Japanese coach Ibata said, "The 2026 WBC national team is led by major leaguers."

Japanese coach Ibata said, "The 2026 WBC national team is led by major leaguers."

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Manager Hirokazu Ibata, who leads the Japanese national baseball team, said he will select a large number of players from the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March next year.

Kyodo News reported on the 3rd that manager Ibata "had conversations with several major league players recently in the offseason, and most of them expressed their intention to play in the WBC."

Coach Ibata added, "They will be the backbone of the Japanese national team and it will be a lot of stimulation for players playing in the Japanese league." 스포츠토토

Japan is seeking its fourth career win in the WBC in 2026, and a number of players, including Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Los Angeles Dodgers), Shota Imanaga (Chicago Cubs), and Kodai Senga (New York Mets), are currently active in the Major League.

In particular, coach Ibata expected Seiya Suzuki (Chicago Cubs), who was injured in the last tournament, to play along with Ohtani, who was named MVP at the 2023 WBC championship.

"I have no disagreement with the fact that Suzuki is the best right-handed hitter among our players," he said. "He's a great power heater."

Manager Ibata, who was appointed as the head coach of the Japanese national team in October 2023, advanced to the final by winning the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier 12 held in November last year, but lost to Taiwan and finished second.