The Japanese star Shohei Ohtani anticipated that Japan will have a road full of obstacles in his attempt to revalidate the title in the World Baseball Classic 2026a tournament that will begin this week in Tokyo with the participation of 20 teams.
The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was one of the key figures in the Japanese consecration in the 2023 edition, when he starred in one of the most memorable moments of the tournament by striking out Mike Trout in the ninth inning of the final against the United States.
Now, Ohtani once again leads the Japanese team in a new edition of the international tournament, accompanied by his teammate in the Dodgers, pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, in a team that is one of the main favorites for the title.
Japan seeks its fourth title in the 2026 World Baseball Classic
Japan will play all its group stage matches at the Tokyo Dome, where it will debut on Friday against Taiwan. Despite having the support of his audience, Ohtani warned that the competition will be demanding from the beginning.
“When you look at our squad, I think we have a great team, but it was already seen in the last tournament that there are not many games that you can win easily,” said the 31-year-old.
The Japanese team shares a group with Taiwan, South Korea, Australia and the Czech Republic, teams that, according to Ohtani, can complicate even the strongest teams.
“Your rivals can score first or you can trail by two or three runs,” added the two-time MLB MVP, underscoring the competitiveness of the tournament.
Yamamoto will open Japan debut
For the first game against Taiwan, Japan will have Yoshinobu Yamamoto as starting pitcher, who was elected MVP of the 2025 World Series and was also part of the championship team in 2023.
The 27-year-old right-hander joined the Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season and has since established himself as one of the most dominant pitchers in the MLB.
Yamamoto explained that the Los Angeles franchise accepted its participation in the tournament due to the importance of the World Classic for Japanese baseball.
“We had long conversations and I’m in good shape. If I had had any physical concerns, I wouldn’t have been able to play,” he said.
The final phase will be played in the United States
The 2026 World Baseball Classic will have venues in Japan, Puerto Rico and the United States during the group stage.
Starting with the quarterfinals, the tournament will move completely to United States territory, with matches in Miami and Houston, where the final will also be played.
Japan arrives as defending champions and will seek its fourth title, which would extend its own historical record in the competition.
Ohtani is confident that the support of the public in Tokyo can be a decisive factor for the team.
“Tournaments like this are an opportunity for the entire country to unite behind the national team. If the fans support us, that will give us a lot of strength,” said the Japanese star.
With Ohtani and Yamamoto at the helm, Japan will try to confirm its status as a world baseball power in a tournament that promises to be one of the most competitive in its history.
