Shohei Ohtani won’t pitch for Japan during the World Baseball Classic, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Saturday, including The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya.
Roberts said it was Ohtani’s decision not to pitch and the Dodgers would have allowed him to, according to the California Post’s Jack Harris.
Ohtani is still expected to hit for the defending WBC champions and should be ready to pitch for the Dodgers from the outset of the regular season, Roberts added, according to Ardaya.