The Japanese team, which had been considered a favorite to win, failed to advance to the semifinals. Shohei Ohtani, the centerpiece of the Japanese team and a Major League Baseball 'superstar,' could not hide his disappointment.
Japan lost 5-8 to Venezuela in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) held at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, on the 15th (Korea time). This is the first time Japan has been eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Japan, which won the first tournament in 2006, returned to the top in the 2009 tournament. In the 2013 tournament they reached the semifinals, and they also reached the semifinals in the 2017 tournament. In the most recent tournament, the 2023 edition, they won the championship again.
Japan is the country with the most WBC championships. This tournament, too, they were a strong favorite. Although he did not serve as a two-way player this time, Ohtani, who won the National League MVP as a hitter alone, was on the roster. Also, last year's World Series MVP pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto started on the mound.
But they could not stop Venezuela's firepower. Japanese outlet Daily Sports lamented, "They suffered a Miami tragedy as they allowed three home runs to Venezuela's lineup," and added, "Japan had advanced to the semifinals in all five previous WBC tournaments, but for the first time they were eliminated in the quarterfinals. It ended in an unexpected result."
Another outlet, The Answer, reported Ohtani's interview. The outlet said, "More than an hour after the game ended, Ohtani appeared in the mixed zone and said, 'I'm really frustrated.'"
Ohtani hit a home run in his first plate appearance. Daily Sports observed, "After a confident swing, Ohtani made a gesture toward the bench telling them to 'calm down,' comforting the team." But afterward Ohtani fell silent.
In his second plate appearance in the third inning he was issued an intentional walk. With one out and a runner on second, Venezuela, leading 2-1, avoided pitching to Ohtani. He struck out swinging in the fourth and struck out in the seventh. In the ninth, trailing 5-8, with two outs and no runners on base, Ohtani came to the plate and was retired on a shallow fly to the infield, and the game ended as it was.
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