We have a finale, ladies and gentlemen! This afternoon, The USA faces off against Japan, the only undefeated team in the tournament, for the 2023 World Baseball Classic title. The two baseball powerhouses are expecting plenty of excitement this afternoon in front of thousands of fans in Miami.
Will Team USA repeat or will Team Japan go undefeated for its 3rd #WorldBaseballClassic title?
Find out Tuesday night at 7 PM ET on @FS1! pic.twitter.com/NkzfX0BShk
— MLB (@MLB) March 21, 2023
Japan's semifinal opponent, Mexico, came within three outs of moving on to the final, but Japan was able to advance with an epic comeback in the ninth inning capped off by a walk-off homerun. Mexico displayed great baseball from start to finish, showing that it can compete with the world's best on international baseball's grandest stage. One of the players who captured the hearts of fans was Randy Arozarena, born in Cuba but naturalized Mexican. In addition to his talent on the field, he is a consummate professional and proud to wear the Mexican colors. While they didn't reach the final, this tournament is far from a failure for Mexico.
There were many captivating storylines in this tournament. Nicaraguan pitcher Duque Hebbert, for example, had an enormous performance at just 21 years old. He caught the attention of the MLB's Detroit Tigers, and they ultimately signed him to a contract.
In contrast, there was the case of Iván Prieto, the Cuban catcher who did not return with his team that attended the WBC, becoming the first athlete to defect in this event. Prieto, a championship-winning catcher for the Cuban league's Los Alazanes de Granma, is 27 years old and will now seek to establish himself in professional baseball independently.
There is just one game left to be played, but the stories of the World Baseball Classic will be written in the history books forever.
