It’s been 6 long years since the World Baseball Classic (WBC) took place. For context, when the baseball world last congregated for the marquee event, Aaron Judge had yet to play his first full season at Major League level, Giancarlo Stanton was a Miami Marlin, and Kris Bryant was the reigning NL MVP.
Still remembered fondly by many fans, the 2017 WBC was held across Seoul, Tokyo, Miami, Zapopan, San Diego, and Los Angeles – continuing the tournament’s efforts to provide access for fans all around the world. Ultimately, the USA were victorious, defeating Puerto Rico in the Final. Marcus Stroman, then a Toronto Blue Jay, was named MVP after tossing 6 shutout innings in the championship game and posting a tournament ERA of just 2.35.
Looking to retain the trophy in 2023, the USA is set to take its strongest-ever roster to the tournament. Reading more like an All-Star team than a national side, the likes of Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Pete Alonso, Nolan Arenado, and Clayton Kershaw will all be pulling on a uniform for the Stars and Stripes. They won’t have it all their own way though; former winners Japan and the Dominican Republic will pose a stern test, while talented squads from the likes of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and South Korea will also be hopeful of their chances. With anything possible in a single game of baseball, even debuting nations like Nicaragua and Great Britain will be hoping to cause an upset or two.
In 2023, the WBC will get underway on 8 March in Taiwan, with the final game slated for 21 March in Miami. Four pools of teams will take part in the First Round of fixtures, with each pool playing all its games at a single venue. For example, teams in Pool C (United States, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, Great Britain) will play all their group stage games at Chase Field, Arizona, while those in Group D (Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Israel, Nicaragua) will be based at loanDepot Park in Miami. Once the group stage is over, Second Round matches will take place in Miami and Tokyo, while the Championship Round (Semifinals and Final) will be played solely in Miami.
With affordable tickets available for every game (as low as USD $8 for some games), the World Baseball Classic not only breaks up the long MLB offseason, but also gives fans of all ages the chance to enjoy a day at the ballpark. Better yet, you might just see some living legends in the process.
Tickets are now on sale for all games at this year’s WBC. After 6 years of waiting, the time to ‘root, root, root’ for your favourite team, or home nation, is nearly here!
For more information, or to purchase tickets for the World Baseball Classic, click here.