Murakami and Okamoto put MLB prep on hold to answer the call for Samurai Japan

OSAKA –

After making big contributions to help Japan win the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto were ready to answer the call this year even though it meant putting preparations for their first MLB seasons on hold.

Murakami put his spring training schedule with the Chicago White Sox on hold while Okamoto departed from the Toronto Blue Jays camp to play for Samurai Japan in the 2026 WBC.

“If there is a chance to represent my country, I wouldn’t turn it down,” Murakami said in Osaka, shortly after arriving in Japan. “It’s something to be proud of. I had no hesitation at all.”