Baseball, Columnists, Sports

On-Deck Circle: Japan wins WBC as MLB Opening Day nears

Over 36,000 fans at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, rose to their feet as Mike Trout walked out to the plate to face his Major League Baseball teammate, Shohei Ohtani. 

Chloe Patel | Senior Graphic Artist

More than 5.2 million Americans tuned into the World Baseball Classic Championship for this once-in-a-lifetime matchup, making it the most-watched WBC game ever in the United States.

As Trout strutted to the plate, the U.S. trailed by one run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning. Trout worked the count to 3-2, and then Ohtani struck him out on a sweeping slider. Team Japan rejoiced as they won their third WBC title — their first since 2009 and third overall. 

Japan made the championship game after a wild walk-off win in the semifinals against Mexico. Munetaka Murakami lined a double in the bottom of the ninth to give Japan the 6-5 win after trailing 3-0 heading into the seventh inning. 

On the other side of the bracket, the U.S. handily defeated Cuba by a score of 14-2. 

Trea Turner continued to show his stuff by hitting two home runs, including a three-run homer that gave the U.S. a 12-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth.

The championship game was a heavyweight battle between Japan and the U.S. In the end, Japan gutted out a 3-2 win in one of the most highly anticipated and viewed baseball games ever. 

Now that the commotion of the WBC has died down and Shohei Ohtani and Trea Turner have cooled off, it is now time to turn our attention to the Major League Baseball season, which kicks off on Thursday, March 30. 

The recent rule changes have proved successful in spring training, with games becoming shorter as pitchers adjust to the new pitch clock. 

While some players, such as Edwin Díaz and José Altuve, were injured during the WBC, others were hurt during spring training. Rhys Hoskins, Carlos Rodón and Brandon Nimmo were all injured during spring training and are expected to miss varying amounts of the regular season. 

While there may be some merit to decreasing the number of games played in spring training, this time is critical for players to get the rust off and prepare for a long and grueling season. 

As Opening Day nears, here are my predictions for the major end-of-season awards.

American League MVP: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels

Ohtani continues his two-way dominance, cruising to 40-plus home runs and leading the Angels to a Wild Card appearance. 

National League MVP: Juan Soto, San Diego Padres

In his first full season in San Diego, Soto explodes offensively and, alongside a full lineup, steers the Padres to an NL West title and World Series appearance. 

American League Cy Young: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels

Pending unrestricted free agency ahead of 2024, Ohtani becomes the first player in MLB history to win both the MVP and Cy Young in the same season. 

National League Cy Young: Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee Brewers

The 2021 NL Cy Young winner returns to dominant form in his own contract year after losing his salary arbitration with the Brewers. Burnes will be back with added motivation with his payday waiting in the offseason. 

American League Manager of the Year: Alex Cora, Boston Red Sox

It is impossible to win this award just by meeting expectations. The Red Sox are at rock bottom, so it’ll be impossible for them not to meet their low expectations. After losing Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez and signing the lowly Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner, even a third or fourth-place finish for the Sox will warrant an award for Cora. 

National League Manager of the Year: Brian Snitker, Atlanta Braves

On the other hand, coming out on top in a tough division like the NL East can also merit this award. If the Braves are able to outplay the Mets and Phillies, Snitker will be in line for this award. 

American League Rookie of the Year: Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles

Henderson is a lock for this award as one of the most highly touted prospects in recent memory. Even in a pitcher-friendly ballpark like Camden Yards, Henderson will lead all rookies in home runs and take this award home. 

National League Rookie of the Year: Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks

Despite playing in some of last season, Carroll retained his rookie status, so he is a safe pick here. Already with MLB experience, he will continue to adjust to the majors as a speedy outfielder in Arizona. MLB Pipeline’s second-highest ranked prospect will have plenty of opportunities to show off his strength from the plate and speed on the bases. 

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