Japan 3, United States 2 - Final
2023 World Baseball Classic score: Japan holds off USA as Shohei Ohtani closes out team's third WBC title
Ohtani struck out his Angels teammate to end the game in storybook fashion
Japan defeated Team USA 3-2 on Tuesday night to win the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Japan, who went undefeated throughout the tournament, has now won three WBC tournaments: 2006, 2009, and 2023. They remain the only nation to win multiple tournaments, though Team USA would have joined them with a victory.
The Americans pulled out to an early lead, as Phillies shortstop Trea Turner launched a solo home run in the second to put them up 1-0. Turner's home run happened to make some history on both, country and tournament-wide levels. We'll touch on that more below. For now, just enjoy the moving pictures:
US of TREA! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/r9qRQ8l1g8
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 21, 2023
Team USA's lead didn't stand for long. Japan third baseman Munetaka Murakami, who homered 56 times last season and who drove in the game-winning run against Mexico on Monday, hit his own solo home run in the third inning to even the score. Take a look at this monster mash:
Murakami CRUSHED this baseball at 115.1 MPH! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/OdRd0OUCvD
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
Japan would later take a 2-1 lead on a Lars Nootbaar fielder's choice. They would extend it to 3-1 on another home run, this one by first baseman Kazuma Okamoto.
Kazuma Okamoto extends Team Japan's lead to 3-1! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/z0bjgPAFGz
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
To close out the game, Japan's manager, Hideki Kuriyama, turned to two Major League Baseball aces. Padres right-hander Yu Darvish was first up, checking in for the eighth. He experienced some turbulence, surrendering a long home run to Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber, reducing Japan's lead to 3-2. Darvish also gave up a hit to Turner, but he worked around it.
Schwarber straightens it out! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/g5FJFfW1q4
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani, whose availability had been uncertain dating back to last week, took the reins for the ninth. He closed out the victory and ensured Japan's championship. He worked around a leadoff walk to Jeff McNeil, coercing a double-play ball from Mookie Betts to set up the matchup everyone wanted to see: against Angels teammate Mike Trout, in a battle of arguably the two best players in the world.
THE FINAL OUT.
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 22, 2023
What a moment for Shohei Ohtani and Team Japan 🇯🇵🏆 pic.twitter.com/8DdTDhkryk
Ohtani and Trout worked to a full count, fittingly, with Ohtani securing a pair of swing and misses on 100 mph fastballs. Ohtani then struck out Trout with a slider away, securing the end of the game and the tournament.
Here are five other things to know about Japan's latest WBC championship.
1. Japan's other pitchers hold strong
Most of the attention will be on Ohtani and Darvish, or Murakami and Okamoto's home runs, but Japan can credit its win in large part to an overall strong effort from their pitching staff. Lefty Shota Imanaga began the contest, holding the Americans to one run on four hits over two innings. He was subsequently relieved by a concert of NPB arms: Shosei Togo, Hiroto Takahashi, Hiromi Itoh, and Taisei Ota. Those four combined to throw five innings, surrendering three hits and three walks, and striking out five batters.
2. Japan completes dominant run
Japan went 7-0 in the WBC, running the table in both pool and single-elimination play. They didn't just beat their opponents; they overmatched them. Japan outscored their foes by a combined 56-18 margin -- that is, for those without a calculator, an average of five-plus runs per contest. What's more is that Japan scored at least six runs in all but one of its games. Fittingly, the exception was Tuesday, when they plated only three runs.
3. Team USA falters with men on
The Americans didn't want for opportunities to match or overtake Japan. On the night, they went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position. That resulted in nine total runners left on base. Several of the Americans' best bats -- Nolan Arenado, Turner, Schwarber, and Mookie Betts -- stranded runners on base with two outs. Had one or two of them converted, the game would've had a different outcome. Alas, that wasn't meant to be the case.
4. Turner makes history
We mentioned in the introduction that Turner's home run, his fifth of the tournament, had historical significance. For starters, he established a new record for the most career home runs hit by an American batter in WBC history. He also tied the overall most home runs in a single tournament. That distinction had previously belonged to Korea's Seung-Yuop Lee, who had homered five times as part of the 2006 event. Adrián Beltré (Dominican Republic, 2006) and Wladimir Balentien (Netherlands, 2017) ranked third and fourth with four home runs apiece during those respective tournaments.
5. Next WBC coming in 2026
Prior to the game, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed that the next edition of the WBC will take place in 2026. The tournament tends to have a cadence of every four years, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced a seven-year gap. The decision to host another WBC in 2026 likely stems from it marking 20 years since the first tournament. You can find out which 16 countries have already qualified for entry by clicking here. Oh and by the way, Angels outfielder Mike Trout has already agreed to partake.
You can relive all of CBS Sports' running commentary from the game below.
Live updates
🥇🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/uXgTfF4VeZ
— ダルビッシュ有(Yu Darvish) (@faridyu) March 22, 2023
A strong start to 2023 for Masataka Yoshida!#WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/Es5QEPGZmJ
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
Yu's a two-time champ!#WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/tqrIrCmSoN
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
🥇🇯🇵🔥
— ダルビッシュ有(Yu Darvish) (@faridyu) March 22, 2023
ファンの皆様、本当におめでとうございます!#WBC2023#TeamJapan pic.twitter.com/h6dRzF0nTT
Champion.
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
MVP.
Closer.#WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/eQ9Wv995AR
A celebration of champions. 🏆 #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/tVvFouZzCx
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
Team USA fell to Japan, 3-2, in front of a sold-out crowd in the title game of the World Baseball Classic.
— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) March 22, 2023
RECAP: https://t.co/QINN2WGNil
The 2023 All-World Baseball Classic Team! pic.twitter.com/haN7F85ebR
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
Another MVP award to add to Ohtani's mantel. #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/obVbw01vjv
— MLB (@MLB) March 22, 2023
2006 ➡️ 2009 ➡️ 2023 🏆#WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/5vmhjvkvyU
— MLB Vault (@MLBVault) March 22, 2023
We're all just fans of the game. #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/roaifa3YB7
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) March 22, 2023
A couple of #WorldBaseballClassic champions. pic.twitter.com/CICQbXuItU
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
Your 2023 #WorldBaseballClassic champs: Team Japan! pic.twitter.com/5oiNVvHtQo
— MLB (@MLB) March 22, 2023
One final mini mic from Lars Nootbaar at the #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/aCi41mfRTh
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
Greatest Sho on Earth! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/pPzY1QGijN
— MLB (@MLB) March 22, 2023
#WorldBaseballClassic titles:
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
Japan: 3 🇯🇵
Dominican Republic: 1 🇩🇴
United States: 1 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/EM5KnxgUxL
NOBODY ELSE HIT A BALL HARDER OR THREW A PITCH HARDER THAN SHOHEI OHTANI DID, THE ENTIRE WBC
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) March 22, 2023
LET THAT SINK IN
A perfect 7-0 #WorldBaseballClassic performance from Team Japan! pic.twitter.com/3H6sBioS8D
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
The 2023 #WorldBaseballClassic MVP: Shohei Ohtani! pic.twitter.com/iDcRPgXymU
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
That was the most ELECTRIC ending we could have dreamt of! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/s1WIImh3eq
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
Final. pic.twitter.com/ZWxmioDIHR
— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) March 22, 2023
Trout vs Ohtani lived up to the HYPE! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/Z8aZAjpDRg
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
SHOHEI OHTANI STRIKES OUT MIKE TROUT TO WIN THE #WORLDBASEBALLCLASSIC! pic.twitter.com/F7vUtIiRR1
— MLB (@MLB) March 22, 2023
Ohtani strikes out Trout
3-2 slider. What an at-bat. What a game. What a WBC.
Undefeated Team Japan secures its 3rd #WorldBaseballClassic title! pic.twitter.com/ehM62luyw9
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
Mookie bangs into a double play
It comes down to Ohtani vs. Trout. Good gravy 😍
McNeil walks
The tying run is aboard with Mookie, Trout, and Goldy coming up. No outs.
THE TYING RUN IS ON BASE.
— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) March 22, 2023
The visuals
All balls and strikes aside, Shohei Ohtani on the mound to close out this game is just really really cool. He's just out there pumping 100 mph fastballs and showing the world what he can do.
we are not well #GoHalos x @WBCBaseball pic.twitter.com/bfkdSO3fzN
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) March 22, 2023