Stephen Nelson Slated to Call 2026 WBC Games in Tokyo: A Historic Full-Circle Moment
TOKYO, JAPAN — Shohei and Yama are not the only Dodger employees who are doing a bit of moonlighting over in Japan this month. LA fans are about to hear a familiar voice in a setting that’s anything but familiar.
Stephen Nelson, one of the key voices in the Dodgers’ broadcast mix, is now in Tokyo to call Pool C of the 2026 World Baseball Classic from inside the Tokyo Dome. For Nelson, it’s a career moment that lands right at the intersection of what he does best and who he is: a broadcaster with Japanese heritage, calling games in Japan, on baseball’s biggest international stage.
Nelson’s Japanese Heritage
Nelson’s story has always had a little extra meaning around it, and not because anyone is forcing a “first” label onto him. It’s just true. His mother is Japanese American, and Nelson has spoken publicly about growing up connected to that side of his family and culture, including attending Japanese school as a kid.
When the Dodgers brought him into their broadcast family, it wasn’t just a smart baseball hire. It was history. A profile on Discover Nikkei described Nelson as the first Asian American to work as a play-by-play announcer for a Major League Baseball team, with the Dodgers opportunity putting him in a role that still has far too few people who look like him.
That’s the “trailblazer” part, and it matters in a sport that loves tradition. The other part is simpler: the guy can call a game. Nelson came up as a Southern California kid who loved broadcasting, went to Chapman University, and built his resume the hard way. Before Dodgers fans got used to his rhythms, he’d already bounced through high-profile national gigs, including MLB Network, and had play-by-play runs on platforms like Apple TV+’s “Friday Night Baseball.” The Dodgers added him to the SportsNet LA TV rotation in 2023, initially as a fill-in when Joe Davis’ national schedule pulled him away. Since then, his role has expanded, and local outlets have framed him as a major part of the Dodgers’ voice going forward, including radio work in huge spots, including the World Series. (We all remember “The Dodgers cement their Dynasty!”)
What Nelly Brings to the Table
If you’ve been listening the past couple seasons, you know what he brings. He sounds prepared without sounding rehearsed. He can ride the emotion of a big inning without turning it into theater. And he respects the moment when the moment is already loud enough on its own. That’s why him getting the Tokyo assignment feels so fitting. Pool play at the Dome is going to be electric, and it demands a broadcaster who can match the atmosphere while still keeping the game clear.
This Tokyo trip is also a reminder of how global the Dodgers’ universe has become. The WBC is its own beast, but Dodgers fans will have plenty of connective tissue to follow, starting with the setting. MLB’s WBC site pegs Pool C at Tokyo Dome from March 5–10, and it’s one of the marquee pools of the entire first round. Japan is the headliner, and the group around them has real bite: South Korea, Australia, Chinese Taipei, and Czechia. Top two teams advance, so every game feels like it matters right away.
Pool C schedule (Tokyo Dome, local time JST):
- Thu, Mar 5: Chinese Taipei vs Australia (12:00), Czechia vs South Korea (19:00)
- Fri, Mar 6: Australia vs Czechia (12:00), Japan vs Chinese Taipei (19:00)
- Sat, Mar 7: Chinese Taipei vs Czechia (12:00), South Korea vs Japan (19:00)
- Sun, Mar 8: Chinese Taipei vs South Korea (12:00), Australia vs Japan (19:00)
- Mon, Mar 9: South Korea vs Australia (19:00)
- Tue, Mar 10: Czechia vs Japan (19:00)
That’s a lot of night games in Tokyo, a lot of packed trains, a lot of camera flashes, and a lot of noise that never really stops bouncing off that Dome roof. Of course, for us back stateside, that means a lot of watching games in the middle of the night, or for those not quite that committed, a button-press for the VTR.
For a broadcaster, it’s the kind of assignment you remember forever. For Nelson specifically, it’s also a full-circle snapshot: a Japanese American voice from Southern California, in Japan, calling a pool that will be watched by the whole baseball world.
Part of a Dodger Tradition of Broadcast Excellence
The Dodgers have had legendary broadcast standards for decades, and it says something that Nelson has carved out a real lane in a market that doesn’t hand those out. The Los Angeles Times recently noted the size of what he’s already done on the mic in L.A., including calling championship moments while remaining grounded about his place in the booth. Now add Tokyo to the résumé, in a tournament where every pitch feels like it’s carrying a country’s heartbeat behind it.
So yeah, Pool C is going to be fun on the field. Japan vs Korea is always a heavyweight vibe, Australia tends to bring that tough, punchy edge, and Chinese Taipei has become appointment viewing in these events. But for Dodgers fans, one of the best parts might be something a little closer to home.
When the first pitch is thrown at the Tokyo Dome, Stephen Nelson will be right there, headset on, doing the job. And for a lot of people listening, it’ll feel like more than just a cool travel assignment. It’ll feel like another chapter in a career that keeps opening doors, simply by being excellent at the craft and being visible in a space that has needed more of that for a long time.
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