Ranking the Top Five Dodgers in the WBC
The 2026 World Baseball Classic Finally begins Wednesday, when Australia take on Chinese Taipei in the first match of the tournament at 7:00 p.m. PT.
The Dodgers are sending nine representatives to the tournament, five of whom are with the MLB team. Just ahead of the WBC, we ranked those five players as they look to bring home the coveted trophy. Along with those nine, Clayton Kershaw also chose to represent Team USA in the upcoming tournament.
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While he will forever be a Dodger, we did not include him on this list as he is not currently signed to the team. Consider him an honorable mention.
Mar 21, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Japan designated hitter and closing pitcher Shohei Ohtani (16) and team Japan celebrate with the World Baseball Classic trophy after defeating the USA in the World Baseball Classic at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports
No. 1, Shohei Ohtani
Was there really any doubt over who would be at the top of the list?
Over the past two years with the Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani has set himself apart as the best player in baseball, and has put himself into the GOAT conversation.
Ohtani has won the last three MVP awards unanimously, and is one of two players to have ever won more than three — the other being Barry Bonds. He has a 1.025 OPS with the Dodgers, and has hit 109 homers over the past two seasons.
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If he can replicate his regular season efforts in the WBC, it’s hard to believe anyone can stop Team Japan.
No. 2, Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is another reason why Team Japan will be so difficult to beat in the upcoming tournament.
The right-hander set himself apart as one of the best pitchers in baseball in 2025, posting a 2.49 ERA through 30 starts and striking out 200 batters for the first time in his career.
He capped off a fantastic season with one of the most dominant postseason performances of all time, where he pitched six times and had a 1.45 ERA through 37.1 innings pitched. During his run, he became the first pitcher to throw back-to-back postseason perfect games since Curt Schilling accomplished the feat in 2001.
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With Ohtani and Yamamoto on the roster, Team Japan is in a great position to win a second consecutive World Baseball Classic title.
No. 3, Will Smith
One team which does pose a threat to Team Japan, though, is Team USA.
Will Smith fills a slot on a stacked Team USA roster, and for good reason. He had one of his best seasons to date in 2025, slashed .296/.404/.497 through 110 games played. He made his third consecutive All-Star Game last season, and earned MVP votes for the first time in his career.
The scariest part about Team USA is that Smith likely won’t even be the starter. Cal Raleigh, the AL’s MVP runner-up, will fill that spot.
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No. 4, Edwin Diaz
It was tight between Edwin Diaz and Smith, but Smith ultimately plays a much larger role for the Dodgers than the All-Star closer. That’s not to say he’s not good, though.
One of the best closers in the game, Diaz is coming off of a fantastic season with the New York Mets. He had a 1.63 ERA through 62 appearances, and struck out 98 batters in 66.1 innings last season. His 28 saves ranked fifth in the National League last season.
His spectacular season more than warrants the three-year, $69 million deal the Dodgers gave him in the offseason.
No. 5, Hyeseong Kim
Hyeseong Kim, by default, lands at the fifth spot on our list. He’s yet to make an All-Star appearance, and is only entering his second season in MLB.
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He still has plenty of potential, though, and is already off to a solid start in spring training. He’s 6-for-13 with a homer and five RBIs through four games of spring training, and will look to carry his momentum into the tournament with Team Korea.
Who are you excited to watch in the WBC