Samurai Japan announced its first official roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic on Monday, confirming the inclusion of two of its biggest stars: Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The announcement, made by manager Hirokazu Ibata, includes a total of eight Major League Baseball players, the highest number in the history of the Japanese team for this tournament. Yamamoto, the current ace of the Los Angeles Dodgers, thus returns to a competition he already won in 2013. He will be joined by Ohtani, his teammate and a symbol of Japanese baseball, as well as Yusei Kikuchi (Angels), Seiya Suzuki (Cubs), Yuki Matsui (Padres), Munetaka Murakami (White Sox), Kazuma Okamoto (Blue Jays), and free agent right-handed pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano. The roster maintains a solid core from the defending champion team. In total, 15 members of the roster were part of the team that won the title in 2023, reinforcing the commitment to continuity and experience in the pursuit of another crown.

Returns, absences, and a message of leadership

Yamamoto's return was one of the biggest unknowns. His demanding workload with the Dodgers during the 2025 season, in which he made 30 starts, posted a 2.49 ERA, and finished third in the National League Cy Young Award voting, had raised doubts about his participation. This was in addition to 37.1 more innings pitched in the playoffs, where he was a key player in the Los Angeles team's path to their second consecutive championship.

Finally, the right-hander confirmed his commitment to Samurai Japan and left a message on the team's official website.

“Wearing the Japanese uniform again fills me with deep pride and responsibility. I have trained hard this preseason to be in the best possible condition for the WBC. Together, with excellent teammates and a reliable coaching staff, we will unite and strive for the top.”

Among the absences are Roki Sasaki, who is coming off an injury-plagued rookie season with the Dodgers, and Lars Nootbaar, who underwent surgery on both heels during the preseason. Both were part of the championship roster.but they will not be available this time.

The Japanese team will open their training camp in Miyazaki Prefecture on February 14. The players based in Japan will train there until the 24th, before playing in the Samurai Japan Series. The MLB players will join the team starting with the exhibition games scheduled in Osaka beginning March 2.

Japan, which has won the World Baseball Classic in 2006, 2009, and 2013, was placed in Group C along with Australia, South Korea, the Czech Republic, and Chinese Taipei. Their debut will be on March 6 at the Tokyo Dome.