Daichi Ishii of the Hanshin Tigers, far left, suffers an injury during an intra-squad game in Ginoza, Okinawa, on Feb. 11, 2026. (Kyodo)
TOKYO (Kyodo) — Two relievers of Japan’s national team have suffered leg injuries ahead of this week’s World Baseball Classic training camp, one of whom has already been replaced by a substitute player.
Kaima Taira of the Seibu Lions reported discomfort during his team’s spring training and was diagnosed last Saturday with a torn muscle in his left calf.
Right-hander Shoma Fujihira of the Rakuten Eagles has been added to the roster in place of Taira, marking his first selection to the WBC squad, Samurai Japan’s management body said.
On Wednesday, Daichi Ishii of the Hanshin Tigers was forced to leave midway through an intra-squad game during the club’s training camp and was taken off in a wheelchair with his left calf bandaged.
Ishii is one of Japan’s most reliable setup men and set a Nippon Professional Baseball record with 50 consecutive scoreless games last season.
The Japanese national squad, headlined by Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, is scheduled to open its training camp on Saturday in Miyazaki, southwestern Japan, ahead of its first game on March 6.
Right-hander Tatsuya Imai, who began his first major league spring camp with the Houston Astros on Wednesday, and left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara of the Washington Nationals are part of the Designated Pitcher Pool, a reserve of up to six pitchers eligible to be called up after the first round of the WBC.