Team Japan's WBC loss only intensifies Dodgers' quest for three-peat in 2026

The Dodgers sent nine representatives to the World Baseball Classic between the majors and minors, but nowhere were they better represented than Team Japan.

Not only were there the highest concentration of Dodgers playing for Samurai Japan, they were two faces of LA's back-to-back World Series championship teams: Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Both put on an absolute show throughout the tournament, but Japan fell to Team Venezuela in a huge quarterfinal upset. Yamamoto shook at the beginning of his outing, giving up a second-pitch homer to Ronald Acuña Jr. and an RBI double to Gleyber Torres, but steadied after the second. Ohtani matched Acuña's leadoff bomb with one of his own off of Ranger Suarez.

But as soon as Yamamoto left, Japan's bullpen let the side down. Venezuela went down by three after a go-ahead homer for outfielder Shota Morashita, who only came in because Seiya Suzuki was taken out after appearing to injure himself on a stolen base attempt, but the Japanese offense disappeared after that moment, while Venezuela surged.

The reigning champions fell 8-5.

Ohtani and Yamamoto have nothing left to prove in terms of their capacity for competitiveness, but it's hard to believe that this won't put even more fire in their bellies to get the Dodgers to a three-peat.

Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto should want a Dodgers three-peat even more after WBC exit

Japan's exit returns almost all of the Dodgers' representatives back to spring training. Hyeseong Kim's Korea was mercy ruled by Team Dominican Republic in the quarterfinal (10-0), and Team Italy staged their own upset over Edwin Díaz's Team Puerto Rico (8-6).

The only Dodgers major leaguer left in the tournament is Will Smith, catching for Team USA. Minor leaguer Christian Suarez is pitching for Venezuela. They very well might see each other in the finals on Tuesday night.

Everyone thought were were destined to see a USA-Japan rematch for another battle of the titans, but Venezuela's lineup was almost underestimated, which just speaks to the level of talent that's been on display during this tournament. No one should underestimate an offense that features Acuña, Eugenio Suárez, Jackson Chourio, and even the Rockies' Ezequiel Tovar, who has been red-hot in the WBC.

But Ohtani and Yamamoto will have a full season to step all over Acuña's Braves, Suárez's Reds, Chourio's Brewers, and especially Tovar's Rockies. Any except the Rockies could feature as a postseason foe for LA, and Ohtani and Yamamoto will have even more to prove when they get there.