Kazuma Okamoto is returning to the World Baseball Classic.
The Toronto Blue Jays third baseman will once again suit up for Japan this spring. He signed a four-year, $60 million deal with the Jays earlier this month.
Okamoto hit .333 with six hits, two home runs and seven runs batted in over 18 at-bats in seven WBC games in 2023.
Okamoto, 29, was one of seven big leaguers named to the defending champions’ roster on Monday. He joins Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Chicago Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki, Yusei Kikuchi of the Los Angeles Angels, Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox and Yuki Matsui of the San Diego Padres. Pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano, who spent last season with the Baltimore Orioles, is also on the squad.
Two prominent major leaguers from the 2023 team will not be competing in 2026. St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar is still recuperating from offseason surgery, while Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki has declined an offer as he prepares for his second big league season after an injury-riddled first campaign.
Japan will play in Pool C alongside Australia, South Korea, Czechia and Chinese Taipei.
They first see action on Mar. 6 against Chinese Taipei at the Tokyo Dome.