Shohei Ohtani: Record-breaking finish! Aiming for back-to-back championships with “Muso no Hitting” (WBC All-Round Feature)

Record-breaking finish

Shohei Ohtani, 31, finally joined the Samurai Japan team after leaving camp with the Dodgers on February 23 (Japan time) and landing at Haneda Airport on a chartered plane on February 24.

He had a decent outing in the open game on March 22, going 3-for-1 with one hit. This year, Ohtani seems to be smiling like a boy a lot since he was in camp in Arizona. He is entering his third season with the Dodgers and is adjusting well to his dual role. He is truly going to start the WBC with the best finish ever,” said sportswriter Nachi Tomonari.

As Tomonari says, Otani’s physical condition this season has reached the realm of supremacy. When the press pointed out the growth of his arms and pectoral muscles, he said, “The last two years, I had surgery, so my off-day was mainly for rehabilitation. This year, I spent the off-day as usual and was able to train well,” he said confidently.

It is believed that he will concentrate on being a hitter in this year’s WBC. Shunsuke Watanabe, a baseball commentator who won the 2006 WBC, also praised Otani’s hitting.

There are very few hitters in the world who can hit long balls on any type of pitch and any course,” Watanabe said. The skill and power to carry a pitch into the stands even if it is not a lost pitch is a very powerful weapon in international competitions, where the level of pitchers rises. In addition, he is a hitter who can hit with the tenacity of his lower body even when he is out of position, so a pitcher like me, who uses a slow and steady approach, is sure to get hit (laughs). I don’t have a pitch to throw.
In the ’23 tournament, I think there were moments when he struggled with his weak course, but now that ratio seems to have decreased dramatically, so I’m sure he will do even better than last time.”

Of course, Japan’s rivals, who are determined to beat Japan, are also working on countermeasures against Ohtani.

Venezuela, which is likely to play Japan in the quarterfinals, will probably use left-hander Renger Suarez (30), who shut out Ohtani in the playoffs last year. The Dominican Republic, who could also play in the quarterfinals, has Christopher Sanchez (29), who is known as the ″Otani killer. Both of them are difficult opponents, but Otani has a good chance to take them on.

On the other hand, his participation as a pitcher remains uncertain. He joked, “If Mike Trout (who has announced his absence) is up to bat in the finals, I’ll pitch.

The team has been losing a number of potential starters, and Otani’s camp has been going well, so it’s quite possible that he will pitch one inning in the final round. He would like to pitch, and since the WBC is meant to be a pre-season tune-up game, it is possible that the team will allow him to pitch just once.

The question is whether he will be a “Muso no Hitto” or a “Muso no Nigata-ryu” (a two-faced player). The supreme treasure of the baseball world is on the verge of winning back-to-back championships.

From the March 13-20, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY