Ohtani, who threw up to 159km, arrives daily on a chartered plane 'alone' → At the earliest, he will appear in the warm-up match on the 26th, 'Only hitters at WBC.'

*This content was translated by AI.

Shohei Ohtani (31, LA Dodgers), a key member of the Japanese national baseball team, who is seeking his second consecutive win at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March, arrived in Japan on a private jet. He continued to build up in the U.S. and shot up to 99 miles (about 159 kilometers) in maximum speed, but WBC says he is only focused on batters.

According to Japanese Sports Hochi and Daily Sports, Ohtani arrived at Haneda Airport on a chartered flight prepared by the Japanese national team on the afternoon of the 24th. After perfect preparation at Glendale Camp in Arizona, the United States, Ohtani will now join the Japanese national team and prepare for the final tournament.

Only Ohtani appears to have been on a chartered flight. Yamamoto Yoshinobu (28, LA Dodgers) is heading to Japan after taking the mound in an exhibition game on the 27th, while Suzuki Seiya (32, Chicago Cubs) and Yoshida Masataka (33, Boston Red Sox) are moving to Japan on another chartered plane.

Ohtani improved his physical condition in the United States until just before returning home. Although he has yet to take the mound in an exhibition game, he recently threw a fastball with a maximum speed of 99 miles (about 159 kilometers) during actual pitching practice, signaling his robustness as a pitcher. In an exhibition game in the 2026 season, he played one game and recorded one hit and one run from three times at bat.

However, Ohtani on the mound is not expected to be seen on the WBC stage. Ohtani declared his 'commitment to hitters' at this tournament. The decision is interpreted as a decision considering the perfect return of the regular-season pitching and hitting with his team Dodgers. Although there will be no pitching appearances, the formidable slugging power is enough to be a fear for opposing pitchers.

After arriving through Haneda Airport, Ohtani immediately moved to Nagoya, where the reinforcement match was held. As he is expected to appear in the national team training and warm-up matches as early as the 26th, the Japanese archipelago is already being shaken by the Otani syndrome.

In a brief interview with Japanese reporters who waited at the airport, Ohtani said, "Maintaining a healthy body is the most important thing. "I think the more I bat, the more I feel like I'll be able to do it," he said.

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*This content was translated by AI.