Shohei Ohtani will lead Japan in its World Baseball Classic title defense. The reigning champions face strong challenges from Team USA, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela.
The WBC begins with high expectations following a celebrated 2023 tournament. Ohtani, now with the Los Angeles Dodgers, aims for Japan's record-extending fourth WBC crown.
Ohtani will focus on hitting, managing his workload after a successful offseason and championship run with the Dodgers. He expressed confidence in his health, stating, "I think the good thing is that I wasn’t hurt this year or had any injury... I’m very healthy."
Japan's deep pitching staff includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Yuki Matsui, complemented by significant power and precise defense. The team has reached at least the semi-finals in every WBC.
The sixth edition of the tournament runs from March 5-17 across Tokyo, Puerto Rico, Houston, and Miami. Teams are divided into four pools, with top finishers advancing to single-game knockout stages in the United States.
Team USA boasts what many consider one of the greatest rosters ever assembled. Led by captain Aaron Judge, the team includes Cal Raleigh and rising stars Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal. The U.S. seeks its first WBC title since 2017.
"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," said infielder Alex Bregman.
Puerto Rico is favored in Pool A. Pool D features the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, along with the Netherlands, Israel, and Nicaragua.