Japan enters this year’s World Baseball Classic with superstar Shohei Ohtani at the helm, aiming to capture their fourth championship while facing stiff competition from Team USA and other international powerhouses including the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.
The tournament kicks off Thursday with high expectations following the thrilling 2023 edition, which concluded with Ohtani delivering a strikeout against his former Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout to clinch Japan’s title in what many called a defining moment for Japanese baseball.
Since that dramatic finale, Ohtani has joined the Los Angeles Dodgers and claimed two consecutive World Series championships. However, this time around, the two-way sensation will focus exclusively on hitting rather than pitching as he manages his workload before returning to the Dodgers for another championship pursuit.
“It’s been a great offseason. Mostly business as usual,” Ohtani said through an interpreter in comments published on MLB’s website. “I think the good thing is that I wasn’t hurt this year or had any injury… I’m very healthy. Glad that I am.”
While Japan won’t utilize Ohtani’s pitching talents, they maintain a strong rotation featuring Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Yuki Matsui, combined with offensive firepower and stellar defense that has helped the nation reach at least the semifinals in every WBC tournament.
The sixth installment of baseball’s top international competition runs March 5-17 across four cities: Tokyo, Puerto Rico, Houston, and Miami.
Twenty nations will compete in four initial pools, with the top two teams from each group advancing to single-elimination rounds played exclusively in the United States.
As the only country with multiple WBC victories, Japan will host their pool matches at home, beginning Friday against Taiwan before facing South Korea, Australia, and the Czech Republic.
Team USA arrives with what some experts believe represents one of the most talented baseball rosters ever assembled, fueled by growing international interest following the memorable 2023 tournament.
The Americans, hungry for revenge and their first WBC crown since 2017, feature captain Aaron Judge, a three-time American League MVP, along with Cal Raleigh, who topped the AL with 60 home runs last season, plus 2025 Cy Young Award winners Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal.
Team USA opens Friday against Brazil in Houston before meeting Britain, Mexico, and Italy in Pool B competition.
“Playing with Team USA builds a really good bond, and we’ve shared that with each team that I’ve been on for the last five times,” American infielder Alex Bregman commented. “I’m looking forward to doing it with these guys.”
Puerto Rico stands as the favorite in Pool A action in San Juan, competing against Canada, Colombia, Cuba, and Panama.
Pool D in Miami showcases powerhouses Dominican Republic and Venezuela alongside two-time semifinalists Netherlands, plus Israel and Nicaragua.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Dominican outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr., who sat out the previous WBC due to a doping suspension. “It’s what I wanted as a kid. Being able to do it now, at this stage of my life and my career, it’s a special moment.”
