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Dodgers Star Shohei Ohtani to Play a Couple of Cactus League Games Before WBC
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Dodgers Star Shohei Ohtani to Play a Couple of Cactus League Games Before WBC

#Shohei Ohtani #Los Angeles Dodgers #World Baseball Classic #Cactus League #Spring Training #Yoshinobu Yamamoto #Dave Roberts #Workload Management

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Shohei Ohtani will play limited Cactus League games before joining Team Japan for the 2026 World Baseball Classic
  • Ohtani will both hit and pitch during Dodgers' spring training opener against the Angels
  • Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the World Series MVP, is also joining Team Japan after limited spring training appearances
  • Manager Dave Roberts is focused on managing workloads for both players during spring training

📖 Full Retelling

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani will play a couple of Cactus League games for the reigning World Series champion team before departing for the 2026 World Baseball Classic with Team Japan, according to manager Dave Roberts on February 21, 2026, as the Japanese superstar balances spring training with international competition commitments. The 31-year-old phenom was scheduled to lead off as the designated hitter in the Dodgers' spring training opener against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium, taking two or three at-bats. Roberts mentioned that Ohtani might seek additional at-bats if he feels good. The following day, Ohtani is expected to pitch against live hitting, with Roberts already touting him as a Cy Young Award contender for the upcoming season. Despite his participation in the Dodgers' spring training, the exact date of Ohtani's departure for Team Japan remains uncertain, as the manager joked about trying to keep track of the superstar's travel plans. Ohtani isn't the only Dodgers player preparing for the World Baseball Classic, as right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the reigning World Series MVP, is also scheduled to join Team Japan. Yamamoto made his lone outing for the Dodgers in the spring training opener, pitching two innings with approximately 35 pitches. The 27-year-old, who signed a $325 million, 12-year contract in December 2023, went 3-0 with a 1.09 ERA in the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, striking out 15 and walking two over 17 2/3 innings. Roberts indicated that Yamamoto would return to the Dodgers' camp and be scheduled for around four innings and 60 pitches initially once he returns from international duty.

🏷️ Themes

Spring Training, International Competition, Player Workload Management

📚 Related People & Topics

World Baseball Classic

World Baseball Classic

International baseball tournament

The World Baseball Classic (WBC), also referred to as the Classic, is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), the sport's global governing body, and organized by World Baseball Classic Inc., a partnership of the WBSC with Major League Base...

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Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers

Major League Baseball franchise in Los Angeles, California

The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. One of the most successful and storied franchises in MLB, the Dodgers have won nine World Series cha...

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Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani

Japanese baseball player (born 1994)

Shohei Ohtani (born July 5, 1994) is a Japanese professional baseball designated hitter and pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "Shotime", he has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Angels and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido N...

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Spring training

Spring training

Training during the spring season, in baseball

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- No Data Available - BROWSE BY SPORTS & TEAMS PLAYERS SHOWS PERSONALITIES TOPICS Built on Major League Baseball Major League Baseball Dodgers Star Shohei Ohtani to Play a Couple of Cactus League Games Before WBC Published Feb. 21, 2026 2:26 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to play a couple of Cactus League games for the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers before he departs the desert to join Japan for the 2026 World Baseball Classic . He was in the lineup leading off as the designated hitter scheduled, for two or three at-bats for the club's spring training opener Saturday afternoon against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium. "Sometimes he takes two, and he feels good, or he wants that third at-bat," manager Dave Roberts said. When asked about Ohtani's travel plans, Roberts smiled and said, "I promised I'd try." Ohtani is scheduled to pitch against live hitting Sunday — and Roberts has already said the 31-year-old two-way star should be in the Cy Young Award conversation this season. "I know that it's going to be soon. He's going to play in a couple Cactus League games, but I'm not exactly sure when his plane ticket is. He hasn't said," Roberts said. "So I don't know what day he's going to join Team Japan." In addition, right-hander and reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto was starting on the mound to pitch two innings and around 35 pitches for his lone outing for the Dodgers before he also joins the Japanese team for the WBC. "Obviously, him going and pitching for Team Japan, he's going to be kind of trying to ramp it up and get prepared, so I think it's just more of what he does strike one, use his secondaries and be efficient and get some outs," Roberts said. Once Yamamoto returns to Los Angeles' camp, he will be scheduled for around four innings and 60 pitches initially, according to Roberts. The 27-year-old Yamamoto, who signed a $325 million, 12-year contract in December 2023, went 3-...
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