Shohei Ohtani will not pitch for Samurai Japan at the World Baseball Classic this spring, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Saturday at Dodger Stadium.
The two-way star was named to Japan’s WBC roster in late December, with manager Hirokazu Ibata saying in January that the team was figuring out how it could utilize the two-time reigning National League MVP.
That picture became more clear with Roberts’ comments.