The Road to the 2026 WBC — Shohei Ohtani and Samurai Japan’s Story Has Already Begun
The countdown to the 2026 World Baseball Classic started earlier than we think.
Nineteen Samurai have already been named, with the final roster dropping on February 6.
And above all—
Shohei Ohtani is officially confirmed as a hitter.
Just that one sentence changes the atmosphere.
But this team is more than its superstars.
In the bullpen, Keiji Takahashi quietly shows respect to Munetaka Murakami,
rocking a White Sox cap like it’s second nature.
“No pressure at all,”
says Kaima Taira — and you believe him when he steps onto the mound.
And then there’s Kota Tatsu,
the next-generation ace with the confidence to say,
“I’m aiming for 10 complete games.”
This feels less like a national team
and more like a group of people sharing the same story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82_a9DIq-ho