Japan's Otani officially ruled out of WBC with ankle injury

Two-way Japanese star Shohei Otani will not participate in the World Baseball Classic due to an injured ankle, Japanese manager Hiroki Kokubo confirmed on Friday, according to the Mainichi.

Otani will be removed from the team's 28-man roster and is scheduled to stay in Japan to recover in preparation for the Nippon Ham Fighters' season in the Japanese Foreign League.

"The (ankle) condition hasn't reached a level we had hoped. We're not in a position where we can ask him to push it," Kobuko said.

Otani was initially expected to play in the tournament even with the injury, but was not slated to pitch. He was instead set to serve as Japan's designated hitter, but recently expressed concern over his ankle and said he was considering surgery.

The talented 22-year-old - whose fastball has been clocked in at 102 mph and who's coming off a season at the plate in which he clubbed 22 home runs and 67 RBIs - is regarded as one of the best Japanese players in recent years.

Team Japan will open the WBC against Cuba on March 7.