Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani won’t pitch in World Baseball Classic

[p]Roberts said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ohtani-shohei/QoeWGRko/"]Ohtani[/a], the 31-year-old two-way superstar who led the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-dodgers/nwPDBpVc/"]Dodgers[/a] to the 2024 and 2025 World Series titles, made the decision himself to not take the mound until the Dodgers begin the 2026 Major League Baseball campaign.[/p][p]Ohtani clinched the 2023 Classic crown for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/japan/vuZGJUZ0/"]Japan[/a] when he struck out then-[a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-angels/Mg9H0Flh/"]Los Angeles Angels[/a] teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/trout-mike/nZEWC1Ws/"]Mike Trout[/a]. Ohtani was named the 2023 Classic Most Valuable Player.[/p][embed guid="1b9ae402-fd61-4143-90c2-0887645184a8" url="https://youtube.com/watch?si=7XP_WAs-II8USg5k&v=rlshprVLaLw&feature=youtu.be" social-type="youtube" /][p]Ohtani said he expects to be ready to pitch for the Dodgers when the regular season begins in late March.[/p][p]After undergoing two right elbow operations in 2023, Ohtani did not return to the mound for the Dodgers until last June.[/p][p]He threw 47 innings in the 2025 MLB season with a 2.87 earned-run average and 62 strikeouts with only nine walks allowed.[/p][p]In his first mound appearances in the MLB playoffs, Ohtani was 2-1 with a 4.43 earned run average and 28 strikeouts over 20.1 innings.[/p][p]Ohtani, a five-time MLB All-Star and four-time league MVP, will try to help Japan earn a fourth title in six Classics.[/p]