Shohei Ohtani. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
The Samurai Japan roster is set for the upcoming 2023 World Baseball Classic. Headlined by MLB-superstar Shohei Ohtani, the Samurai are the favorites to come out on top of Pool B. This not only due to their past success in the WBC, but they will also be playing in front of their home country. They will be competing with Korea, China, Australia and Czech Republic in the play-in round.
Japan won the first two WBC tournaments in 2006 and 2009, and have never finished below 3rd place in the world tournament. They are the only team to have accomplished winning the WBC more than once. The other champions being USA and Dominican Republic, in 2017 and 2013 respectively.
Pool B Games Schedule for March 2023 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan.
Projected Starting Lineup
2B Shugo Maki
SS Sosuke Genda
RF Seiya Suzuki
This lineup has a serious mix of contact, power and speed. Headlined by MLB players Ohtani, Suzuki, Yoshida and Nootbar, this lineup has the make-up to compete with any team in the tournament. Led by the 2021 American League MVP and runner-up for the 2022 AL MVP, Ohtani is the biggest star you’ll find in the whole tournament. With career MLB numbers of 127 HR, 342 RBIs, 66 SB, .886 OPS and 139 OPS+, Ohtani can slide into any spot of the lineup.
Nootbar, a young outfielder with MLB experience playing all three positions is expected to slide to center field, with Suzuki in right. Nootbar is an above-average on defense who rarely chases bad pitches and grades in the 90th percentile in average exit velocity. Pair those traits with his excellent arm strength and his ability to get on-base, he could prove to be an exceptional complimentary player to this team. Suzuki showed his ability to hit for both contact and power in 2022 in his rookie campaign with the Chicago Cubs.
Beyond the aforementioned names, there are two exciting players to watch on this Japan roster. Masataka Yoshida and Munetaka Murakami. Both players have shown tremendous power while playing in the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization over the past few years. Yoshida signed a five-year, $90-million contract with the Boston Red Sox this off-season. With the Orix Buffaloes of the NPB, he slashed .335/.419/.561 with 21 home runs and 80 walks in 508 plate appearances in 2022.
Murakami, who just turned 23-years-old on February 2, is known for his almost unlimited power. The left-handed hitter blasted 56 home runs in 612 plate appearances for the Tokyo Yakult Swalows in 2022. He has the type of power that can change the game at any moment. In a setting as competitive as the WBC, he could prove to play a huge role in close games throughout play.
Yu Darvish. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Pitching Rotation
Roku Sasaki
Once again, the rotation is headlined by Ohtani. Ohtani finished fourth in the 2022 AL CY Young Award voting, pitching to a 2.33 ERA, 1.012 WHIP, 172 ERA+ and 11.9 SO/9. He’s assumed to be penciled in as their No. 1 starter.
Darvish launched into the international baseball scene at the 2006 WBC as a 19-year-old standout for Japan. He first helped the team win the inaugural WBC in ’06, and in ’09 led Japan to another title where he ended up coming out of the bullpen to pitch the 9th and 10th innings in the championship game. He ended up allowing a run in the 9th to tie the game with Korea, but after Japan scored in the top of the 10th inning, Darvish shut it down for their second consecutive WBC title. His experience will have a huge impact for the Samurai in March, and not to mention he is still more than capable as a now 36-year-old.
Bullpen
One thing that jumps out when looking at Japan’s bullpen, everyone is age-27 or under. There isn’t a ton of experience of international play and to add on top of that there are no MLB players. This could become an issue for manager Hideki Kuriyama, especially once you get into the knockout stage. He’ll need to find a way to manage the bullpen in tight spots.
Atsuki will likely see a late-innings role. With the Hanshin Tigers in 2022, he posted a 1.09 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 59 games. Matsui is one of the few veterans out of the bullpen, he posted a 1.92 ERA with the Golden Eagles last season. Udagawa is another name to keep an eye on. He posted a 0.81 ERA with 32 strikeouts for the Orix Buffaloes in 2022. At the age of 24, he has the potential to be a key pitcher out of the bullpen for years to come.
When To Watch
Japan will face off against China in their opener on March 9th at 5:00 A.M. EST at the Tokyo Dome. They will strive for their third WBC championship in March. No matter which side you are on, this tournament has the chance to be the best one yet. If you remember, the WBC was scheduled to be played in 2021 before being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s time for intentional baseball!
