It has been three years since Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout for the final out to secure Japan’s championship in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
The international tournament returns Wednesday, with 20 teams competing in a format similar to the FIFA World Cup, with a group stage starting in Asia, followed by knockout rounds and the championship game at LoanDepot Park in Miami.
Japan has won it three times (2006, 2009, and 2023), while the United States was crowned champion in 2017 and the Dominican Republic in 2013. The tournament is officially scheduled to be held every four years, but it has played at different intervals to accommodate world events: 2006, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2023, and 2026. The 2021 edition was suspended because of COVID-19.
Ohtani, the most valuable player in 2023, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Aaron Judge top the list of stars who will participate in the competition.
Japan’s Shohei Ohtani reacts after taking a swing during an exhibition game against the Orix Buffaloes on Monday in Osaka, Japan.
(Eugene Hoshiko / Associated Press)
The United States is in Group B alongside Brazil, Great Britain, Mexico and Italy. On paper, the United States and Mexico are the favorites to advance, although previous editions have shown that the tournament often produces unexpected results.
Mexico was one of the surprises in the previous edition, led by Randy Arozarena. The team defeated the United States 11-5 in the group stage and beat Puerto Rico 5-4 in the quarterfinals, before falling 6-5 to Japan in the semifinals, in what was the first time it had reached this stage.
The final rounds in the United States are scheduled with the quarterfinals on March 13 and 14, the semifinals on March 15 and 16 and the championship game on March 17.
The games will be broadcast in the United States on Fox, FS1, FS2 and Fox Deportes.
Here are some key details about the WBC:
Notable rules:
- The World Baseball Classic will feature a pitch clock for the first time. Pitchers will have 15 seconds to deliver a pitch with the bases empty and 18 seconds when a runner is on base. Batters must be in the box and ready to hit with at least eight seconds remaining the clock.
- While the pitch clock is in, WBC will not be using the Automatic Ball-Strike System (ABS).
- Pitchers cannot throw more than 65 pitches in a single game in the first round of the tournament, 80 pitches in the quarterfinals and 95 pitches in the championship round. Pitchers can pass the limit to complete a batter’s plate appearance. Pitchers who throw 50 or more pitches during a game must have a minimum of four days’ rest before they can be used again. Those throwing at least 30 pitches will require one day of rest and pitchers who throw on consecutive days will also be required to rest for a day before pitching again.
- Each team gets a Designated Pitcher Pool, a reserve of up to six pitchers that can be called up after the first round of the WBC. Teams can replace up to four pitchers following the first round and up to two pitchers after the quarterfinal.
- During the first round and quarterfinals, games will end when a team leads by 10 or more runs after the completion of the seventh inning or 15 or more runs after completion of the fifth inning.
Dodgers on WBC rosters
Dodgers pitcher Edwin Díaz throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Feb. 25 in Scottsdale, Ariz.
(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)
Edwin Díaz (Puerto Rico)
Jake Gelof (Israel)
Hyeseong Kim (Korea)
Antonio Knowles (Great Britain)
Shawndrick Oduber (Netherlands)
Shohei Ohtani (Japan)
Will Smith (United States)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Japan)
Designated Pitcher Pool: Christian Suarez (Venezuela)
Angels on WBC rosters
Japan’s Yusei Kikuchi throws a pitch during an exhibition game against the Orix Buffaloes Monday in Osaka, Japan.
(Eugene Hoshiko / Associated Press)
Sam Aldegheri (Italy)
Gustavo Campero (Colombia)
Yusei Kikuchi (Japan)
Matthew Lugo (Puerto Rico)
Yoán Moncada (Cuba)
Samy Natera Jr. (Mexico)
Lucas Ramirez (Brazil)
Najer Victor (Great Britain)
Designated Pitcher Pool: Camden Minacci (Italy) and Francis Texido (Cuba)
The groups
The United States’ Aaron Judge talks with a coach prior to an exhibition game against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday in Scottsdale, Ariz. Judge is one of the biggest stars playing in the World Baseball Classic.
(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)
Group A (Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico)
- Puerto Rico (host)
- Canada
- Colombia
- Cuba
- Panama
Group B (Daikin Park, Houston)
- United States (host)
- Brazil
- Great Britain
- Italy
- Mexico
Group C (Tokyo Dome, Tokyo)
- Japan (host)
- Australia
- Chinese Taipei
- Czechia
- South Korea
Group D (LoanDepot Park, Miami)
- Dominican Republic
- Israel
- Netherlands
- Nicaragua
- Venezuela
The schedule
All games are listed in Pacific time.
Wednesday, March 4
Chinese Taipei vs. Australia – 7 p.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Thursday, March 5
Czechia vs. South Korea – 2 a.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Australia vs. Czech Republic – 7 p.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Friday, March 6
Japan vs. Chinese Taipei – 2 a.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Cuba vs. Panama – 8 a.m. – FS2/Fox Deportes
Netherlands vs. Venezuela – 9 a.m. – Tubi
Mexico vs. Great Britain – 10 a.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Puerto Rico vs. Colombia – 3 p.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic – 4 p.m. – FS2
United States vs. Brazil – 5 p.m. – Fox/Fox Deportes
Chinese Taipei vs. Czechia – 7 p.m. – FS2
Saturday, March 7
South Korea vs. Japan – 2 a.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Colombia vs. Canada – 8 a.m. – FS2/Fox Deportes
Nicaragua vs. Netherlands – 9 a.m. – Tubi
Brazil vs. Italy – 10 a.m. – Fox Sports app
Panama vs. Puerto Rico – 3 p.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Israel vs. Venezuela – 4 p.m. – FS2
Great Britain vs. United States – 5 p.m. – Fox
Chinese Taipei vs. South Korea – 7 p.m. – FS2
Sunday, March 8
Australia vs. Japan – 3 a.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Colombia vs. Cuba – 9 a.m. – FS2
Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic – 9 a.m. – Fox/Fox Deportes
Great Britain vs. Italy – 10 a.m. – Tubi
Panama vs. Canada – 4 p.m. – FS2
Nicaragua vs. Israel – 4 p.m. – Tubi
Brazil vs. Mexico – 5 p.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Monday, March 9
South Korea vs. Australia – 3 a.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Colombia vs. Panama – 9 a.m. – FS2
Dominican Republic vs. Israel – 9 a.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Brazil vs. Great Britain – 10 a.m. – Tubi
Cuba vs. Puerto Rico – 4 p.m. – FS1
Venezuela vs. Nicaragua – 4 p.m. – FS2
Mexico vs. United States – 5 p.m. – Fox/Fox Deportes
Tuesday, March 10
Czechia vs. Japan – 3 a.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Canada vs. Puerto Rico – 4 p.m. – Tubi
Israel vs. Netherlands – 4 p.m. – Fox Sports app/Fox Deportes
Italy vs. United States – 6 p.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Wednesday, March 11
Canada vs. Cuba – 12 p.m. – FS2/Fox Deportes
Italy vs. Mexico – 4 p.m. – Tubi
Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela – 5 p.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Quarterfinals
- Second place in Group C vs. winner of Group D (March 13 in Miami)
- Second place in Group B vs. winner of Group A (March 13 in Houston)
- Second place in Group A vs. winner of Group B (March 14 in Houston)
- Second place in Group D vs. winner of Group C (March 14 in Miami)
Semifinals
- Semifinal 1 (March 15 in Miami)
- Semifinal 2 (March 16 in Miami)
Final
- March 17 in Miami, 5 p.m., Fox/Fox Deportes/Fox Sports app/Tubi
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