World Baseball Classic

A top-heavy bracket in the WBC should draw a horde of rabid fans in Tokyo starting Wednesday when host Japan takes on China.

They’ll need to lean on Schneider, Minařík and Červenka for their experience in a tough group. Don’t let anybody tell you that Shohei Ohtani is a unicorn in the WBC. Since then, he helped develop youth baseball in his country, managing the first Czech team to play in the Little League World Series, Brno, in 2013. As an undrafted free agent out of Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn., Carter, 25, recently signed a minor-league deal with the Angels. Check. His dad, Lee Jong-beom, was an MVP himself, in 1994, a legend in his time who earned the nickname “Son of the Wind” because of his astounding speed. Now 56, he’s been managing the KT Wiz since 2018, where he took a 50-94 team and turned them into league champs within three years. They might be among the favorites if their roster were Shohei Ohtani ( And they rolled to gold at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2021. He is a generational slugger, a David Ortiz-type in the making. RHP A top-heavy bracket in the World Baseball Classic should draw a horde of rabid fans in Tokyo starting Wednesday when host Japan takes on China to open Group B.

The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is returning to Taiwan, after a ten-year hiatus, for the qualifying rounds. The tournament will feature teams from Ta.

Taiwan Excellence, a globally recognized symbol of product quality and innovative design, plays an important role in this commitment. As the host country for the A-group preliminaries, Taiwan extends a warm welcome to the players through enthusiastic fans, fascinating cuisine, and the opportunity to experience the latest Taiwan Excellence awarded technology and lifestyle products. This innovative solution has received the Taiwan Excellence Award and will play a vital role in maintaining environmental hygiene throughout the tournament. This device allows players to easily back up precious game data and memories when they run out of phone storage. This is a hand-sized device that automatically backs up photos, videos, contacts, and other content while your phone is charging. So, the organizers are providing the players with another Taiwan Excellence awarded product, the PX 4K HDR Wireless Presentation Receiver.

The sporting event, which was first held back in 2006, returned on Tuesday, March 7, with a game between Cuba vs. Netherlands, which the European team won 4-2.

Pool A runner-up-Pool B winner quarterfinal winner vs. Pool B runner-up-Pool A winner quarterfinal winner vs. Pool C winner, 7 p.m. Pool D runner-up vs. Pool D winner, 7 p.m. Pool C runner-up vs. Pool B winner, 6 a.m. Pool A runner-up vs. Pool A winner, 6 a.m. - Pool B runner-up vs. ET (FS1) ET (FS2)

Italy's World Baseball Classic roster has a few notable major-leaguers, but manager Mike Piazza is the biggest name associated with the team.

Here's a list of notable names who will be playing for Piazza in the World Baseball Classic. While he doesn't have managing experience, Piazza is no stranger to the World Baseball Classic. Piazza has Italian roots on his father's side, as his father was the son of immigrants from Sicily.

The 20-team World Baseball Classic got underway after a six-year absence with the Netherlands defeating Cuba 4-2 in a Group A game in Taiwan to open the ...

Didi Gregorius singled home Roger Bernadina to tie it 1-1 in the third. He played in part of eight seasons with Oakland, Boston, Detroit and the New York Mets. Japan has won it twice (2006, 2009) and the Dominicans once (2013).

Wednesday's play gets underway at 6 a.m. ET as Panama take on Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) before the evening's games get going at 10 p.m. with Australia taking on ...

Having finished fourth in the last two WBC tournaments, the Netherlands are the easy favorites in Pool A, and Panama will lean heavily on its pitching to keep the game within reach. The Netherlands are one of the hottest teams in the competition and are coming off a 4-2 win over Cuba. Both of these teams have a lot to prove and will go all out in the Tokyo Dome to put things to rights. Both of these teams will be out to prove that they belong on the world’s biggest baseball stage. Korea is one of the world’s great baseballing nations, and yet have failed to get out of the group stage in the last two editions of the WBC. as Panama takes on the Netherlands.

The World Baseball Classic kicks off with pool play on Tuesday night with Cuba vs. the Netherlands. Follow along with updates, news, analysis and more below ...

The Netherlands and Cuba open the tournament at 11 p.m. The White Sox are quietly optimistic that the opportunity to play for their national team will be a shot in the arm for Luis Robert Jr. And the last two WBCs, we got to the semifinals. In 2009, we beat the Dominican twice and eliminated them. In the history of the tournament, the Dutch are 2-0 against South Korea, 2-1 against the Dominican Republic and 3-1 against Cuba. And this year, they will play with Cuban pros for the first time, including Luis Robert and Yoán Moncada of the White Sox. The WBC is something to appreciate while safe in the knowledge that you’re never going to lock yourself in a bathroom, crying, “How could you do this to me, United States?” — unless you’re talking about Blue Shield denying one of your claims. How they got here: They had to get through Argentina and Brazil to qualify for the WBC. After signing a startling 11-year, $280 million deal with the Padres in December, the Aruban-born Bogaerts leads a sneaky good team from the Kingdom. Bert Blyleven is the pitching coach and Andruw Jones is the bench coach. How they got here: They were ranked fourth in the world in 2017 but fell flat in the WBC, going 0-3 in their pool as Israel and Netherlands advanced instead. He hits the ball a ton — when he hits the ball.

Dominican Republic (2013): This squad has three superstars (Juan Soto, Manny Machado, Rafael Devers), three young studs (Julio Rodríguez, Wander Franco, ...

and José Altuve (Venezuela), Francisco Lindor and Javier Báez (Puerto Rico) and Julio Urías and Randy Arozarena (Mexico). The WBC has a chance to Realmuto, Kyle Tucker, Kyle Schwarber, Cedric Mullins). Their ace is reigning National League Cy Young Sandy Alcántara. The rotation, however, is only OK. But fans' patience has been rewarded with a stacked group of talent that signed up to play after rave reviews from the previous edition. [Venezuela](https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/roster/venezuela), [Puerto Rico](https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/roster/puerto-rico) and [Mexico's](https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/roster/mexico) rosters are probably the next three deepest, boasting players like Ronald Acuña Jr. [fill that void](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/mar/06/why-is-the-us-finally-treating-the-world-baseball-classic-like-a-world-cup). How it works: Over the next week, four pools of five teams will compete in round-robins across four host cities. The World Baseball Classic is back for the first time in six years. [odds](https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/baseball/world-baseball-classic) and a quick look at the rosters of the [United States](https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/roster/united-states), [Dominican Republic](https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/roster/dominican-republic) and [Japan](https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/roster/japan), who have combined to win all four previous WBCs. [$](https://theathletic.com/4164855/2023/02/07/cardinals-mlb-world-baseball-classic/)).

If we weren't already excited enough about the arrival of the World Baseball Classic, the video of Shohei Ohtani wearing a Japan jersey, hitting a home run ...

They shine in the WBC spotlight and I get to rank them next time. Sandoval might just have been the best largely ignored starting pitcher in the AL last year; he had a 2.91 ERA/3.09 FIP in 27 starts for the Angels, and if you’re looking for a reason to believe Mexico could make a deep run, it starts with a rotation of Sandoval and Urquidy backing up ace Julio Urias. Thoughts: The two Cardinals playing games in Asia to start the WBC have already become fan favorites, Nootbaar in Japan and Edman in South Korea. Franco will hope to use the WBC to show he’s ready to fulfill his massive talent, though finding ABs in that lineup, with that infield, won’t be easy. Lee won the Triple Crown in South Korea last year, and he’ll hope to use the WBC to show teams his talent; he’ll be posted next offseason and join a MLB team for the 2024 season (at least, that’s the plan). Remember how good he was in the postseason for the Astros? Also in this grouping: the guy who threw six no-hit innings in the World Series (Javier), the guy who has become a perennial Cy Young candidate (Urias), the 2017 WBC MVP (Stroman) and a home-run star in Japan who will be playing for an MLB team before long (Murakami). He’s the best pitcher in baseball, and he will be the reason the Dominican Republic wins the title game. Then for Devers. And how good is the Top 10 that the two players who finished 1-2 in the NL MVP vote are in the nine and 10 spots? Then for Lindor. The rosters are stacked, as you’ve probably heard.

Adley is heaped with praise, an off-season reminder, and players impressing in Sarasota.

The outfielder played in nine games for the 2009 Orioles. As for the Orioles still in Sarasota, the exhibition games March on. Lewin Díaz is said to be a defensive whiz at first, but there is no indication he can move to the outfield. This piece also paints the organization in a rather favorable light, calling them “careful” and “considered” this offseason rather than some of the adjectives I would probably use. For those of you most interested in Orioles (current and former) taking part in the tournament, For the next few years, at least, we will get to see a master at work. I do not buy that the Orioles are going to use a major league roster spot on a backup first baseman unless that person can also truly handle another position on the field. - The late Ryan Freel (b. A profile story of an Orioles player...in the New York Times? The Orioles have endured some rough play behind the plate in-between Matt Wieters’ hayday and the Rutschman era. But you will have to stay up late to catch the action taking place in Asia. His 55 pitches would seem to indicate he is on a fine trajectory to be fully stretched by Opening Day.

After two years of delay, the world's biggest international baseball tournament is here — use these services to stream the World Baseball Classic online for ...

on FS2 There are a lot of games to watch between now and then; check out the full 2023 World Baseball Classic schedule below (times in ET): on FS1 Thanks to the Want to watch the World Baseball Classic online for free? [fuboTV](https://www.fubo.tv/welcome?irad=343747&irmp=256585&subId1=RS), which includes Fox, FS1, and FS2 in its 151-channel [Pro plan package](https://www.fubo.tv/welcome?irad=343747&irmp=256585&subId1=RS). [ Buy Free Trial DirecTV Stream](https://www.kqzyfj.com/click-8972725-15210722?sid=RS&url=https://www.directv.com/stream/) Below are the best places to stream World Baseball Classic games online — including a couple of options with free trials. Best of all, DirecTV Stream starts with a [five-day free trial](https://www.kqzyfj.com/click-8972725-15210722?sid=RS&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.directv.com%2Fstream%2F) to test it out. If you’ve cut the cord, there are still plenty of ways to watch the World Baseball Classic online. If you’re looking to watch the competition, read on. Team USA are the defending champions after winning in 2017, and will host the championship game in Miami later this month.

The 20-team World Baseball Classic got underway after a six-year absence with the Netherlands defeating Cuba 4-2 in a Group A game in Taiwan to open the ...

But Nien-Ting Wu hit a two-run homer and pushed the game to the full nine innings. Didi Gregorius singled home Roger Bernadina to tie it 1-1 in the third. He played in part of eight seasons with Oakland, Boston, Detroit and the New York Mets.

Reigning NPB MVP Munetaka Murakami, who bashed 56 home runs for the Yakult Swallows last season and surpassed the league record for a Japanese-born player ( ...

Nearly every other player on the roster was born in the Czech Republic and plays in its local amateur league. It’s a moment a decade in the making for the Czech national team: Finally reaching the World Baseball Classic. Unfortunately, for all those big upsets, the team has yet to reach the second round of play in the Classic -- something that will be difficult to do with some of the baseball giants around them in Pool B. The team could be difficult to predict, as much of the roster comes from China’s National Baseball League. The team should be strong enough to make a deep run in this year’s competition. 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On the fence about playing for the United States in advance of the 2017 World Baseball Classic, Mike Trout took a pass, saw the joy on the American team as ...

At the same time, the Americans know they’re expected to win and baseball can get weird in small samples, and the tournament’s spring build-up timing only amplifies that. Randy Arozarena, Jonathan Aranda, Rowdy Tellez, and Alex Verdugo are the heart of a difficult-to-navigate lineup, while starters Julio Urias, Jose Urquidy, Taijuan Walker, and Patrick Sandoval should give the offence a chance to do its thing. Need to know: The British market is an interesting one for Major League Baseball, which is seeking to establish a real foothold in Europe in an effort to broaden the game’s reach and expand its revenue streams. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs play in London this summer (the Toronto Blue Jays are up for a series there, too, perhaps as soon as next year) and an appearance in the WBC, even if only a happy-to-be-here stay, should help further build interest. Graham Spraker is a former Blue Jays draft pick signed by the Rays to a minor-league deal last month. Either way, the youth on the roster, led by Bo Naylor, Edouard Julien, Denzel Clarke, Owen Caissie, and Mitch Bratt, bodes well for 2026, when the next Classic is expected to be held.

The World Baseball Classic's relaxed rules for country affiliation have created a few interesting pairings, including Lars Nootbaar and Japan, ...

Harvey had a 7.09 ERA in 12 starts with the Angels, earning his release in July. After a brief stint with the Royals in 2020, the Orioles' total lack of interest in contending gave Harvey one more chance to re-establish himself. A strong performance in the World Baseball Classic may catch the eye of some teams, but it's quite possible his drug suspension will affect how teams view him. Skaggs died from a fatal mix of oxycodone, fentanyl, and alcohol in July 2019. He posted a 2.71 ERA across 29 starts, tossing 189.1 regular-season innings and 26.2 more in the postseason. Harvey has seen his share of highs and lows since debuting with the Mets in 2012. Harvey struck out 11 batters in just 5.1 innings in his major-league debut, posting a 2.73 ERA across 10 starts down the stretch. The Mets found a taker. Former Mets ace Matt Harvey will pitch for Italy in the World Baseball Classic, helping anchor a roster that has a few players with serious major-league experience. While he returned with high expectations in 2017, the results were even more concerning. There were few pitchers as dominant as Harvey, who started the All-Star Game at Citi Field and pitched well enough that his turn in the rotation became a must-watch event every five days. Harvey has described himself as part-Italian and part-Irish, and his Italian roots must be strong enough to pass the tournament's guidelines.

Diamondbacks Ketel Marte, Alek Thomas, Merrill Kelly and 13 D-backs players and prospects are joining their national teams for the WBC.

He was a finalist for the Gold Glove award in center but had a difficult second half of the year offensively with a .500 OPS in MLB games after Aug. Arizona had 26 position players step up to the plate last season with injuries and other bumps in the road, an inevitability in a 162-game season. The D-backs will also keep a close eye on their players representing their flags during the WBC, even those playing overseas. They will be thrust into meaningful games off the bat in a double-elimination format during group play. We like their versatility, but those are just three of many who will get extra opportunities and extra at-bats and I want to really take advantage of that time.” You know, players like Phillip Evans, Diego Castillo, Yairo Munoz, we’re going to be able to look at them in different positions.

From South Korea's Platinum Glove-caliber middle infield to the Dominican Republic's Murderer's Row lineup, it seems every side competing in baseball's biggest ...

This is the place that gave us The Beatles, The Clash and Pink Floyd. Picture this: you have Nike as your outfitter and have a chance to design a jersey that could stand in the annals of fans' memories going forward. Still, compared to some of the weaker choices of the crop, they're decent. The color is the standout feature. First look of Shohei Ohtani in the Team Japan WBC jersey. Although the canary yellow may be played out, Colombia has always tended to make it work in a sporting setting (for evidence, check out their 2014 World Cup kits). An ornate crown on the chest of the button-up. looks to be the team to beat entering into the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Puerto Rico's jerseys are all of that and then some, paying homage to Castillo San Felipe del Morro, one of the most picturesque sites in all of the country. Admittedly, as with most things in the baseball world, design risks were more subdued this time around. As with any major international sporting event, the WBC offers teams a chance to strut their finest fits with the world watching. Much like a stained-glass mosaic, this year's World Baseball Classic will be chock-full of color.

From South Korea's Platinum Glove-caliber middle infield to the Dominican Republic's Murderer's Row lineup, it seems every side competing in baseball's biggest ...

This is the place that gave us The Beatles, The Clash and Pink Floyd. Picture this: you have Nike as your outfitter and have a chance to design a jersey that could stand in the annals of fans' memories going forward. Still, compared to some of the weaker choices of the crop, they're decent. The color is the standout feature. First look of Shohei Ohtani in the Team Japan WBC jersey. Although the canary yellow may be played out, Colombia has always tended to make it work in a sporting setting (for evidence, check out their 2014 World Cup kits). An ornate crown on the chest of the button-up. looks to be the team to beat entering into the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Puerto Rico's jerseys are all of that and then some, paying homage to Castillo San Felipe del Morro, one of the most picturesque sites in all of the country. Admittedly, as with most things in the baseball world, design risks were more subdued this time around. As with any major international sporting event, the WBC offers teams a chance to strut their finest fits with the world watching. Much like a stained-glass mosaic, this year's World Baseball Classic will be chock-full of color.

The 2023 World Baseball Classic is underway and there is already a Catch of the Tournament candidate.

[Ruben Tejada](/mlb/players/1595127/ruben-tejada/) and current big leaguer [Christian Bethancourt](/mlb/players/1718084/christian-bethancourt/) ( [Rays](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/TB/tampa-bay-rays/)), exploded for 14 hits and eight walks. [Jurickson Profar](/mlb/players/1796123/jurickson-profar/), [Xander Bogaerts](/mlb/players/1945481/xander-bogaerts/), [Didi Gregorius](/mlb/players/1810724/didi-gregorius/), and [Jonathan Schoop](/mlb/players/1840090/jonathan-schoop/) went a combined 2 for 14 for the Netherlands. Journeyman catcher [Chadwick Tromp](/mlb/players/2227126/chadwick-tromp/), now with the [Braves](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/ATL/atlanta-braves/), plated two insurance runs with a two-out, two-strike, bloop single. The umpires got together to talk it out and confirm it was indeed a catch. The first game was a thriller and the second was a stunner. That's Luis Castillo the former Tigers minor leaguer, not one of the many other Luis Castillos to play in the big leagues. [Tigers](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/DET/detroit-tigers/) minor leaguer, bent but did not break in three innings. [Yoenis Cespedes](/mlb/players/1953406/yoenis-cespedes/), who has not played in the big leagues since 2020, went 0 for 2 with two walks. Nien-Ting Wu hit a two-run home run with one out in the sixth inning to cut the deficit to 12-4 and keep Chinese Taipei alive. The teams with the two best records in each pool advance to what is essentially a single-elimination eight-team tournament. The tournament began Wednesday with the first two games of Pool A play in Taichung, Taiwan. Righty Yariel Hernandez, one of the best non-

It's still unclear what Ohtani will do with the bat, but he is taking the mound Thursday.

He will be a free agent after this season and figures to sign the richest contract in baseball history. [Yu Darvish](/mlb/players/1937347/yu-darvish/) and righties Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are expected to follow in some order. The first round of the WBC features four five-team pools. He went 2 for 5 at the plate in three spring games in addition to all his behind-the-scene work on the backfields. [Here is the full WBC schedule](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2023-world-baseball-classic-schedule-dates-teams-times-tv-channel-as-shohei-ohtani-pitches-thursday/) and [here is everything you need to know about this year's event](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2023-world-baseball-classic-rules-format-rosters-and-more-for-international-tournament/). Ohtani made one start and threw 2 1/2 innings with the

The World Baseball Classic is underway. Here's what you need to know about the international tournament.

Japan and Shohei Ohtani start their WBC journey on Thursday in Tokyo with the Angels two-way superstar serving as his country's starting pitcher in the opener.

0 There are a couple of jam-packed days of international baseball ahead, with games starting at different times across the globe. From there, it's a single-elimination bracket style tournament with the championship game set for Tuesday, March 21 in Miami. Team USA, looking to defend its title after winning it all in 2017, will begin WBC play on Saturday against Great Britain in Phoenix. The 2023 World Baseball Classic is underway as 20 teams vie for the international title.

Let's take a look at 10 names to watch whom you probably already know and 10 names you can learn now to fully enjoy the splendor of the WBC.

The 2023 World Baseball Classic returns after a six-year absence. Follow updates on the WBC right here.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- It was just over five months ago that Yadier Molina finished his distinguished, 19-year career with the St. Louis Cardinals.

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Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels throws a pitch during the first inning Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images. The 2023 World ...

Live stream: Odds: TBD Cuba could pick up two important wins and entered with the eighth-best odds to win the WBC at +2500. ET Thursday also marks the first appearance in the tournament for any team outside of Group A. They will face Italy in the first game and Panama in the second.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- For Sandor Guido and Team Nicaragua, Wednesday's game against the Mets was no meaningless exhibition. It was 17 years in the making.

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The World Baseball Classic continues Thursday with a Pool A matchup between Cuba and Italy at Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taiwan.

Cuba (0-1) and Italy (yet to play) are part of Pool A with the Netherlands (1-0), Chinese Taipei (0-1) and Panama (1-0). [Luis Robert Jr.](https://www.mlb.com/player/luis-robert-jr-673357), CF, Cuba: Robert is the best hitter in this lineup. [Vinnie Pasquantino](https://www.mlb.com/player/vinnie-pasquantino-686469), 1B, Italy: Pasquantino, still just 25, is the star of this team. [Roenis Elías](https://www.mlb.com/player/roenis-elias-606273), SP, Cuba: Elías has been a very solid pitcher during his Major League career, but recently, that’s only been as a reliever. It has participated in every WBC, riding a Cinderella story to its best finish (seventh) back in 2013. This will be Italy’s first game of the 2023 Classic.

TOKYO -- Robbie Glendinning hit 19 home runs in Double-A last year and added six more this winter playing for Melbourne in the Australia Baseball League.

The Aussies are expected to be strong favorites in that one and could put themselves in solid position to reach the second round of play for the first time in national team history. "I think he could put the team in a good mood for tomorrow." Box 4100","city":"Seattle","state":"Washington","stateAbbrev":"WA","postalCode":"98104","defaultCoordinates":{"latitude":47.591333,"longitude":-122.33251},"country":"USA","phone":"(206) 346-4000"},"timeZone":{"id":"America/Los_Angeles","offset":-8,"tz":"PST"},"active":true,"season":"2023"},"springVenue":{"id":2530,"link":"/api/v1/venues/2530"},"teamCode":"sea","fileCode":"sea","abbreviation":"SEA","teamName":"Mariners","locationName":"Seattle","firstYearOfPlay":"1977","league":{"id":103,"name":"American League","link":"/api/v1/league/103"},"division":{"id":200,"name":"American League West","link":"/api/v1/divisions/200"},"sport":{"id":1,"link":"/api/v1/sports/1","name":"Major League Baseball"},"shortName":"Seattle","franchiseName":"Seattle","clubName":"Mariners","active":true},{"springLeague":{"id":114,"name":"Cactus League","link":"/api/v1/league/114","abbreviation":"CL"},"allStarStatus":"N","id":137,"name":"San Francisco Giants","link":"/api/v1/teams/137","season":2023,"venue":{"id":2395,"name":"Oracle Park","link":"/api/v1/venues/2395","location":{"address1":"24 Willie Mays Plaza","city":"San Francisco","state":"California","stateAbbrev":"CA","postalCode":"94107","defaultCoordinates":{"latitude":37.778383,"longitude":-122.389448},"country":"USA","phone":"(415) 972-2000"},"timeZone":{"id":"America/Los_Angeles","offset":-8,"tz":"PST"},"active":true,"season":"2023"},"springVenue":{"id":2532,"link":"/api/v1/venues/2532"},"teamCode":"sfn","fileCode":"sf","abbreviation":"SF","teamName":"Giants","locationName":"San Francisco","firstYearOfPlay":"1883","league":{"id":104,"name":"National League","link":"/api/v1/league/104"},"division":{"id":203,"name":"National League West","link":"/api/v1/divisions/203"},"sport":{"id":1,"link":"/api/v1/sports/1","name":"Major League Baseball"},"shortName":"San Francisco","franchiseName":"San Francisco","clubName":"Giants","active":true},{"springLeague":{"id":115,"name":"Grapefruit League","link":"/api/v1/league/115","abbreviation":"GL"},"allStarStatus":"N","id":138,"name":"St. Louis","clubName":"Cardinals","active":true},{"springLeague":{"id":115,"name":"Grapefruit League","link":"/api/v1/league/115","abbreviation":"GL"},"allStarStatus":"N","id":139,"name":"Tampa Bay Rays","link":"/api/v1/teams/139","season":2023,"venue":{"id":12,"name":"Tropicana Field","link":"/api/v1/venues/12","location":{"address1":"One Tropicana Drive","city":"St. Petersburg","state":"Florida","stateAbbrev":"FL","postalCode":"33705","defaultCoordinates":{"latitude":27.767778,"longitude":-82.6525},"country":"USA","phone":"(727) 825-3137"},"timeZone":{"id":"America/New_York","offset":-5,"tz":"EST"},"active":true,"season":"2023"},"springVenue":{"id":2534,"link":"/api/v1/venues/2534"},"teamCode":"tba","fileCode":"tb","abbreviation":"TB","teamName":"Rays","locationName":"St. Louis","firstYearOfPlay":"1892","league":{"id":104,"name":"National League","link":"/api/v1/league/104"},"division":{"id":205,"name":"National League Central","link":"/api/v1/divisions/205"},"sport":{"id":1,"link":"/api/v1/sports/1","name":"Major League Baseball"},"shortName":"St. Louis","state":"Missouri","stateAbbrev":"MO","postalCode":"63102","defaultCoordinates":{"latitude":38.62256667,"longitude":-90.19286667},"country":"USA","phone":"(314) 345-9600"},"timeZone":{"id":"America/Chicago","offset":-6,"tz":"CST"},"active":true,"season":"2023"},"springVenue":{"id":2520,"link":"/api/v1/venues/2520"},"teamCode":"sln","fileCode":"stl","abbreviation":"STL","teamName":"Cardinals","locationName":"St. For Team Korea, the loss is a huge dent to its goal of moving to the second round for the first time since the 2009 tournament, making Friday’s game against Japan (5 a.m. "When I put the tag on, I knew for a fact that he came off the base. In the bottom of the seventh, pinch-hitter Baekho Kang smashed a one-out double to left field. Suffice to say, he’d definitely never hit a home run that was watched by so many people as he did on Thursday in the World Baseball Classic. Louis Cardinals","link":"/api/v1/teams/138","season":2023,"venue":{"id":2889,"name":"Busch Stadium","link":"/api/v1/venues/2889","location":{"address1":"700 Clark Street","city":"St.

Tim Kennelly, Robbie Glendinning and Robbie Perkins all blasted home runs in Tokyo to lift Australia past the heavily fancied Koreans in their opening game of ...

TOKYO (AP) — Robbie Perkins hit one of Australia's three homers to beat South Korea 8-7 on Thursday in Group B at the Tokyo Dome.

Cuba picked up one in the bottom of the 10th. Brett Sullivan’s sacrifice in the sixth scored Sal Frelick and gave Italy a 1-0 lead. Jurickson Profar added to the lead in the fifth with another one-run home run. South Korea added another run in the sixth. Australia, leading 5-4 in the top of the eighth, put the game away with a three-run shot by Perkins. Besides Ohtani, the fan favorite was Lars Nootbaar of the St.

TOKYO (AP) — Robbie Perkins hit one of Australia's three homers to beat South Korea 8-7 on Thursday in Group B at the Tokyo Dome.

Jurickson Profar added to the lead in the fifth with another one-run home run. South Korea added another run in the sixth. Australia, leading 5-4 in the top of the eighth, put the game away with a three-run shot by Perkins.

But of course it's not. There are a lot of real Major League Baseball players out there, wearing their country's uniforms, and when a certain country's team is ...

1 prospect](https://www.mlb.com/prospects/mariners/harry-ford-695670) will be [catching for the Brits](https://www.mlb.com/news/harry-ford-excited-to-represent-team-britain-in-world-baseball-classic). He may be one of Team USA’s top starters. and it most certainly won’t be the last time. Stroman was the MVP for Team USA six years ago. He’s now on your team, Phillies fans. He’s a middle-of-the-order hitter for both Team Mexico and the Nats. Is this the year Acuña is an MVP candidate again? which might just be the case for Team USA as well. If Italy can surprise some people, Vinnie could be a cult hero outside of just Kansas City. For many Red Sox fans, the WBC will be the first real chance to see their new free agent signee play at all. Both teams are upstarts looking to surprise this go-around. It’d be nice to see him perk up playing for his home Puerto Rican team.

Here is the current global hierarchy as best we can tell, the ladder of teams in the WBC based on their current rosters and past success.

[Jonathan Loáisiga](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/jonathan-loaisiga-wk2lfKZLZcH3tuwm/) of the [Yankees](https://theathletic.com/mlb/team/yankees/) and [Erasmo Ramírez](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/erasmo-ramirez-mJnoknGDGNBKj4I0/) of the [Nationals](https://theathletic.com/mlb/team/nationals/). [White Sox](https://theathletic.com/mlb/team/whitesox/) teammates [Luis Robert](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/luis-robert-pPo62FcaJJSyZ9wT/) and [Yoán Moncada](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/yoan-moncada-GZMmP6biFf1lzf5B/). [Freddie Freeman](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/freddie-freeman-fJdyR59AnffvvTIg/), a Gold Glover in [Tyler O’Neill](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/tyler-oneill-1ey9BvjfLii1bpWQ/), and a long-established starter in Cal Quantrill. [Mike Trout](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/mike-trout-KJGSXFXlt4bQ7ryA/), [Mookie Betts](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/mookie-betts-40qIanIFo3PVjfGr/) and [Paul Goldschmidt](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/paul-goldschmidt-cIMcObLXGUH9ajDk/). [MLB](https://theathletic.com/mlb/)-ready rotation led by [Julio Urías](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/julio-urias-H40mwN8L59YMA2CP/), [Patrick Sandoval](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/patrick-sandoval-O62HuZOhgKojSW7r/), [Taijuan Walker](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/taijuan-walker-IPFPyP5FKirFvE8G/) and [José Urquidy](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/jose-urquidy-2MLVujQ5RNUYl4Cm/), Mexico easily could be a top-five team in these rankings. [Juan Soto](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/juan-soto-NxTzrhe2HdUzjr6T/), [Manny Machado](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/manny-machado-hlO4E371SbPAEH8e/) and [Julio Rodríguez](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/julio-rodriguez-srSnhiOiHfohqBN2/). [Randy Arozarena](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/randy-arozarena-c8tw66zq0sO32dMJ/) and Luis Arías, playing in their first WBC, provide pop. Future Hall of Famer [Miguel Cabrera](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/miguel-cabrera-2RT6VdCQdrsAlUQb/) will lead the way. [Cardinals](https://theathletic.com/mlb/team/cardinals/) catcher and future Hall of Famer Yadier Molina. [Blue Jays](https://theathletic.com/mlb/team/jays/) pitcher [Chris Bassitt](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/chris-bassitt-8lXaCJO2cM99HRjF/) [told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.](https://theathletic.com/4255281/2023/02/27/world-baseball-classic-dominican-republic-lineup-projection/) “It probably will go down as the best lineup ever. And [Rafael Devers](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/rafael-devers-aYFCXCmxYKrBzriU/) and [Willy Adames](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/willy-adames-lHgFxGYfenYkTTuo/) combined for 58 homers last year. Not because one of his sluggers, [Vladimir Guerrero Jr.](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/vladimir-guerrero-jr-NH5vpgJFew5YnGyl/), pulled out of the WBC last week with a knee injury.