Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani joining Team Japan for WBC
Shohei Ohtani had been clear that he wanted to be a part of Team Japan in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. It was just a matter of whether or not the Los Angeles Angels would approve and if the Japanese National Team wanted him on board.
The first obstacle was moved out of the way in the latter part of August. The Angels said that they would not stand in his way, agreeing to let him be a part of the Japanese squad should they desire. On Thursday, Ohtani announced on Instagram that he will be a part of Team Japan once the WBC gets underway.
Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani finally part of World Baseball Classic
This will mark Ohtani’s first appearance in the tournament. He had been expected to be part of the 2017 team, only to have those hopes dashed by an ankle injury. The next tournament, scheduled for 2020, was wiped out due to the pandemic. Ohtani’s WBC debut has been a long time coming.
Ohtani will also be heading to the tournament at the height of his power. He has established himself as a star on both sides of the game, posting an impressive 2.33 ERA and a 1.012 WHiP over his 166 innings in 2022, striking out 219 batters with just 44 walks. He has begun to establish himself as an ace at the major league level and will be an important part of Team Japan’s pitching staff.
At the same time, Ohtani had another dominant season at the plate. The 2021 AL MVP posted a .273/.356/.519 batting line with 34 homers and 30 doubles in his 666 plate appearances, stealing 11 bases. Although those numbers are not as impressive as they were during his MVP season, they were still excellent considering that offense was down across the majors.
Team Japan is already expected to be one of the favorites in the WBC. They have a strong core just from the players in Nippon Professional Baseball. Adding Ohtani, someone who is a difference maker in every facet, could put them over the top.
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Shohei Ohtani was very clear that he wanted to be part of Team Japan. The Los Angeles Angels star is officially heading to the World Baseball Classic.