Mexico, Japan to battle for Classic title game berth (7 p.m. ET, FS1)
MIAMI — Everything is on the road right here: The winner advances to the ultimate and the loser’s journey ends right here. For Japan, it has by no means failed to achieve the semifinals and its two World Baseball Classic championships are greater than some other nation. (Both trophies are presently on show on the Baseball Hall of Fame Museum subsequent to the Tokyo Dome.)
This is Mexico’s first ever look within the semis.
When and the place: 7 p.m. ET on Monday at loanDepot Park in Miami, Fla.
How you possibly can watch: The recreation between Mexico and Japan is reside on FS1. Every recreation could be streamed on-line within the FOX Sports App. For worldwide viewing choices, click on right here.
How you possibly can pay attention: Live audio protection of all video games shall be carried on Sirius XM, TuneIn, MLB.com and within the MLB App.
What’s at stake: Samurai Japan has lived as much as its billing as maybe the most effective baseball staff on the planet. Japan has outscored its opponents, 38-8, and its pitchers have a 63 to five strikeout-to-walk ratio. Anything lower than a championship would in all probability be checked out as a disappointment.
Behind arguably its strongest roster in event historical past, Mexico is now simply two victories away from its first championship. While not many predicted that Mexico would get this far, it has really outscored America thus far because of dominant performances from Randy Arozarena and Joey Meneses.
Matchup historical past: The groups have solely met as soon as earlier than in 2006 and Japan beat Mexico, 6-1. Daisuke Matsuzaka — en path to his first World Baseball Classic MVP Award — gave up only one hit in 5 shutout innings within the victory.
Roki Sasaki, P, Japan: The 21-year-old fireballer will get the ball for Team Japan, and he hasn’t disillusioned thus far in his World Baseball Classic debut. Facing the Czech Republic, Sasaki topped 100 mph an astonishing 21 occasions (in simply 66 pitches) en path to eight strikeouts in simply 3 2/3 innings pitched. (He did hit the Czech’s Willie Escala — however later apologized with two baggage of sweet.)
Planning to return to America sooner or later, this could possibly be a time for him to make a press release in an MLB ballpark.
“I will play in Japan, and then I think something will become clear when I’m going to shift over [to America],” Sasaki stated after Japan’s exercise on Sunday.
Randy Arozarena, OF, Mexico: He could have wanted to ask for assist from the nation’s president to make sure he earned his Mexican citizenship in time for the event, however the staff positive is glad he did. Arozarena has pushed in 9 runs in simply 5 video games and is hitting .471/.625/.941 thus far within the event. His catch in opposition to Puerto Rico will possible be one among the moments of the event.
