Any loss from here on out means the end of the tournament and a trip back home. Venezuela is the away team after finishing second in Pool D following a close loss to the Dominican Republic on Wednesda

The attitude toward the sport really began to change when Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, “Lefty” Gomez and other Major League Baseball (MLB) heavy hitters embarked on a goodwill tour of Japan in 1934. Babe Ruth crowded by fans in Japan, 1934. . Photo: Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

Japan defeated Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic to win its third championship title, but when did baseball become a popular sport in the country?

Shohei Ohtani and Japan knocked off Korea 8-6 today in pool play of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Ohtani homered for the second straight game as the Japan team hit four home runs, including two by Seiya Suzuki.

MLB controversially handed local broadcast rights to the 2026 World Baseball Classic to Japan in a move that has slowed growth of the tournament in the baseball-crazed nation

A weekend appearance by Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai at Tokyo Dome, where he cheered on his island’s team at the World Baseball Classic, has created a geopolitical storm. But the real significance of this match lies beyond the stadium.

In Japan, where Netflix has exclusive rights to the WBC, residents are not used to paying subscription services to watch sporting events.

Few people on this planet can hit the ball as hard or as far as Munetaka Murakami. The Samurai Japan slugger, who inked a two-year, $34 million deal with the White Sox earlier this offseason, proved t