That includes my performance and standing as a player."
“I believe I have to show that I deserve it this year,” Ohtani continued. “So right now, I’m focused entirely on this season. Then, in the offseason, I’ll see how things develop.”
Considering that Ohtani totaled 7.7 bWAR (6.6 at the plate and 1.1 on the mound) during the regular season and is the frontrunner to win his fourth MVP in five years, it’s hard to imagine anyone thinking that Ohtani doesn’t deserve a roster spot. But he's just the tip of the WBC iceberg, as this World Series has made clear.
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Shohei Ohtani is reminding fans to get excited about the 2026 World Baseball Classic
OHTANI STRIKES OUT TROUT TO WIN THE WBC FINAL 😲 #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/5pudorQph8
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 22, 2023
Ohtani dazzled in the 2023 WBC, hitting .435 with a homer, eight RBIs, four doubles and a 1.345 OPS in 23 plate appearances. Unsurprisingly, Ohtani didn’t limit his greatness to the plate, and he went 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA with an 11-2 K-BB ratio over 8.2 innings — the final strikeout coming against then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout to give Japan its third World Baseball Classic title.
Make no mistake: The 2026 World Baseball Classic won’t lack star power. Many of the game’s elite players, some of whom are on pace to reach the Hall of Fame, plan to make their country proud and attempt to win a championship next spring.
Even if Ohtani isn’t officially on Team Japan’s 2026 WBC roster, plenty of other All-Star players intend to play for their respective squads. New York Yankees outfielder and two-time AL MVP Aaron Judge is Team USA’s captain, and Seattle Mariners record-setting catcher Cal Raleigh confirmed this past summer that he’ll join Judge. Team USA will also have Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.
Elsewhere, New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor is Team Puerto Rico’s captain, and teammate Juan Soto headlines the Dominican Republic team. Other noteworthy participants include Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (Brazil), Seattle Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena and All-Star reliever Andrés Muñoz (Mexico), and Royals pitcher and 2024 AL Cy Young runner-up Seth Lugo (Puerto Rico).
Which 2025 World Series players could participate in the 2026 World Baseball Classic?
Ohtani is already must-see TV, and we’re already personally excited about the thought of him and Judge squaring off late in a game. Who else wants to see Lindor or Witt battle Skenes, who has already emerged as baseball’s best young pitcher?
The 2026 World Baseball Classic begins on March 6, with the top eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals. LoanDepot Park will host the semifinals (March 15-16) and the championship game (March 17).
This World Series offers a look at just a few of the players who could participate for teams other than the United States in the WBC.
Player | Country | Participant in 2023 WBC? |
|---|---|---|
Freddie Freeman | Canada | Yes |
Andy Pages | Cuba | No |
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | Dominican Republic | No |
Seranthony Domínguez | Dominican Republic | No |
Teoscar Hernández | Dominican Republic | Yes |
Roki Sasaki | Japan | Yes |
Yoshinobu Yamamoto | Japan | Yes |
Shohei Ohtani | Japan | Yes |
Alejandro Kirk | Mexico | No |
Enrique Hernandez | Puerto Rico | Yes |
Hyeseong Kim | South Korea | No |
Andrés Giménez | Venezuela | Yes |
Edgardo Henriquez | Venezuela | No |
Miguel Rojas | Venezuela | No |
Although Guerrero was born in Canada, he confirmed earlier this year that he’ll play for the Dominican Republic team in the 2026 WBC. His father, Hall of Fame slugger Vladimir Guerrero Sr., was born in the Dominican Republic.
“My dad never went to a World Baseball Classic,” the younger Guerrero told TheScore in June. “He told me as a kid that I should represent the Dominican if I ever got a chance to do it. I grew up with that. So, I think I will play with the Dominicans, but maybe if I’m not retired, I will play with Canada one day.”
What to know about the 2026 World Baseball Classic
Team Japan officially begins its title defense in its Pool C opener against the Chinese Taipei team on March 7. You can find the full pools below.
Pool A | Pool B | Pool C | Pool D |
|---|---|---|---|
Cuba | Brazil | Australia | Dominican Republic |
Canada | Great Britain | Chines Taipei | Israel |
Colombia | Italy | Czechia | Nicaragua |
Puerto Rico | Mexico | Japan | Netherlands |
Panama | United States | South Korea | Venezuela |
Early predictions for the World Baseball Classic
Just thinking about the 2023 World Baseball Classic is exciting enough, but this year’s World Series has only ramped up our anticipation! Here are some of the things we’ll be keeping our eyes on in the 2026 WBC:
How will Team Japan use Shohei Ohtani?
All signs point to Ohtani beginning next season in the Dodgers’ rotation, though it’s unclear if they’ll limit his first-half workload. We won’t be surprised if Japan uses Ohtani as a late-inning reliever for rather than have him start.
Can MLB players avoid significant injuries?
Bumps and bruises are one thing, but the World Baseball Classic has unfortunately been unkind to the players participating. New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz infamously suffered a severe, season-ending knee injury celebrating a Dominican Republic victory in the 2023 WBC. Then-Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius missed the 2017 campaign’s first month with a shoulder problem suffered during that year’s tournament. Let’s hope that all players escape the WBC unscathed.
Aaron Judge vs. the world (literally):
Judge is a home run threat every time he steps to the plate, as many pitchers have learned firsthand over the past decade. How will Team USA's Pool A opponents — Brazil, Great Britain, Italy, and Mexico — handle the two-time AL MVP? We hope they don’t simply intentionally walk him every time as the Blue Jays recently did to Ohtani.