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Shohei Ohtani announces he'll play for Japan in World Baseball Classic
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- Shohei Ohtani announces he'll play for Japan in World Baseball Classic
Just months after helping lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to back-to-back World Series titles , Shohei Ohtani will be looking for another championship repeat.
Only this time it will be while playing for Japan.
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Ohtani announced on Instagram he will play for his home country in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) that begins in March. Japan will open play on March 6 in the Tokyo Dome.
Japan won the previous WBC in 2023 thanks in part to an iconic Ohtani moment: He secured Japan's 3-2 victory over Team USA in the WBC final when he struck out Mike Trout , his former teammate with the Los Angeles Angels , for the game's final out.
Ohtani dominated throughout the tournament, batting .435 with 10 hits, nine runs and eight RBIs in 26 at-bats. On the mound, he was 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA in 9 2/3 innings with 11 strikeouts and two walks.
2025 NL -- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
2025 AL -- Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
(Brad Penner, Imagn Images)
2024 NL -- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
(Sam Navarro, Imagn Images)
2024 AL -- Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
(Lon Horwedel, USA TODAY Sports)
2023 NL -- Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves
(Brett Davis, USA TODAY Sports)
2023 AL -- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
(Orlando Ramirez, USA TODAY Sports)
2022 NL - Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
(Quinn Harris, USA TODAY Sports)
2022 AL - Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
(Brad Penner, USA TODAY Sports)
2021 NL – Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
(Benny Sieu, USA TODAY Sports)
2021 AL – Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
(Gary A. Vasquez, Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
2020 NL -- Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
(Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports)
2020 AL -- Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox
(David Richard, USA TODAY Sports)
2019 NL – Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)
2019 AL – Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
(Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sport)
2018 NL – Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers
(Benny Sieu, USA TODAY Sports)
2018 AL – Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox
(Bob DeChiara, USA TODAY Sports)
2017 NL -- Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins
(Jason Getz, USA TODAY Sports)
2017 AL -- Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
(Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports)
2016 NL -- Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs
(Dennis Wierzbicki, USA TODAY Sports)
2016 AL -- Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
(Kelvin Kuo, USA TODAY Sports)
2015 NL -- Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
(Brad Mills, USA TODAY Sports)
2015 AL -- Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays
(Nick Turchiaro, USA TODAY Sports)
2014 NL -- Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
(Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports)
2014 AL -- Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Spor)
2013 NL -- Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates
(Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports)
2013 AL -- Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
(Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports)
2011 NL -- Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
(Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images)
2010 AL -- Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
(Andrew Weber, US PRESSWIRE)
2009 NL -- Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
(Christopher Hanewinckel, US PRESSWIRE)
2009 AL -- Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
(Jeff Curry, US PRESSWIRE)
2008 NL -- Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
(Jeff Curry, US PRESSWIRE)
2008 AL -- Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox
(David Butler II, US PRESSWIRE)
2007 AL -- Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
(Jerry Lai, US PRESSWIRE)
2005 NL -- Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
(Jeff Hanisch, US PRESSWIRE)
2005 AL -- Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
(Jerry Lai, US PRESSWIRE)
2004 NL -- Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
(Donald Miralle, Getty Images)
2003 NL -- Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
(Eliot J. Schechter, Getty Images)
2003 AL -- Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers
(Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images)
2002 AL -- Miguel Tejada, Oakland Athletics
(Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images)
2001 AL -- Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners
(JOHN MABANGLO, AFP via Getty Images)
2000 NL -- Jeff Kent, San Francisco Giants
(JOHN G. MABANGLO, AFP via Getty Images)
2000 AL -- Jason Giambi, Oakland Athletics
(PETER MUHLY, AFP via Getty Images)
1
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2025 NL -- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
1
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2025 NL -- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
2
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Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2025 AL -- Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
(Brad Penner, Imagn Images)
3
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Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2024 NL -- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
(Sam Navarro, Imagn Images)
4
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2024 AL -- Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
(Lon Horwedel, USA TODAY Sports)
5
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2023 NL -- Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves
(Brett Davis, USA TODAY Sports)
6
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2023 AL -- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
(Orlando Ramirez, USA TODAY Sports)
7
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2022 NL - Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
(Quinn Harris, USA TODAY Sports)
8
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2022 AL - Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
(Brad Penner, USA TODAY Sports)
9
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2021 NL – Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
(Benny Sieu, USA TODAY Sports)
10
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2021 AL – Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
(Gary A. Vasquez, Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
11
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2020 NL -- Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
(Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports)
12
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2020 AL -- Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox
(David Richard, USA TODAY Sports)
13
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2019 NL – Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)
14
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2019 AL – Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
(Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sport)
15
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2018 NL – Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers
(Benny Sieu, USA TODAY Sports)
16
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2018 AL – Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox
(Bob DeChiara, USA TODAY Sports)
17
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2017 NL -- Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins
(Jason Getz, USA TODAY Sports)
18
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2017 AL -- Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
(Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports)
19
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2016 NL -- Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs
(Dennis Wierzbicki, USA TODAY Sports)
20
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2016 AL -- Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
(Kelvin Kuo, USA TODAY Sports)
21
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2015 NL -- Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
(Brad Mills, USA TODAY Sports)
22
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2015 AL -- Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays
(Nick Turchiaro, USA TODAY Sports)
23
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2014 NL -- Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
(Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports)
24
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2014 AL -- Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Spor)
25
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2013 NL -- Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates
(Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports)
26
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2013 AL -- Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
(Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports)
27
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2011 NL -- Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
(Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images)
28
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2010 AL -- Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
(Andrew Weber, US PRESSWIRE)
29
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2009 NL -- Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
(Christopher Hanewinckel, US PRESSWIRE)
30
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2009 AL -- Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
(Jeff Curry, US PRESSWIRE)
31
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2008 NL -- Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
(Jeff Curry, US PRESSWIRE)
32
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2008 AL -- Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox
(David Butler II, US PRESSWIRE)
33
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2007 AL -- Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
(Jerry Lai, US PRESSWIRE)
34
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2005 NL -- Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
(Jeff Hanisch, US PRESSWIRE)
35
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2005 AL -- Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
(Jerry Lai, US PRESSWIRE)
36
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2004 NL -- Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
(Donald Miralle, Getty Images)
37
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2003 NL -- Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
(Eliot J. Schechter, Getty Images)
38
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2003 AL -- Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers
(Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images)
39
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2002 AL -- Miguel Tejada, Oakland Athletics
(Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images)
40
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2001 AL -- Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners
(JOHN MABANGLO, AFP via Getty Images)
41
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2000 NL -- Jeff Kent, San Francisco Giants
(JOHN G. MABANGLO, AFP via Getty Images)
42
/42
Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2000 AL -- Jason Giambi, Oakland Athletics
(PETER MUHLY, AFP via Getty Images)
The 2026 tournament will culminate in Miami , site of the quarterfinals, semifinals and final on March 17. The 20-team field will be organized into four pools of five teams.
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Japan has won three of the five WBC titles since the tournament began in 2006. The United States and Dominican Republic each have won one title.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shohei Ohtani will play for Japan in 2026 World Baseball Classic
