WATCH LIVE: Ohtani, Japan open Classic vs. China on FS1
All eyes in Japan are on the Tokyo Dome as Team Japan — arguably the strongest staff on this match — begins its chase for its third World Baseball Classic championship. Japan begins towards China, which went winless within the 2017 match however will hope to shock the world with one of many greatest upsets potential.
Here’s all you must know in regards to the matchup:
When and the place: Now on the Tokyo Dome
How you may watch: The sport between China and Japan is reside on FS1.
Games can be found on FOX, FS1, FS2, Tubi or FOX Deportes, and each sport may be streamed on-line within the FOX Sports App. For worldwide viewing choices, click on right here.
How you may pay attention: Live audio protection of all video games will likely be carried on Sirius XM, TuneIn, MLB.com and within the MLB App.
What’s at stake: The 20 groups have been positioned in 4 swimming pools of 5 groups for the primary spherical of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, with every staff enjoying the others in its pool as soon as and the groups with the 2 greatest data in every pool on the finish of this spherical advancing to the knockout stage. Japan and China are a part of Pool B with Korea, Australia and the Czech Republic.
Matchup historical past: Japan and China have met in each earlier World Baseball Classic, with Japan taking each contest. Japan has outscored China 37-5 in these video games.
Shohei Ohtani: Ohtani is not going to solely go well with up for his very first World Baseball Classic, however he’ll toe the rubber, too. He’s already proven off his energy, smashing two house runs in an exhibition sport in Osaka on Monday, and now he’ll get to point out off his Cy Young-caliber pitching with the world’s eyes watching.
Munetaka Murakami: The power-hitting third baseman is coming off a record-setting season, hitting 56 house runs to interrupt Sadaharu Oh’s single-season mark for a Japanese-born participant in Nippon Professional Baseball. With China’s pitching workers seemingly the weakest within the pool, he might feast with loads of energy on this one.
Xiang Wang: Team China’s beginning pitcher to start the match, Wang earned the silver medal on the National Championships in 2019. He was additionally named the Champion of the 2021 National Championships and earned the bronze medal in 2022. Though he’s a member of the Shanghai Eagles, the Chinese National Baseball League has been shut down since 2019 resulting from COVID-19.
Ray Chang: Team China’s greatest star is again for his fourth World Baseball Classic. The 39-year-old is now taking up teaching duties as properly, and even helped recruit gamers like Angels Minor Leaguer Alan Carter. He drove in the one run within the 2017 match. He retired following that WBC, however when given the chance to play once more, he could not resist the chance.
