Japan’s Ohtani, who also dominated the WBC… Group B MVP selection

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• on Mar 15, 2023

Shohei Ohtani (29, LA Angels) of the Japanese baseball team won the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) 1st round Group B Best Player (MVP).

The WBC Organizing Committee announced that Ohtani was selected as the Group B MVP held in Tokyo, Japan on the 15th.

Ohtani, who dominates the major leagues with his two-time batting job, played an active role in the WBC as well, going back and forth between the mound and the plate.

In the first round of Japan’s Group B match against China, he performed a ‘one-man show’.

He pitched as a starting pitcher and pitched 4 innings, 1 hit, 5 strikeouts, no runs, and reached 100 miles (about 161 km) at his highest velocity. As a hitter, he went 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs, 2 walks and 1 run.

Ohtani’s performance did not stop.

After that, he played as a batter in the first round game and added hits and RBIs in every game.

‘Hitter’ Ohtani’s performance in 4 games was 6 hits in 12 at-bats (0.500 batting average), 1 home run, 8 RBIs, 5 runs, 7 walks and 1 stolen base. Ohtani, who hit 3 doubles and 1 home run, has an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 1.684.

With Ohtani at the forefront, the Japanese national team won all 4 matches in the first round and advanced to the quarterfinals as No. 1 in Group B.

On the 16th, Japan will play in the quarterfinals against Italy, second in Group A, at the Tokyo Dome in Japan.메이저놀이터

Ohtani is expected to come out as a starting pitcher in this game as well and double as a pitcher.

There was no official announcement from Japan, but Phil Nevin, coach of Ohtani’s team, the Los Angeles Angels, said earlier, “Ohtani will start in the WBC quarterfinals. There is no possibility of a mound after the semifinals.” This is a schedule with Ohtani’s major league opener in mind.

If Japan passes the quarterfinals, Ohtani will only appear as a batsman in the remaining WBC matches.