With the WBC going on, adrenaline is running high and baseball fans are on the edge of their seats. Notably, the World Baseball Classic has been a truly exciting tournament to follow so far, and it’s only going to get more thrilling. The finals are almost here, but there’s one last semi-finals match-up left between Japan and Mexico. And while both teams have some wonderful players, even Mexico recognized the star that is Shohei Ohtani.
Teams from all over the world are showing off their baseball talent and have taken fans by surprise. Ohtani is a true sportsman who publically, and frequently, always shows his respect for other teams. Most recently, Team Mexico, who is about to face the Ohtani-led team, expressed their admiration for the two-way star.
The Mexican team poses with Shohei Ohtani ahead of facing him in the WBC semis
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There’s no denying it – Sho-time is a superstar. A sensation just waiting to happen. A lot of critics have commented on how current baseball fans are witnessing history being made with this once-in-a-century kind of talent. It’s not that Ohtani just plays well on one side of the ball, he’s equally excellent on both sides. And that is a sight to behold; the 28-year-old probably makes his opponents shiver before they face him in a game. But some, like the Mexican team, certainly respect him and look forward to playing against him.
Team Mexico taking a photo with Shohei Ohtani 大谷翔平#WorldBaseballClassic is amazing 🤩 and it matters it gave baseball a very energetic & fun atmosphere showcasing countries different culture etc pic.twitter.com/KX7ZYMdbRj
— 大谷翔平 ¹⁶⚾ Ohtani Shohei ¹⁶ (@shoheisaveus) March 20, 2023
One of the Ohtani fan pages on Twitter recently shared a video of the North American team on the field with Sho-time. He was standing on a field as different Mexican players came up to him to get their picture taken. The other team certainly has strong players; after all, they made it to the semi-finals. But in a moment like this, everyone turned into fanboys!
Japan vs. Mexico – where and when?
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It’s a highly anticipated match-up between two very competent teams. The game will take place on March 20th, 7 pm ET, and can be followed on FOX Sports 1. Japan is the kind of country that has produced players who have never failed to reach the semis in a World Baseball Classic edition before. So really, this time is nothing new.
And they’re already the only team with multiple WBC championship wins, so if they win, it maybe won’t be groundbreaking in the grand scheme of things. It will be the country’s first win with Ohtani, though, who has led Japan on an undefeated winning streak so far.
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This is Mexico’s first appearance in the semis, however, and they WILL make history if they win.
WATCH THIS STORY – Japanese Two-Way Baseball Star Shohei Ohtani Hits 100th Major League Homer