TOKYO – Chicago Cubs center fielder Seiya Suzuki emerged as the star performer in Japan’s thrilling 8-6 victory over South Korea on Saturday, overshadowing teammate Shohei Ohtani with a pair of home runs that propelled the host nation to victory in World Baseball Classic competition.
The intense matchup between the East Asian powerhouses featured five combined home runs in an entertaining contest that maintained Japan’s perfect record in Pool C action.
“I’m glad I was able to hit in a way that gives the team some momentum,” Suzuki commented after the game. “I want to stay focused and keep it going.”
With the victory, Japan now shares a 2-0 record with Australia atop Pool C standings. The two unbeaten teams will clash on Sunday, while South Korea (1-1) is scheduled to face Australia on Monday.
The World Baseball Classic, now in its sixth edition since launching in 2006, represents a major source of national pride for Japan. The country consistently sends its top talent to compete and leads all nations with three tournament championships.
While South Korea has historically been one of Japan’s toughest opponents in WBC play, they haven’t defeated Japan in head-to-head competition since 2009.
South Korea jumped ahead early, battering Japan’s starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi of the Los Angeles Angels for four hits and three runs in the opening frame. Japan responded immediately with Suzuki’s first two-run blast.
The momentum shifted decisively to Japan in the third inning, beginning with a towering home run by Dodgers superstar Ohtani that cleared the right-center field fence. Suzuki followed with his second homer of the contest, and Boston Red Sox left fielder Masataka Yoshida added another round-tripper.
South Korea battled back to tie the game in the fourth inning when Hyeseong Kim, a prospect in the Dodgers system, connected for a two-run homer. However, Japan seized control for good with a three-run rally in the seventh inning and preserved the lead through the final frames.
Japan enters this tournament as the reigning champions after capturing the 2023 title in dramatic fashion. The championship game concluded memorably when Ohtani struck out his then-Angels teammate Mike Trout for the tournament’s final out against Team USA.
Potentially motivated by that defeat, the United States has assembled an exceptionally talented roster this year. The American squad includes three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh who led the American League with 60 home runs last season, and 2025 Cy Young Award recipients Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal.
Judge launched a home run in Team USA’s dominant 15-5 victory over Brazil in their tournament opener. Japan’s Pool C winner will face the second-place finisher from Pool D, where Venezuela and the Dominican Republic are considered the top contenders.
Interestingly, Ohtani and Suzuki were opponents when the Dodgers and Cubs opened last season at Tokyo Dome in March, with Los Angeles sweeping both games. The WBC has rekindled baseball enthusiasm throughout Tokyo, with thousands of fans in team jerseys gathering around the dome and forming lengthy queues for merchandise.
This year’s tournament spans March 5-17 across four host cities: Tokyo, Puerto Rico, Houston, and Miami. Twenty national teams are competing in round-robin pool play, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinal round.
The 31-year-old Ohtani will not take the mound during the tournament as the Dodgers want to protect his pitching arm, limiting his contribution to his powerful bat as a designated hitter.
Ohtani made an impressive tournament debut on Friday, crushing a grand slam and driving in five runs during Japan’s commanding 13-0 victory over Taiwan in their opening game.
