The United States and Japan will battle for the championship at the World Baseball Classic final on Tuesday night in what is sure to be an epic matchup of two of the best countries in the sport.
The U.S. made the elimination tournament after going 3-1 in Pool C. However, they finished just behind Mexico for the top spot in the group. Japan got out of Pool B with a 4-0 record and still haven’t lost.
The Americans have defeated Venezuela and Cuba on its way to an appearance in the final. Japan topped Italy and beat Mexico in a thrilling semifinal matchup to advance to the final.
Japan players celebrate after Masataka Yoshida hit a home run scoring Kensuke Kondoh and Shohei Ohtani during the seventh inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Mexico, Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Here are some things to know about the World Baseball Classic final.
Where can fans watch the final?
The World Baseball Classic final will be broadcast on FS1 at 7 p.m. ET. All games will be streamed on the FOX Sports app and on FOXSports.com.
Where is the final taking place?
The teams will meet at loanDepot Park in Miami — the home of MLB’s Miami Marlins.
Who is on the United States?
U.S.'s Paul Goldschmidt (46) runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Cuba, Sunday, March 19, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
The U.S. roster consists of: Jason Adam, Daniel Bard, David Bednar, Kyle Freeland, Kendall Graveman, Merrill Kelly, Aaron Loup, Lance Lynn, Mick Martinez, Miles Mikolas, Adam Ottavino, Ryan Pressly, Brady Singer, Adam Wainwright, Devin Williams, Kyle Higashioka, J.T. Realmuto, Will Smith, Pete Alonso, Tim Anderson, Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, Trea Turner, Bobby Witt Jr., Mookie Betts, Jeff McNeil, Cedric Mullins, Kyle Schwarber, Mike Trout and Kyle Tucker.
Who is on Japan?
The Japan roster consists of: Yu Darvish, Shosei Togo, Yuki Matsui, Roki Sasaki, Taisei Ota, Shohei Ohtani, Hiromi Itoh, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Ryoji Kuribayashi, Shoto Imanaga, Atsui Yuasa, Yuki Udagawa, Hiroto Takahashi, Hiroya Miyagi, Keiji Takahashi, Takuya Kai, Takumi Ohshiro, Yuhei Nakamura, Tetuso Yamada, Sosuke Genda, Shugo Maki, Taisei Makihara, Takumu Nakano, Kazuma Okamoto, Hotaka Yamakawa, Munetaka Murakami, Ukyo Shuto, Lars Nootbaar and Masataka Yoshida.
How many championships does the U.S. have?
The U.S. has one championship to its credit and one fourth-place finish.
How many championships does Japan have?
Japan has the most championships of any country in the WBC with two. They also finished in third place two times.
When is the next World Baseball Classic?
The next World Baseball Classic is set for 2026. But the locations are still yet to be determined.
