Two-way star Shohei Ohtani will likely miss Samurai Japan's World Baseball Classic training camp, Los Angeles Angels manager Phil Nevin suggested Friday.

"He's going to spend some time with us early in the spring and actually even make a start before he heads over to Japan with his team," Nevin said on an MLB Network radio program.

The Angels are scheduled to play their first preseason game on Feb. 25 against the Seattle Mariners in Peoria, Arizona, while Japan's national team will train in Miyazaki from Feb. 17 to Feb. 27.

"I'm really looking forward to the opportunities they're going to be able to create with people playing in their own countries and representing their own countries. It's really a special deal for them to be able to do this," Nevin said.

Japan will play its first WBC Pool B game on March 9 against China at Tokyo Dome.

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