Shohei Ohtani named 2023 World Baseball Classic MVP

Shohei Ohtani named MVP for 2023 World Baseball Classic

March 23, 2023 no Comments Jane Njoku

Shohei Ohtani has not been called to close out a game for the last seven years. His manager Hideki Kuriyama felt the same way as he called the shots in the World Baseball Classic. Back then, the situation at hand was crucial too – Japan needed to win to advance to the 2016 Japan Series – with Ohtani brought in to face the remaining three Softbank Hawks batters after DH-ing all game.

After seven years, Ohtani was called forth again on Tuesday, this time to take on the title of world’s best. As always, he stepped up to the challenge to close out the game for his motherland, leading Japan to a 3-2 victory, earning the World Baseball Classic crown.

See – Ohtani shines as Japan defeats USA to win World Baseball Classic

The pitcher closed the game in a remarkable manner, striking out his Angels teammate and powerhouse Mike Trout swinging on a 3-2 pitch.

Shohei delivered the way a global two-way star would. He helped Samurai Japan accept its latest star, as Lars Nootbaar became the first non-Japanese-born player to join the team.

“All you got to do is be born being able to throw at 100 mph and hit the ball 500 feet,” Nootbaar joked after the game. “There’s really not that much going into it. But, no, he’s exceeded all of my expectations. He’s able to do stuff that I can’t even dream of doing.”

He controlled the plate, hitting .435 and drawing a truly absurd 10 walks. He hit a home run and run infield singles, extra-base hits, and stole bases too.

Ohtani recreated the same magic on the mound, too. Starting two games, he struck out 11-batters and when the Baseball clash anticipated by every fan Ohtani VS Trout happened, he was not fazed.

The title of the World’s MVP has never been in more deserving hands.

“What he’s doing in the game is what probably 90 per cent of the guys in that clubhouse did in Little League or in youth tournaments, and he’s able to pull it off on the biggest stages,” Mark DeRosa USA manager said. “He is a unicorn to the sport. I think other guys will try it, but I don’t think they’re going to do it to his level.”

When Kyle Schwarber faced Yu Darvish in the top of the eight to cut Japan’s lead to one, the game was set. Trout would bat in the ninth. Ohtani who ran to the bullpen and then back to the dugout to bat – legging out on an infield single, natch before going back to the bullpen again, had to pitch.

“When I was in Japan, of course, I didn’t run to the bullpen, but I do have the experience doing that,” Ohtani said, downplaying his remarkable achievement. “So, to go from the dugout and the bullpen and back and forth is not difficult for me.”

Jeff McNeil battled before drawing a walk, receiving cheers from USA fans.

Mookie Betts, MVP Award-winner, grounded into a double play. And the crowd got wilder.

Then, big dog Trout stepped onto the plate. He breathed deeply before stepping in, maybe stopping to slow his heart rate. It did not matter, the game had ended.

“What blows me away on this stage is the fact that no moment’s too big for him,” DeRosa said. “He did not seem rattled by walking Jeff McNeil on a close pitch, not rattled that three MVPs were coming up to bat.”

Before the big moment, Ohtani gave a speech to motivate his teammates, telling them that they could defeat the USA and that there was nothing to be afraid of from the lineup and pitching staff featuring star Major League ballplayers.

“Just looking at the lineup of the great players made us feel like — how do I say that? – obviously, we had respect, but at the same time, it looked like we might get beaten,” Ohtani said about how the clubhouse felt. “So, [I told them to] just forget about those kinds of feelings. We’re even. We have to just beat ’em.”

“… In my baseball life, [winning the World Baseball Classic was] one of the things that I wanted to achieve,” Ohtani said. “Today I was able to achieve one of the goals. Of course, I happened to to get the MVP, but this really proves that Japanese baseball can beat any team in the world.”

The MVP Award was not the only honour announced after the intriguing close to the tournament. People who made the All-World Baseball Classic Team were announced too.

Trea Turner (USA) and Randy Arozarena (Mexico) were voted unanimously to the All-World Baseball Classic team. Turner tied a record with five home runs in one Classic, slashing .391/.440/1.043 overall with 11 RBIs. Arozarena matched a WBC record for doubles, with six, and hit .450/.607/.900 in six games.

Masataka Yoshida custodian of Japan’s powerful offense, set a new single-tournament record with 13 RBIs, slashing .409/.531/.727 total with a double and two home runs. Puerto Rico’s Javier Báez made the All-Tournament Team for the second time in his career, including in 2017, after hitting .368 (7-for-19) with three doubles, a home run, and six RBIs.