Overview
The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is the premier international baseball tournament organized by MLB, first held in 2006. Japan (Samurai Japan) won consecutive titles in 2006 and 2009, then claimed a third championship in 2023. The 2023 final against the United States culminated in Shohei Ohtani striking out Mike Trout to clinch the title, electrifying the nation. The WBC provides NPB players a rare opportunity to showcase their abilities on the international stage, with strong performances sometimes catalyzing MLB moves. However, the March timing before the regular season raises conditioning concerns, and some players decline participation citing injury risk.