Shohei Ohtani might take the mound in the Classic? His mentor frankly says: This situation can't be stopped

The WBC World Baseball Classic will kick off in March, with Japan's two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani anticipated to participate as a batter. Yet, former champion coach and current Nippon-Ham CBO Hideki Kuriyama noted that should "this scenario" occur, Ohtani might proactively ask to take the mound.

Looking back at the previous Classic, Ohtani stunned the world with his two-way play. The most iconic moment was in the championship game against the USA, when he volunteered to close the game, striking out then-Angels teammate Mike Trout, leading Japan to victory. Although Ohtani is designated purely as a hitter in this tournament, Kuriyama recently told Japanese media after visiting the Dodgers' spring training camp that if the game reaches a decisive moment, Ohtani is very likely to step up and pitch.

"He would definitely say, 'Leave it to me for the finale!'" Kuriyama predicted with a smile. He emphasized that knowing Ohtani well, "no matter how much you try to stop him, he will insist on going out there. I can imagine that unstoppable feeling." Kuriyama further explained, "Whether it's Aaron Judge or any other batter at the plate, I believe in the end he will say, 'I'll pitch.'"

Ohtani himself has hinted at similar thoughts. When recently asked by the media if he would volunteer to pitch again if the championship game faced the USA and Trout was at bat, he smiled and replied, "It's hard to say," admitting that if Trout came up, he might find it difficult to resist the temptation to pitch.

Former Nippon-Ham catcher and Ohtani’s old teammate Shinya Tsuruoka once analyzed on a program that given Ohtani's personality, everything prioritizes the team's victory. "If pitching in the game can improve the chances of winning, then he is very likely to want to pitch."

Yesterday, Ohtani participated in his second live batting practice during Dodgers’ spring training as a two-way player, throwing a fastball clocked at 99 mph (about 159 km/h). At the plate, he swung 35 times and hit 5 home runs, showing excellent form. Fans eagerly await whether this two-way star will once again take the mound in a crucial moment and recreate last Classic’s legendary scene.