LOS ANGELES, Nov 26 (Kyodo/APP): Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani said Tuesday he is “not sure yet” of his role for Japan at the World Baseball Classic in March, indicating he is still weighing whether to pitch during the tournament.
The 31-year-old, fresh off winning back-to-back World Series championships and National League MVP Awards with the Dodgers, announced a day earlier that he will be part of Samurai Japan’s WBC title defense.
Ohtani returned to the mound in June this year following his second major elbow surgery in September 2023.
While he has previously spoken of his plan to start the next Major League Baseball season as a two-way player, he expressed caution about pitching at the WBC during an online interview.
“I’m not sure yet how I’ll be used,” Ohtani said.
“I should have several plans for pitching, as well as plans for when I don’t pitch.”
Ohtani was named MVP of the 2023 WBC for his two-way contributions. He was Japan’s closing pitcher in the final against the United States and sealed the championship by striking out his then Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout.
Speaking in Tokyo last week, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani, along with teammates Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, was free to play for Japan, but added that the impact of pitching was “a lot on the body,” and rest “would be beneficial for next year.”
Some MLB clubs have been reluctant to allow their players to participate in previous editions of the WBC because of concerns about injury and fatigue.
Ohtani said his 2023 WBC debut had been an “amazing tournament” and he looked forward to wearing the national team uniform again.
“There are so many great players from various countries,” he said. “Representing Japan and playing against all those different players was a unique experience. It’s a major tournament, totally different from the World Series, and I think it will continue to be important in the future.”
Ohtani said he “feels like (his) rehabilitation is over this year” and wants to take his pitching to a higher level in his third season with the Dodgers.
“If you ask me if I’m feeling close to how I felt before my surgery, I don’t think I am there yet,” he said. “First of all, I want to start preparing during training camp so that I can perform even better than before.”