Japan Wins The World Baseball Classic 2023

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Japan Wins The World Baseball Classic 2023

Japan earned a historic success in the World Baseball Classic as they landed victory in the prestigious event for the third time. It was an excellent performance by the national side, which also ensured that they earned qualification to the quarter final stage of the 2026 World Baseball Classic in three years’ time. But, how did they claim their dominant victory, and what was the great significance of the event for the sport in the host country?

Japan Cruised Through The Group Stage

There was always a feeling that Japan would be tough to beat in the World Baseball Classic, as they had a home advantage throughout. The national side made no mistake in showcasing why they were the firm favorites at Casinosnavi.com from an early stage, as they cruised to an 8-1 win against China, before registering a dominant 13-4 success against South Korea at the Tokyo Dome.

Further dominant performances were then put on against the Czech Republic and Australia to secure the top spot in Pool B. In total, they scored 38 runs throughout the pool stage and allowed just eight against, which were both considered the best records of any side in Pool B.

Run To The Final 

Japan’s confidence was at a high by the time the knockout stages got underway on March 15, and they wasted little time in booking their spot through to the semi-final stage with a 9-3 win over Italy at the Tokyo Dome. In the semi-finals, Japan came up against their biggest test to date, as Mexico had been capturing the eye since the early stages of the competition.

However, Japan rose to the occasion in a packed-out LoanDepot Park to claim success by the slenderest of margins. The 6-5 success set up a date with destiny, as they would come up against a formidable United States team, who had easily dispatched a talented Cuba in the semi-final stage.

Historic Success

Japan came into the final looking for a first victory in the World Baseball Classic since 2009. The nerves were clear for all to see in the early exchanges, as neither the hosts nor the USA looked to give too much away at an early stage. However, it was Japan that was able to keep its nerve as the pressure was stepped up, eventually claiming a 3-2 win over their formidable rivals.

Kazuma Okamoto was the star man on a famous night in Japanese baseball history, as he hit two points, while Munetaka Murakami also finished the final with one home run. A huge capacity crowd of 36,098 packed into the stadium in Miami to watch the final of the competition, with many in attendance expecting that the United States would be able to rise to the occasion. However, it wasn’t to be this year, as the Baseball Classic finally had the happy ending that all Japanese fans would have been hoping for.

What Is The World Baseball Classic?

The World Baseball Classic is the sport’s pinnacle on the world stage. It is still in its infancy, having only been competed on five occasions since its beginning in 2006. Viewing figures for the event have increased with each passing year, with the fact that it is played outside of the MLB season having a significant impact on its global success.

Japan has been one of the most successful nations in the tournament throughout its history, as the country has participated in all five editions, and has played more games and won more matches than any other nation. In fact, Japan has lost just five times at the World Baseball Classic, which is the joint-best of any nation that has played in all five editions.

The event doesn’t yet have the grand scale of global competitions such as the World Cup, with only ten nations having played in all editions of the event. But, it is certainly one that will continue to grow with every event that is staged.

Conclusion

Fans of the competition will not have to wait until 2026 for the sixth edition of the competition, with the venues and dates yet to be decided. Japan will go into the event as the defending champions, and they have already booked their spot in the competition courtesy of their performance in 2023. A further 16 nations have already secured their passage through to the 2026 World Baseball Classic, including the USA, Canada, and Dominican Republic.