World Baseball Classic: Japan beat USA, Canada ousted by Mexico

On Tuesday, March 8th, the 5th instalment of the World Baseball Classic kicked-off globally, as 4 pools of 5 countries commenced the tournament from Taichung, Tokyo, Phoenix and Miami. Thanks to what may have been the most iconic moment in baseball history, the world title came down to the two best players on the planet, and 5-year Los Angelas Angels teammates, Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout.

USA 3-2 Japan
Top 9, 2 Outs
Shohei Ohtani vs. Mike Trout

1-0 – 88.3 MPH Sweeper, just below the knees.
1-1 – 100.0 MPH 4-Seam Fastball down the middle, just above the knees, swung on and missed.
2-1 – 99.8 MPH 4-Seam Fastball at the belt, cutting just outside.
2-2 – 99.8 MPH 4-Seam Fastball down the middle, at the belt, swung on and missed.
Full Count – 101.6 MPH MPH 4-Seam Fastball in the dirt, down and away.
Strikeout – 87.2 MPH Sweeper just outside, at the belt, swung on and missed.

With that the Japanese captain, Shohei Ohtani sat down the American captain, Mike Trout to secure a 3-2 victory in Miami for the Japanese over the United States on Tuesday night, March 21st. Japan had officially won their 3rd World Baseball Classic in 5 opportunities, 60% of all World Baseball Classics, and reclaiming baseball world dominance.

Japan won in both 2006 and 2009, the first two World Baseball Classics ever played, both in which Daisuke Matsuzaka took home the tournament’s most valuable player award.

Past World Baseball Classics

According to DraftKings the Dominican Republic were the favourites entering this year’s tournament, with +210 odds to go home victorious. Trailing closely behind was the United States +250, then Japan +275. But the Dominican squad remained favourites for good reason, just look at their predicted lineup prior to the opening game.

2023 Dominican Republic Lineup

1. CF Julio Rodriguez
2. 2B Jose Ramirez
3. RF Juan Soto
4. 1B Nelson Cruz
5. DH Rafael Devers
6. 3B Manny Machado
7. LF Starling Marte
8. SS Jeremy Pena
9. C Francisco Mejia

*Not to mention, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was supposed to headline this lineup, but his Spring Training injury held him out of the competition.

High-quality pitchers:

RHP Sandy Alcántara
RHP Luis Castillo
RHP Cristian Javier
RHP Roansy Contreras
RHP Johnny Cueto
RHP Diego Castillo
LHP Génesis Cabrera
LHP Gregory Soto
RHP Héctor Neris
RHP Rafael Montero
RHP Camilo Dorval 
RHP Yimi Garcia

After the Dominican struggled in the group stage, finishing 2-2 and 3rd in Group D, they were eliminated from the tournament and the spotlight shifted to the new favourites.

USA Lineup and the Resurrection of the World Baseball Classic

The United States brought an insane team with them to the Classic, with a lineup sure to strike fear into the heart of any opposing pitcher. To give a decent idea, here’s the 9 Mark DeRosa opted to use in the final against Japan.

1. RF Mookie Betts
2. CF Mike Trout
3. 1B Paul Goldschmidt
4. 3B Nolan Arenado
5. DH Kyle Schwarber
6. SS Trea Turner
7. C J.T. Realmuto
8. LF Cedric Mullins
9. 2B Tim Anderson

Bench:
Will Smith, Kyle Higashioka, Pete Alonso, Bobby Witt Jr., Jeff McNeil, Kyle Tucker.

After years of baseball media personalities discrediting, and MLB superstars evading the World Baseball Classic in the past, international baseball fans have something to hang their hat on.

Not only did the classic clearly feature a world-class level of talent in the knock-out stages, but USA shortstop Trae Turner added “Individually, I think this is probably the biggest hit that I’ve had … As a team, I think you set a goal – and we want to win the whole thing. … We’re not done yet. … I’m glad we won and we can kind of keep striving for that goal. But individually, it was kind of, it was pretty big for me personally.” after destroying a grand slam to put the USA up 9-7 over Venezuela in the top of the 8th inning.

Straight out of the mouth of a 2019 World Series champion, 2x MLB All-Star, and 2x All-MLB selection. To add to his big hit resume, Turner has 44 hits, 3 home runs and 8 RBI in his MLB postseason career.

Mexico Eliminate Canada on Brink of Knock-Out Rounds

But while USA assembled an All-Star studded roster on all sides of the ball, they hardly escaped the group stage, coming 2nd at 3-1 after losing 11-5 to Mexico. Group C came down to Mexico vs. Canada, where the winner would move on to the quarterfinals with the USA, and the loser would fall to 2-2 and be eliminated as 3rd plane in the group. A game which Mexico won 10-3, eliminated Canada.

But all the while, the focus remained on the Americans, Japan easily swept Pool B and looked unbeatable throughout the entirety of the Classic.

Japan at the World Baseball Classic

Despite not coming loaded with MLB talent like the other dominant countries, Japan’s selections come primarily from the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization. The Japan-based NPB hosts a wide array of mostly Japanese talent, in a league that showcases a fairly different style of baseball than westerners are accustomed to.

Japans MLB talent included:

Shohei Ohtani
Yu Darvish
Lars Nootbaar
Masataka Yoshida

Alongside those 4, the Japanese roster boasted these young and incredible NBP players you might not have heard of:

Roki Sasaki – A 21-year-old pitcher for the NPB’s Chiba Lotte Marines made his debut on the international stage at this World Baseball Classic. Sasaki is responsible for the first perfect game in the NPB in 28 years, and was just 20-years-old when he did it. All the while he retired an insane, 51 straight batters over two starts. Sasaki sits comfortably in the triple digits with his heater, and has a polished splitter, and slider to boot.

Munetaka Murakami – A 23-year-old 3rd basement and 1st basement. Murakami has taken the NPB by storm at the plate, breaking Sadaharu Oh’s single-season home run record by a Japanese-born player of 55 at just 22-years-old by hitting 56.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto – A 24-year-old pitcher, who is by far the best pitcher playing in Japan at the moment. Yamamoto has won two straight NPB pitching triple crowns, nuff’ said.

World Baseball Classic 2023 Results

Group Stage

Pool B – Tokyo

Pool C – Phoenix

Pool D – Miami

Batting Leaders

Pitching Leaders

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