The World Baseball Classic (WBC) was back in action after six years: Nations and fans around the world gathered during this two-week series to discover which country would be named the king of baseball.
Tuesday’s championship showdown in Miami, FL did not disappoint. The U.S., spearheaded by Major League Baseball (MLB) superstar Mike Trout, faced Japan, led by the 2021 American League MVP Shohei Ohtani. The U.S. struck first, as shortstop Trea Turner sent a solo homerun soaring over the left field wall in the top of the second inning. Turner, who currently plays for the MLB team, the Philadelphia Phillies, had been a valuable player throughout the tournament, launching a total of four clutch home runs for the U.S. prior to the championship game. This fifth home run presented itself as a beacon of hope for the Americans (now leading 1-0), who were looking to defend their reigning world title from 2017.
But in an instant, the Japanese were quick to respond and take the lead.
In the bottom of the second inning, infielder Munetaka Murakami quickly tied the game, hammering the first pitch into the stands for his first solo home run of the tournament. Within the next few minutes the bases were loaded with only one out. Lars Nootbaar—a young outfielder of the St. Louis Cardinals MLB team who opted to represent Japan in this tournament—then hit a ground ball that got him out at first, but allowed the Japanese to take the lead (2-1, Japan).
In the rather long game of baseball, nine innings of play meant there were many opportunities for the opposing team to capitalize and gain the advantage. The Japanese had just done so after Turner’s home run. So, it was disappointing to see the U.S. fail to take back the lead for the remainder of the game. Its roster was stacked with professional and experienced players who have all been in similar situations before. Yet, even with the additional support from having the home field advantage, these fan favorites frustratingly struck out during the game’s most critical moments.
But regardless of who you were cheering for, every play became worth it once the ninth inning approached. There was one big question on everyone’s mind leading up to the game: Will we witness a Trout and Ohtani showdown? Both are not only high-profile athletes but also teammates on the Los Angeles Angels MLB team. Every viewer wanted to see Trout, a long-time veteran of the MLB with over a decade’s worth of professional play, at the plate facing Ohtani, who many argue to be the greatest baseball player in the world today. When this moment eventually arrived, it could not have been more perfect and was almost too cinematic to be real: With a full count (three balls and two strikes), two outs and the U.S. down by one, everyone in the audience held their breath, wondering which player would best the other.
As Trout’s final swing made contact with nothing but air, Ohtani threw his glove and rejoiced. This was a beautiful moment to witness live, and while upsetting for the U.S., I could not help but be happy for Japan. While this victory is no new feeling for them, having already won the WBC twice before, somehow this one felt sweeter.
It was a well-earned win, as Japan out-pitched the powerful offensive batters of the U.S. and out-ran the bases with greater speed and strategy. And, while it may be a small country relative to other competitors in this tournament, Japan has produced and sent tremendously talented players to the Major Leagues including Ichiro Suzuki (former outfielder) of the Seattle Mariners and Masahiro Tanaka (former pitcher) of the New York Yankees, just to name a few. I had the pleasure of being able to watch both players years ago, and it makes me eager to see how standout international athletes such as Ohtani will continue to break records and make way for Japan’s future in baseball.
By the end of the game, it was clear to me Ohtani deserved to be the MVP of the game. He showed up when he needed to and executed perfectly under pressure. During his time in the Major League, he has made himself a household name due to his illustrious ability to be an incomparable two-way player; it was no shock he walked away as the star of the night. So keep an eye out for him, as the MLB kicks off its regular season today, March 30th.