Josh Peter, USA TODAYTue, November 25, 2025 at 3:15 AM UTC·1 min readJust 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.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOhtani 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
2025 AL -- Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
2024 NL -- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 AL -- Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
2023 NL -- Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves
2023 AL -- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
2022 NL - Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
2022 AL - Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
2021 NL – Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
2021 AL – Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
2020 NL -- Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
2020 AL -- Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox
2019 NL – Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers
2019 AL – Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
2018 NL – Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers
2018 AL – Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox
2017 NL -- Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins
2017 AL -- Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
2016 NL -- Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs
2016 AL -- Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
2015 NL -- Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
2015 AL -- Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays
2014 NL -- Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
2014 AL -- Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
2013 NL -- Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates
2013 AL -- Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
2011 NL -- Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
2010 AL -- Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
2009 NL -- Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
2009 AL -- Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
2008 NL -- Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
2008 AL -- Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox
2007 AL -- Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
2005 NL -- Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
2005 AL -- Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
2004 NL -- Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
2003 NL -- Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
2003 AL -- Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers
2002 AL -- Miguel Tejada, Oakland Athletics
2001 AL -- Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners
2000 NL -- Jeff Kent, San Francisco Giants
2000 AL -- Jason Giambi, Oakland Athletics1 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2025 NL -- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers1 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2025 NL -- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers2 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2025 AL -- Aaron Judge, New York Yankees3 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2024 NL -- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers4 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2024 AL -- Aaron Judge, New York Yankees5 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2023 NL -- Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves6 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2023 AL -- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels7 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2022 NL - Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals8 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2022 AL - Aaron Judge, New York Yankees9 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2021 NL – Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies10 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2021 AL – Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels11 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2020 NL -- Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves12 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2020 AL -- Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox13 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2019 NL – Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers14 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2019 AL – Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels15 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2018 NL – Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers16 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2018 AL – Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox17 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2017 NL -- Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins18 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2017 AL -- Jose Altuve, Houston Astros19 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2016 NL -- Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs20 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2016 AL -- Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels21 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2015 NL -- Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals22 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2015 AL -- Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays23 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2014 NL -- Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers24 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2014 AL -- Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels25 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2013 NL -- Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates26 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2013 AL -- Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers27 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2011 NL -- Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers28 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2010 AL -- Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers29 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2009 NL -- Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals30 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2009 AL -- Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins31 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2008 NL -- Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals32 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2008 AL -- Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox33 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2007 AL -- Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees34 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2005 NL -- Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals35 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2005 AL -- Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees36 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2004 NL -- Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants37 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2003 NL -- Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants38 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2003 AL -- Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers39 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2002 AL -- Miguel Tejada, Oakland Athletics40 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2001 AL -- Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners41 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2000 NL -- Jeff Kent, San Francisco Giants42 / 42Recent AL and NL MVP winners
2000 AL -- Jason Giambi, Oakland AthleticsThe 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.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJapan 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
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