ORLANDO, FL – Getting Involved Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto And Rocky Sasaki in the World Baseball Classic is “very sensitive” after the World Series, which lasted until November, Los Angeles Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts is unsure whether any restrictions will be placed on his team's Japanese stars.
Ohtani had elbow surgery in September 2023 and returned to the mound in June. The two-way sensation helped the Dodgers become their first repeat World Series champion in a quarter century, starting Game 7 with a win over Toronto.
“I'd like to think there's going to be a dialogue around restrictions and limits, in the sense of just trying to give them an opportunity,” Roberts said Monday at baseball's winter meetings. “They have some things, some long seasons, and of course Yamamoto and hope for 2026. But now there is no more clarity than there was before.”
Ohtani won his fourth unanimous Most Valuable Player award by hitting .282 with 55 homers, 102 RBIs and 20 stolen bases while going 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA over 14 shortened starts that included 62 strikeouts in 47 innings. He had eight homers and 14 RBIs in 17 postseason games, along with a 2-1 record and 4.43 ERA in four postseason starts.
Roberts said he was unsure whether Ohtani would pitch for defending champion Japan in the WBC tournament, which begins March 5 and ends March 17 — nine days before the Dodgers opener against Arizona.
“I hope he doesn't, but I don't know,” Roberts said. “Shohei – he's very in tune with his body. But I would say probably the thought is that he's probably just going to throw a punch.”
Ohtani became the 2023 WBC MVP when Japan beat the United States 3-2 in the final and Ohtani knocked out then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout in the final. This tournament typically limited pitchers to 65 pitches in the first round, 80 in the quarterfinals, and 95 in the championship, and included mandatory days off after a certain pitch count.
Sasaki started the semifinal win over Mexico, and Yamamoto followed in relief when Ohtani doubled to start the rally in the ninth inning.
“I don’t want to neglect what it means to them to represent their country,” Roberts said. “I know the organization doesn't do that, but I think conversations have to be and will be had around what each person is taking on and what role they can take on and what the potential costs might be. … But you can’t discuss the emotions of how a player might feel about that potential opportunity.”
Limited to 90 innings by a triceps injury in his first season with the Dodgers after signing a 12-year, $325 million contract in December 2023, Yamamoto has pitched 211 innings in the regular season and postseason combined this year.
Sasaki, in his rookie season, sat out for the Dodgers from May 9 to September 24 due to a right shoulder injury and became their closer in the postseason.
Los Angeles plans to make Ohtani a permanent part of the starting rotation next season.
“But it won’t be a regular five-man rotation,” Roberts said. “I don't want to go down the six-man rotation route, but I feel like giving him six, seven, eight days off to give him the opportunity to continue to rest and build strength, I think that's in our process. But again, we have a long way to go, but we have some viable candidates.”
After leading the Dodgers to their third title in six seasons, Roberts tried to step back and relax. He said last week on Amazon Prime's Good Sports that he favors a salary cap that some in management are pushing to propose in collective bargaining next year. Baseball is the only professional major league in the United States that has no restrictions.
“You know what? I'm fine with that,” Roberts said. “I think the NBA has done a good job of distributing revenue between players and owners, but if you're going to somehow suppress spending at the top, I think you need to raise the floor so that those feeding at the bottom spend money too.”
“I’m entitled to my opinion, as are we all,” Roberts said Monday. “My opinion should not move the needle.”
Los Angeles is projected to take in a major league record $509.5 million in payroll and luxury tax this year. The New York Mets, who missed the playoffs, are second with $428.8 million in revenue.
“We have an organization that, no matter what rules and regulations are thrown at us, we will dominate,” Roberts said. “So, just give us the rules, let us know the situation, and then I'll bet on our organization.”
