Which teams are left in World Baseball Classic? Listing strongest outfits ahead of Finals

The 2023 World Baseball Classic featured 20 teams from around the world. The teams were divided into four pools, and the top two from each pool advanced to the last eight.

In the quarterfinals, the group winners were pitted against runners-up from a different group.

As we head into the semifinals of the WBC, here's a look at the strongest teams remaining in the tournament.

Team USA are the defending champions and also one of the strongest teams left in the tournament. Led by captain Mike Trout, the team boasts the strongest hitting lineup, with star names like Mookie Betts, Nolan Arenado and Pete Alonso. Although they still have to overcome a strong Venezuelan team to qualify for the semifinals, they are the favorites to reach the final and lift the trophy for the second time.

Team Japan are also strong favorites to reach the WBC final. They have won the tournament a record two times. They're unbeaten in this year's tournament and have reached their fifth semifinal, becoming the only team to reach this stage in every edition.

They're led by two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and have a roster full of MLB and Japanese league talent. Their biggest names include Munataka Murakami, Matasaka Yoshida and Lars Nootbaar.

Behind the two top dogs is a fairly stacked Team Mexico. Although teams like Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic may have been expected to outperform the Mexicans, they have put in some impressive performances to deservedly reach the last four of the World Baseball Classic.

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Who will win the 2023 World Baseball Classic?

The stage is set for the conclusion of the biggest international tournament in the world of baseball, the World Baseball Classic.

The biggest MLB names left in the tournament are Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani and Alejandro Kirk. After tonight's quarterfinals between the USA and Venezuela, there will only be four teams left.

Here are the odds of winning the WBC for the remaining teams based on sports betting websites like DraftKings and FanDuel:

1. Japan +140
2. United States +210
3. Mexico +400
4. Venezuela +500
5. Cuba +1600

It remains to be seen who emerges as the winners, but the next few days of World Baseball Classic action promise to be nail-biting, as the remaining teams look to make history.