And, one would think, it'll grow the game in the United States, where the excitement was palpable. It'll grow the game in places like the Czech Republic and Taiwan, which produced record viewership. It'll grow the game in Mexico, thanks to a Randy Arozarena-led team that exceeded expectations. This year's World Baseball Classic will undoubtedly grow the game throughout the world. That the tournament somehow exceeded the lofty expectations it carried heading into it. That the energy in the ballpark was incredible. What will be your lasting impression of this WBC? Manager Mark DeRosa said he wanted Mullins in for the defensive upgrade he provided, but he wound up going 0 for 4 on a night when offense was in short supply. So to see him get the start and relegate Pete Alonso to the bench came as a surprise. GonzalezĪs excellent a defensive outfielder as Cedric Mullins is, his six plate appearances in the WBC going into the championship game were the third-fewest on Team USA, ahead of only third catcher Kyle Higashioka and 22-year-old Bobby Witt Jr. Maybe Japan knew something the rest of us didn't. Instead, Darvish waited in the bullpen, acted as a setup reliever and clearly was not sharp in the eighth inning. He was lined up to start, and he had only accumulated five innings throughout this World Baseball Classic, scant enough usage for the Padres to worry whether he'd be prepared for Opening Day. Was there a managerial decision in the final that left you scratching your head? Sometimes sports moments unfold with drama and stakes that don't seem real. Trout in a one-run game with two outs in the ninth inning and watching it go to a full count with the championship on the line is a 100th-percentile outcome. Trout in any situation would've been a treat. The utter perfection of the entire situation. Instead, he flipped a slider, his third-most utilized pitch in 2022, and Trout swung way early. Everyone in the building probably thought Ohtani would challenge Trout with another fastball. The count had run full, Japan led by a single run. Trout saw four consecutive 100-plus mile-and-hour fastballs in his epic ninth-inning showdown against his two-way teammate. What was your favorite part of Ohtani vs. We finally got the at-bat we'd all been waiting for. In the ninth, Jeff McNeil drew a leadoff walk against Ohtani, but Mookie Betts bounced into a double play and Trout struck out - whiffing on a full-count slider after getting four consecutive 100-mph fastballs. had two runners on base who failed to score. In the second, third, fifth and seventh innings, the U.S. went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, its worst mark ever in the World Baseball Classic. And in a game with such a small margin for error, against a team with so much talent, that proved to be the difference. Team USA simply didn't capitalize on run-scoring opportunities. He tossed a few warmup pitches, checked back into the game - and recorded the save. Darvish pitched the eighth inning, nearly giving up the lead, and paved the way for Ohtani, who walked to the bullpen after sliding into second base on a double play. In all, seven pitchers were utilized, six of whom are starters. to one run in the first two innings and the bullpen took it from there. There were questions around why Yu Darvish didn't start, but Shota Imanaga held the U.S. It utilized its bullpen perfectly - for the fans, considering the epic matchup that finished this tournament, but mostly to set itself up for a win. We have you covered with everything you need to know for the WBC grand finale, from best moments to postgame takeaways.īaseball world reacts to Japan's WBC victory The win gives Japan its third WBC title and ends Team USA's quest for a repeat crown. Ohtani struck out his Los Angeles Angels teammate in the ninth inning to close out a 3-2 victory for Japan. The final game of the 2023 WBC, between the tournament's two most dominant teams, ended with the matchup everyone was hoping to see. Mike Trout - for the World Baseball Classic title. Weeks of exciting international baseball all came down to this: USA vs.
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