Japan defeated the United States in the World Baseball Classic final to reach the top spot for the third time in their career. At the center of it all was Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani, who appeared as a closer in the beginning of the ninth inning, had a “dream match” with teammate and current best hitter, US captain Trout. Ohtani, who struck out on a swing with a sharp slider at the end of a full count match and secured a 3-2 victory, was also the MVP of the day.
Possessing not only skills but also sportsmanship that baseball fans all over the world are passionate about, Ohtani truly showed the perfection of ‘manga baseball’.
In the locker room ahead of the finals, he gave a speech to awaken the fighting spirit of his colleagues, saying, “Let’s throw away our fear of America for today,”메이저놀이터 and even after winning, he praised other teams, including Korea.
Ohtani did not forget to respect his opponent throughout this tournament. He took off his hat to show respect to the opposing team, signed an autograph for the pitcher who had struck out, and paid tribute by wearing the cap of the amateur Czech team.
Major Japanese newspapers published specials featuring Otani on the front pages to announce the victory, and the whole of Japan became a huge festival.