Rosters for the 2026 World Baseball Classic were announced on Thursday, including nine Dodgers playing in the tournament, spread across seven countries.
Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are the headliners, both playing for Japan as they did in 2023. Ohtani will hit but won’t pitch, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said during Dodgers Fest on Saturday at Dodger Stadium.
Ohtani likely wouldn’t have been covered by insurance to pitch in the WBC, an issue affecting several players across the sport who were denied coverage based on injury history, age, or both. Roki Sasaki won’t pitch for Japan after he missed four months on the injured list in 2025, for instance.
Newly retired pitcher Clayton Kershaw was denied insurance coverage for the 2023 WBC, but is back this time around for the United States, as there is no major league salary to insure. The soon-to-be-38-year-old knows his role will be limited on a stacked USA pitching staff that includes reigning Cy Young Award winners Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes.
“I just want to be the insurance policy. If anybody needs a breather, if they want me to pitch back to back to back, or if they don’t need me to pitch at all, I’m just there to be there,” Kershaw said on MLB Network in January. “I just want to be a part of this group.”
Will Smith is back for his second World Baseball Classic, sharing catching duties with Mariners All-Star Cal Raleigh.
Edwin Díaz will pitch for Puerto Rico for his third World Baseball Classic, having also pitched in both 2017 in 2023. Three years ago, he suffered a torn patellar tendon in his right knee while celebrating a Puerto Rico win in the WBC, which knocked him out for the entire 2023 MLB season.
Hyeseong Kim will play for Korea in his second World Baseball Classic. He played in the 2023 WBC alongside Tommy Edman, whose mother was born in South Korea.
Other Dodgers minor leaguers in the World Baseball Classic include infielder Jake Gelof, a second-round pick in 2023 who played last season for High-A Great Lakes; Antonio Knowles, a 2021 draftee pitching for Great Britain who got to Triple-A Oklahoma City last season; and pitcher Shawndrick Oduber, from Aruba and pitching for Netherlands after appearing in 29 games last year for High-A Rancho Cucamonga.
Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel is coaching third base for Team USA, reprising his role in the 2023 WBC. Jair Fernandez, back to manage Great Lakes this season, is hitting coach for Colombia in the WBC, just as he was during 2025 qualifying. Double-A Tulsa hitting coach Blake Gailen is the hitting coach for Israel.
Placido Polanco and Joel Peralta, both special assistants in the Dodgers front office, are part of the Dominican Republic coaching staff.
Notable Dodgers absences from the WBC include Freddie Freeman, who played first base for Canada in 2017 and 2023 but withdrew for personal reasons this year; shortstop Mookie Betts, whose wife is expecting a baby in March; infielder Miguel Rojas, who was declined insurance; and current free agent Kiké Hernández, who won’t play for Puerto Rico while recovering from left elbow surgery in November.
Dodgers on 2026 World Baseball Classic rosters
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United States: catcher Will Smith, pitcher Clayton Kershaw
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Japan: designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto
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Puerto Rico: closer Edwin Díaz
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Korea: infielder Hyeseong Kim
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Great Britain: pitcher Antonio Knowles
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Israel: infielder Jake Gelof
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Netherlands: pitcher Shawndrick Oduber
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