Ohtani among big stars on deck for WBC

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.

- By Eduard Cauich

SHOHEI OHTANI practices for Japan ahead of the WBC. The Dodger was tournament MVP in 2023.

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.

The United States is in Group B alongside Brazil, 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