2023 World Baseball Classic championship

The 2023 World Baseball Classic championship was the final game of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, the fifth edition of the World Baseball Classic, a men's international baseball tournament sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in partnership with World Baseball Classic Inc. (WBCI). The game was played on March 21, 2023, at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, United States,[1] between hosts and defending champion United States and two-time champion Japan. Japan won 3–2 to earn a record-extending third World Baseball Classic title. Shohei Ohtani won the most valuable player award.

2023 World Baseball Classic Championship
LoanDepot Park, Miami in 2021
United States Japan
2 3
123456789RHE
United States010000010290
Japan02010000X350
DateMarch 21, 2023 (2023-03-21)
VenueLoanDepot Park
CityMiami, Florida, U.S.
MVPShohei Ohtani ( Japan)
Attendance36,098
Time of game19:00 EDT
TelevisionMultiple

Unlike in 2009, 2013 and 2017, the 2023 U.S. lineup attracted distinguished players, which some commentators claimed contributed to generating excitement for the final.[2] The U.S. general manager Tony Reagins credited Mike Trout, a three-time major league MVP, for committing to the team early (in July 2022) which made it easier to convince others to join.[2]

The championship game was one of the most watched games in baseball history.[3] The game was widely praised as an instant classic, with the ending duel between team captains Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani being considered as one of the greatest moments in the history of the sport.[4][5]

Road to the championship
Further information: 2023 World Baseball Classic

The United States was the victor of the previous edition of the WBC, in 2017.[6] Japan won the 2006 and 2009 editions of the WBC.[7]

In 2023, Japan won all four games in Pool B, which it hosted at the Tokyo Dome.[8] They then defeated Italy in the quarterfinals.[9] Japan defeated Mexico in the semifinals to advance to the championship.[10]

The United States went 3–1 in Pool C, advancing as the pool's runner-up behind Mexico, who they lost to in an upset 11–5 result.[11][12] The United States defeated Venezuela in the quarterfinals[13] and Cuba in the semifinals.[14]

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

 United States Round  Japan
Opponent Result Group stage Opponent Result
 Great Britain 6–2 (H) Match 1  China 8–1 (H)
 Mexico 5–11 (H) Match 2  South Korea 13–4 (H)
 Canada 12–1 (7) (H) Match 3  Czech Republic 10–2 (H)
 Colombia 3–2 (A) Match 4  Australia 7–1 (A)
Pool C runners-up

Pos Team Pld W L RF RA PCT GB Qualification
1  Mexico 4 3 1 27 14 .750[lower-alpha 1] — Advance to quarterfinals
Qualification for 2026 World Baseball Classic
2  United States (H) 4 3 1 26 16 .750[lower-alpha 1] —
3  Canada 4 2 2 27 30 .500 1 Qualification for 2026 World Baseball Classic
4  Great Britain 4 1 3 18 31 .250[lower-alpha 2] 2
5  Colombia 4 1 3 12 19 .250[lower-alpha 2] 2
Source: MLB
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Notes:
  1. Mexico defeated USA, 11–5
  2. Great Britain defeated Colombia, 7–5
 Final standings Pool B winners

Pos Team Pld W L RF RA PCT GB Qualification
1  Japan (H) 4 4 0 38 8 1.000 — Advance to quarterfinals
Qualification for 2026 World Baseball Classic
2  Australia 4 3 1 29 19 .750 1
3  South Korea 4 2 2 40 26 .500 2 Qualification for 2026 World Baseball Classic
4  Czech Republic 4 1 3 16 30 .250 3
5  China 4 0 4 10 50 .000 4
Source: MLB
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Opponent Result Knockout stage Opponent Result
 Venezuela 9–7 (A) Quarterfinals  Italy 9–3 (H)
 Cuba 14–2 (H) Semifinals  Mexico 6–5 (H)

Game

Summary

The starting pitchers for the championship game were Shōta Imanaga for Japan and Merrill Kelly for the United States.[15] Trea Turner hit a solo home run for the United States off of Imanaga in the top of the second inning. Turner tied Lee Seung-yuop (South Korea) in the 2006 tournament for the most home-runs in a single WBC tournament. Munetaka Murakami tied the game with a solo home run off of Kelly in the bottom of the second inning. Japan continued the inning by loading the bases with singles from Kazuma Okamoto and Sosuke Genda and a walk to Yuhei Nakamura. After Aaron Loup relieved Kelly for the United States, Lars Nootbaar hit a RBI ground out. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Kazuma Okamoto hit a solo home run for Japan off of Kyle Freeland to give Japan its final run.[16]

Both teams then remained scoreless until the top of the eighth inning, when Kyle Schwarber hit a solo home run for the United States off of Yu Darvish. Leading 3–2 in the ninth inning, Japan used their designated hitter, Shohei Ohtani, to record the save.

During the final at-bat, in a moment often described as storybook-like, Ohtani struck out Mike Trout, fellow renowned teammate of the Los Angeles Angels, to win the tournament for Japan. Ohtani threw a 87.2 mph slider on a full count to secure the victory, the previous two strikes being down-the-middle swung-on 100 mph fastballs.[17] Ohtani won the WBC's most valuable player award after batting .435 with a 1.86 earned run average pitching.[18]

Details
Linescore
Shohei Ohtani, the most valuable player of the tournament

March 21, 2023 19:00 EDT (UTC−4) at LoanDepot Park in Miami, United States
Team123456789RHE
 United States010000010290
 Japan02010000X350
WP: Shōta Imanaga (1–0)   LP: Merrill Kelly (0–1)   Sv: Shohei Ohtani (1)
Home runs:
USA: Trea Turner (5), Kyle Schwarber (2)
JPN: Munetaka Murakami (1), Kazuma Okamoto (2)
Attendance: 36,098
Umpires: HP – Lance Barksdale, 1B – John Tumpane, 2B – Edward Pinales, 3B – Ramiro Alfaro, LF – Jong Chui Park, RF – Quinn Wolcott
Boxscore
Boxscore

References
  1. Adler, David (July 7, 2022). "World Baseball Classic 2023 venues, pools announced". MLB.com. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  2. "Why is the US finally treating the World Baseball Classic like a World Cup?". The Guardian. March 6, 2023.
  3. "USA-Japan WBC Title Game Could Be the Most-Watched Baseball Game in History". March 21, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  4. Parshy, R. Nikhil (March 22, 2023). ""Historically the greatest matchup of all time" "That was some anime script stuff" - Baseball fans thrilled after experiencing epic clash between Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout in WBC 2023 final". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  5. "Hoornstra: Joe Davis reflects on calling 'one of the great moments in baseball history'". Orange County Register. March 30, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  6. Perry, Dayn (March 11, 2023). "2023 World Baseball Classic: 5 things to know about Team USA, from a Mike Trout-led offense to the competition". CBSSports.com. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  7. "Japan's WBC history: Has Japan ever won a World Baseball Classic championship?". www.sportingnews.com.
  8. "Japan-Australia highlights: Ohtani's HR enough for Japan to win". FOX Sports. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  9. "'We see who Shohei is.' How Shohei Ohtani and Japan advanced to WBC semifinals". Los Angeles Times. March 16, 2023.
  10. "Japan walks off into Classic final, and 'the world of baseball won'". MLB.com.
  11. "Trout lifts United States into WBC quarterfinals". ESPN.com. March 16, 2023.
  12. Salvador, Joseph (March 13, 2023). "Team USA Reacts to Stunning World Baseball Classic Loss to Mexico". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  13. Felt, Hunter (January 31, 2018). "USA 9–7 Venezuela: World Baseball Classic quarter-finals—as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  14. Axisa, Mike (March 19, 2023). "Team USA score: U.S. cruises past Cuba to reach World Baseball Classic final as Trea Turner homers twice". CBSSports.com. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  15. "Japan starting Imanaga over Ohtani or Darvish in WBC final vs. United States". Sportsnet.ca. March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  16. Felt, Hunter (March 21, 2023). "USA v Japan: World Baseball Classic final – live". The Guardian. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  17. "Shohei vs. Trout for the Classic title? A strikeout heard 'round the world". March 21, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  18. Axisa, Mike (March 21, 2023). "World Baseball Classic: Shohei Ohtani awarded WBC MVP after closing out championship in Japan's win over USA". CBS Sports. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  19. "United States 2, Japan 3 Final Score (03/21/2023) on MLB Gameday". MLB. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
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