The 2026 World Baseball Classic’s sneaking up fast, and the countdown’s got MLB front offices paying attention. Japan’s aiming for another global statement run from March 5-17, and that instantly puts the limelight on 3 superstar arms: Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who recently went viral for all the wrong reasons.

On November 22, Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain pointed to a Japanese report alluding to a real concern inside the org. With Opening Day landing barely a week after the WBC final, the timeline is brutally tight for pitchers coming off heavy workloads, fresh injuries, or massive expectations.

That’s why manager Dave Roberts addressed the issue directly with Japanese media, saying the team fully supports its players but would prefer the trio not pitch in the W

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