Can Team USA beat Samurai Japan and Dominican Republic in WBC 23?

Team USA has everything to lose when they take the field in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The tournament, set to begin on March 8th and last until March 23rd, will be the first sight baseball fans will get of international play since 2017.

Although scheduled to take place in 2021, the last World Baseball Classic was postponed to March 2023 amidst concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tournament will take place across a variety of host venues in the USA, Japan, and Taiwan. Team USA carried themselves to a championship victory in the 2017 WBC, and are touted as the most stacked team in this year's tournament as well.

Captained by Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout, who is making his WBC debut, the team features a wealth of MLB talent. Team USA boasts stars like Trea Turner, Mookie Betts, and NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt.

"An updated look at Team USA’s WBC roster after the commitments the last few days." - @ Shawn

The top challengers this year are Japan and the Dominican Republic. Japan will feature Shohei Ohtani, the first-ever pitcher to strike out 100 and hit 100 RBIs. Although there are rumors that he might be used in a relief role, Ohtani adds an unparalleled boost to the Japanese team.

Japan will feature most of its players from the NPB - Japan's National Pro Baseball League, widely regarded to be second only to the MLB in terms of skill.

"Ohtani showing off the 2023 wbc Japan jerseys, Alright team USA your next!" - @ Cactus Cook

The Dominican Republic is set to produce a good fielding team as well. Although the team was bested by Puerto Rico in 2017, the DR is returning in 2023 with a vengeance.

The top name for the Dominican Republic is Seattle Mariners rookie Julio Rodriguez. Rodriguez hails from Loma de Cabrera in the northwest portion of the country.

This year for the Seattle Mariners, Rodriguez hit 28 home runs and 75 RBIs. He also hit .284/.345/.509 and was named the second Rookie of the Year Award winner for the Seattle Mariners in three years.

The top pitcher for the Dominican Republic in the upcoming World Baseball Classic is Sandy Alcantara. The 27-year-old starter from the town of Azua in the Dominican Republic threw a league-best six complete games and posted an ERA of just 2.28 over a league-high 228.2 innings.

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Team USA will meet harsh competition, but has an early edge

The Americans will begin their 2023 WBC run on March 11th at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Japan will begin their action at the Tokyo Dome, while the Dominican Republic will play group stage matches in Miami. This means that the three teams will have a chance to play each other later in the tournament, undoubtedly setting the stage for some very exciting international action!