Former Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi joins team Japan for World Baseball Classic

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will suit up for the Dominican Republic, while Bo Bichette will wear the colours of team Brazil. Now, their former teammate will proudly represent defending champions Japan.

Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi was announced as one of seven pitchers added to the roster. He will join fellow major league pitcher Yuki Matsui in a bid to help Japan repeat as champions.

Superstar Shohei Shohei Ohtani has also announced his intention to play, but it's unclear as to whether he will pitch or simply just hit.

Either way, the Japanese roster is bound to be stacked.

Other pitchers announced as part of the staff include NPB stars Hiromi Ito, Kaima Taira, Atsuki Taneichi, Taisei Ota, and Daichi Ishii.

Kikuchi was a beloved member of the starting rotation during his 2.5 seasons in Toronto. While he loved playing in the city, he was traded at the 2024 deadline to Houston for Jake Bloss, Joey Loperfido, and Will Wagner.

He signed a deal with the Los Angeles Angels last offseason.

Kikuchi has also been quite successful during his time in the major leagues. In September, he struck out his 1000th major league batter, joining Yu Darvish, Hideo Nomo, and Kenta Maeda as the only Japanese pitchers to reach that mark.

The 2026 World Baseball Classic begins in March.