It’s not every day that someone manages to steal the spotlight from Shohei Ohtani. Kazuma Okamoto might just have pulled it off, however, while also putting Japan one step closer to winning the World Baseball Classic. Okamoto homered and drove in five runs to help back up Ohtani as Japan […]
Japan blows out Italy to advance to World Baseball Classic semifinals
It’s not every day someone manages to steal the spotlight from Shohei Ohtani. Kazuma Okamoto might have pulled it off, however, while also putting Japan one step closer to winning the World Baseball Classic. Okamoto homered and drove in five runs to help back up Ohtani as Japan advanced to […]
Captain America Mike Trout powers U.S. into WBC quarterfinals
U.S. captain Mike Trout drove in all three runs as the United States defeated Colombia 3-2 on Wednesday to book their place in the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic. Los Angeles Angels outfielder Trout — one of the figureheads of a star-studded U.S. line-up — knocked in singles in […]
Puerto Rico and Mets closer Edwin Diaz injured in WBC win
Puerto Rico eliminated the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday night, but the winners — and the New York Mets — may have sustained a devastating loss in the process. After Puerto Rico and Mets closer Edwin Diaz struck out Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernandez looking […]
Cuba gets past Australia to reach World Baseball Classic semifinals
Cuba needed to end up on the right side of a complex tiebreaker system to reach the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals. Qualifying for the semifinals was a much easier process: just beat Australia. Alfredo Despaigne drove in the tiebreaking run to spark a three-run fifth inning, and Cuba held on […]
Samurai Japan aims to leave Tokyo Dome with one last WBC victory
No matter what happens in Samurai Japan’s matchup against Italy in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals on Thursday night, it will be the team’s last game in Japan. So manager Hideki Kuriyama is counting on his No. 1 pitcher to give the fans a good show. Shohei Ohtani will get […]
Lars Nootbaar grinding way to Samurai Japan stardom at WBC
When St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar left spring training with the MLB club to join Samurai Japan for the World Baseball Classic, he was not sure what to expect. Nootbaar, an American, jumped at the chance to represent his mother Kumiko’s homeland when Japan reached out. The 25-year-old knew […]
Australia skipper Dave Nilsson would welcome chance to manage in NPB
Australia manager Dave “Dingo” Nilsson is a former member of the Chunichi Dragons and has fond memories of his time in Japan. Nilsson is back in the country for the World Baseball Classic as the manager of the Australian national team and guided the squad to three wins in its […]
Australia has ‘no fear’ ahead of WBC quarterfinal against Cuba
Team Australia has already advanced further than it ever has at the World Baseball Classic. So why stop now? The Australians, who advanced to the quarterfinals out of Pool B, alongside Japan, have their sights set on a showdown against Cuba and a place in the semifinals on Wednesday night […]
Japanese fans earn share of spotlight at World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic’s Tokyo-based Pool B has not only shone a light on MLB stars such as Shohei Ohtani and South Korea’s Kim Ha-seong. Japanese fans have also been in the spotlight. The enthusiasm from the crowds at Tokyo Dome was one of the defining features of the action […]