Shohei Ohtani Shines at Dodgers Fan Event — Behind the Smile, a Fierce WBC Ambition

Roberts himself declares, “He won’t pitch,”

“Shohei won’t pitch.”

On February 1 (Japan time), at the Dodgers’ fan appreciation event DodgerFest, an air of tension suddenly spread. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (53) clearly stated that Shohei Ohtani (31) would not pitch in the WBC.

“Ohtani already worked full-time as a pitcher in the previous WBC, but he injured his right elbow that year. It’s natural for the team to not want him to pitch in this tournament,” said a reporter covering Major League Baseball.

The U.S. sports site The Athletic noted that insurance concerns are behind the decision. The so-called “WBC insurance” covers a player’s salary if they are injured during the tournament. The prevailing expectation is that insurance for a pitcher just returning from injury would not apply.

Yet, on the same day, Ohtani smiled at fans, chatted with teammates like Freddie Freeman (36) (see second photo), and when asked by reporters, he avoided a direct answer, saying “It’s still unknown.” Why? Former MLB player Keiichi Yabu explained:

“Ohtani, who is committed to being a two-way player, cannot declare before the tournament that he will skip pitching, because it would affect Samurai Japan’s morale. Also, having Ohtani—who pitched the final inning against the U.S. in the last tournament and became the celebration pitcher—waiting in the bullpen already changes how opponents approach the game.

If even a thought crosses the opposing team’s mind that Ohtani might pitch in the final inning, it can cause them to panic, and panic leads to mistakes. Whether he actually pitches is unknown, but he keeps his statements ambiguous to anticipate these psychological effects. Strong countries like the U.S. and the Dominican Republic fear Ohtani more than Japanese fans realize.”

As long as Ohtani has not formally declared he will skip pitching, there remains a small chance he could appear on the mound. And as long as that possibility exists, his dedication to preparation is what has made him a star.

“If he were to show a willingness to pitch, it wouldn’t be strange for him to throw one inning like last time, serving as the closer in the final. However, if the game went into extra innings, he couldn’t return as DH. Pitching would be a big gamble.

Still, just as last year’s World Series saw Yusuke Yamamoto (27) volunteer for consecutive innings, if Ohtani wants to take responsibility and pitch, there are scenarios where he could do so. I don’t think he would easily give up that chance,” Yabu said.

Even in the previous tournament, most fans assumed Ohtani wouldn’t pitch in the finals to prevent injury—but he became the celebration pitcher. A similar surprise cannot be ruled out this time either.

The words Ohtani spoke at the fan festival—“It depends on how things go until the end”—may hide his unwavering desire to take the mound at the WBC.

From the February 20/27, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”