There is no reason for Shohei Otani to participate in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Otani is easily the most popular name on the Samurai Japan roster and the anticipation, from fans in and outside Japan, of him playing in the WBC has been building to a fevered pitch for some time. Even so, Otani should sit this one out.
On Tuesday in Arizona, Otani and the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters revealed the two-way star had been ruled out of pitching at the classic because of an injury to his right ankle that has persisted since he initially hurt it running the bases during Game 4 of last year's Japan Series.