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Japan’s Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t disappoint Friday in the World Baseball Classic in Tokyo.
The superstar finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle and drove in five in Japan’s 13-0 win over Taiwan. In the second inning, the four-time Major League Baseball MVP blasted a grand slam and looked to be in midseason form.
Ohtani had one hit in three spring training at-bats before joining Japan in the WBC.
Shohei Ohtani’s Dodgers teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto struggles
Though Ohtani and Japan stole the show with the offensive eruption, teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto struggled. In 2.2 innings against Taiwan, the 2025 World Series MVP for the Dodgers allowed three walks and struck out two on 53 pitches (33 strikes).
In two spring training starts, Yamamoto allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits and struck out seven in 4.2 innings.
