Yu Darvish will join fellow MLB star Shohei Ohtani in committing to play for Japan in March's World Baseball Classic (WBC), the San Diego Padres pitcher said in a Twitter post Monday.
The 36-year-old Darvish was a member of Japan's second WBC championship team in 2009. Since then, Samurai Japan was eliminated in the semifinals in 2013 and 2017.
Hideki Kuriyama, who managed Ohtani during his five years with the Nippon Ham Fighters, will manage Japan in the tournament's fifth edition.
On Twitter, Darvish wrote, "Because manager Kuriyama said, 'Please take part,' I will take part."
Darvish went 16-8 with a 3.10 ERA this year for the Padres before going 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA in the postseason.
Ohtani was the first of Japan's MLB players to announce he would play for Japan next March.
Kuriyama also confirmed Tuesday that Ohtani will be participating in the WBC as a two-way player, but said it was too early to say if he will pitch as a starter or a closer.
"All options are available," Kuriyama said.