Japan, led by global superstar Shohei Ohtani, is set to start its 2026 World Baseball Classic campaign on Friday, looking to claim back-to-back titles.

MORE:2026 World Baseball Classic contenders ranked, top 10 countries competing

How to Watch Japan at 2026 World Baseball Classic

• Date: Friday, March 6, 2026 (first game) (full TV schedule below)
• TV Channel: FOX, FS1, FS2, FOX Deportes
• Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)

Japan once again enters the World Baseball Classic as a tournament favorite, continuing a legacy that has made it one of the most successful teams in the event’s history.

Japan’s roster is expected to feature a mix of elite stars from Nippon Professional Baseball and standout Japanese players competing in Major League Baseball, giving the team both depth and star power as they pursue another championship on the global stage.

Watch Japan at 2026 WBC on Fubo –

Leading the way are some of the biggest names in international baseball, including two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, star outfielder Seiya Suzuki, and dominant pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

With a roster that traditionally combines power hitting, elite pitching, and disciplined fundamentals, Japan enters the 2026 tournament expecting to make another deep run and remain one of the teams to beat.

Live stream Japan at the 2026 World Baseball Classic with Fubo: Start your free trial now!

You can catch all of the 2026 WBC with a subscription to Fubo. All games will be broadcast live across FOX, FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2, and FOX Deportes throughout the tournament. The best part is that you can test out the services today for free.

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Pool Play Schedule

Fri, Mar 6 — Japan vs. Chinese Taipei
5:00 a.m. ET — FS1

Sat, Mar 7 — Japan vs. South Korea
5:00 a.m. ET — FS1

Mon, Mar 9 — Japan vs. Australia
6:00 a.m. ET — FS1

Wed, Mar 11 — Japan vs. Czechia
6:00 a.m. ET — FS1

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It’s not a secret the Los Angeles Dodgers have the most talented team on paper in Major League Baseball. The winners of the last two World Series — the first team to go back-to-back since the New York Yankees in 1999 and 2000 — are poised to three-peat in 2026.

MORE:Dodgers manager has 3-word update on injured 27-year-old pitcher

When you compare the Dodgers’ best players to the rest of MLB, as ESPN did Wednesday, their dominance is laid bare.

ESPN’s annual ranking of the Top 100 MLB players features six Dodgers in the top 50, and eight overall.

The No. 1 player on the list is no surprise. Shohei Ohtani, the back-to-back winner of the National League MVP award, continues to achieve milestones no baseball player has ever achieved.

In 2024, Ohtani hit 50 home runs and stole 50 bases, a first in MLB history. Last year, he was cleared to resume pitching after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2023.

The other Dodgers on ESPN’s list include a pair of players they signed as free agents this past offseason: Kyle Tucker (15), World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (17), Mookie Betts (25), Will Smith (34), Freddie Freeman (36), Blake Snell (70) and Edwin Diaz (73).

Here’s how many players made ESPN’s Top 100 list by team:

7: Phillies
6: Red Sox, Mariners, Braves, Cubs
5: Blue Jays, Mets
4: Yankees, Athletics, Rangers, Reds, Padres, Giants
3: Orioles, Tigers, Royals, Astros, Brewers, Diamondbacks
2: Guardians, Twins, Nationals
1: Rays, Angels, Pirates

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Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is a one-of-one talent, possessing special talent along with an incredible work ethic.

He can hit like a top-3 slugger, while reaching heights as a pitcher that can be in the top 3.

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Not since Babe Ruth has a player been able to do well at a productive rate, but even the legendary player from a previous generation can’t touch Ohtani’s heights.

While almost everything about Ohtani is hard to teach, that has not stopped other players from emulating his mechanics, and, more recently, New York Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones.

Jones is a true slugger with serious power and good defense, plus speed on the bases, but he has struggled to make consistent, quality contact, which has cost him a spot on the major league roster.

However, he has made a change to his swing to help make consistent quality contact — using a toe-down swing that gets his foot down fast.

The toe-down swing style

Ohtani, as a taller player, has the same swing style, and Jones has been studying the reigning MVP to incorporate it into his arsenal.

“The best guy with the toe-down swing is Ohtani,” Jones said. “So it was just kind of looking at some of the moves that he does, lined up with some of the things that I’m trying to do.”

The results have been good for Jones early on in Spring Training, with a 3-for-10 run in Spring Training with three home runs, four strikes, and two walks to boot.

Star Aaron Judge has noticed a difference in Jones’ swing and believes it will be for the best.

“I think the biggest thing that I’ve noticed swing-wise is he’s just ready to hit,” Judge said about the swing.

“The minute he puts that foot down with the little toe-tap, he’s ready to hit. Maybe they might have got him with a lot of high heaters in the past or even last season. I think that’s just going to help him. He doesn’t have a big leg kick; he doesn’t have to worry about getting that down.

“That quickness, that readiness is really going to be a game-changer for him.”

Ohtani, the greatest player to ever touch a baseball field, is quite the role model for Jones to follow, but if any player can have an ounce of the success that the Japanese sensations have achieved, there is likely something worthwhile.

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is ready to make a run at the last major honor that eludes him: the Cy Young Award.

Ohtani’s resume is full of otherworldly accolades — four MVP awards, two World Series titles, first player ever with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season — but his pitching is relatively unawarded.

This season, though, that might be about to change.

Reporting for ESPN, Alden Gonzalez spoke with Dodgers players and executives about Ohtani’s goals for the year.

“He seems like he’s on a mission, pitching-wise,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “Whenever we’ve seen him on a mission, good things happen.”

“He wants a Cy Young,” Dodgers backup catcher Dalton Rushing added. “He wants a Cy Young, and you can tell with the way he’s carrying himself here recently.”

“I think this year we’re going to expect a different Shohei on the mound,” said Teoscar Hernandez.

But is that a feasible goal? Can someone who’s perhaps the best hitter in baseball also be the best pitcher in the National League?

If you ask those who know Ohtani best, they’re certain he can do it.

He’s hit 98 mph in simulated innings in spring training, with Rushing calling his pitching “electric.”

“There’s no ceiling with him,” Dodgers catcher Will Smith told ESPN. “He can go out there and win a Cy Young this year. I have no doubt about that.”

What is Shohei Ohtani Like as a Pitcher?

Last season, Ohtani started 14 games on the mound, with a record of 1-1.

He had an ERA of 2.87 and 62 strikeouts against nine walks, with a WHIP of 1.043.

Ohtani didn’t pitch for the Boys in Blue his first season in 2024, but in five seasons pitching for the Los Angeles Angels he had a record of 38-19 with an ERA of 3.01 and WHIP of 1.082.

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We’ll have to wait until after the World Baseball Classic to see Ohtani’s pitching for ourselves, but with there’s plenty of hype. Do you think Ohtani can win the Cy Young Award?

Countless MLB stars will be competing this month, and the 2026 World Baseball Classic MVP odds have been released heading into the massive global tournament.

While Japan and the United States have stacked rosters heading into the WBC, the event’s betting favorites for MVP dropped, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

The 2026 World Baseball Classic MVP odds feature some of the top names in baseball, including one from the reigning World Series champions.

MORE: 2026 World Baseball Classic contenders ranked, top 10 countries competing

Which player are you picking to win MVP at the 2026 World Baseball Classic? pic.twitter.com/GYTSxqLZvP

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) March 2, 2026

MLB.com recently ranked the top 10 nations competing at the World Baseball Classic, including reigning champions Japan. Shohei Ohtani and Co. are trying to win the country’s fourth title in the event’s history.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Ohtani won MVP honors back in 2023. During Japan’s first two title runs, Daisuke Matsuzaka won back-to-back MVPs at the inaugural WBC in 2006 and again three years later.

Meanwhile, Team USA has many MVP favorites heading into the event. That includes MLB powerhouses like Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes and Bryce Harper.

MORE: Meet Team USA’s roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic

These are the 10 players with the best odds to win the 2026 WBC MVP award.

2026 World Baseball Classic MVP odds

Aaron Judge +750 – Team USA

Shohei Ohtani +1100 – Japan

Paul Skenes +1600 – Team USA

Bryce Harper +1700 – Team USA

Kyle Schwarber +1700 – Team USA

Gunnar Henderson +1800 – Team USA

Logan Webb +2000 – Team USA

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. +2200 – Dominican Republic

Bobby Witt Jr. +2200 – Team USA

Juan Soto +2700 – Dominican Republic

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