NEW YORK– Only one can advance… Will Mexico continue their Cinderella story or will Japan remain undefeated? The answers come tonight Monday March 20th as Team Mexico and Team Japan face off in the World Baseball Classic Semifinals – first pitch is slated for 7:00 pm ET, broadcast on FOX Sports 1 (FS1).
With two phenoms in Randy Arozarena and Shohei Ohtani leading the charge for their respective countries, there’s nothing else to do, but sit back and enjoy the playoff baseball taking place in March.
BOOM. BALLGAME!
Mexico is going to the WBC semifinal for the first time ever! 🇲🇽🇲🇽🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/uAmUq64Ju3
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 18, 2023
Mexico has gone 4-1 in this year’s WBC with massive upsets over Team USA in Pool C play, and against Team Puerto Rico in the Quarterfinal Round. In the five games played, Mexico’s offense accounted for 32 runs scored while their opponents combined to 17.
Mexico’s manager Benji Gil announced yesterday that left-hander Patrick Sandoval of the Los Angeles Angels will start against Japan. In his last time out during Mexico’s historic win over USA, the 26-year-old completed three innings, and allowed one earned run on two hits and two walks.
Patrick Sandoval – Image Credit: World Baseball Classic/MLB
“This is what you live for as a player, to play against the best and see how your stuff stacks up against the best in the world,” Sandoval said. “So it’s a big opportunity and I’m very thankful for it.”
Team Japan has opted to go with Roki Sasaki as their WBC Semifinal game starter. Sasaki, 21, of Rikuzentakata, Iwata, Japan, is a well-known talent across Asia and will most definitely sign with an MLB organization once officially posted in the next coming years.
Roki Sasaki – Image Credit: World Baseball Classic/MLB
“I think he will be a star when he gets here (MLB),” Mexico’s manager Gil said of Sasaki. “He’s one of the greatest pitchers in the world.”
Altogether, Japan holds a 5-0 record in this year’s WBC – scoring at least seven runs a game while holding opponents to a maximum of four. Their totals are 47 runs scored compared to 11 runs allowed.
How about some more views of that moon shot by Shohei Ohtani to give Japan a 3-0 lead in the 1st inning 🇯🇵
📺: FS1 and the FOX Sports App pic.twitter.com/lRCj7ytSjl
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 12, 2023
Team Japan has been recognized as the “giant” throughout this year’s WBC and the sportsbooks tend to agree heading into Monday evening. Japan to defeat Mexico is listed at -260 odds on FanDuel Sportsbook with a total projected at O/U 8.5. Additionally, the run line usually listed at -1.5 for betting favorites is currently, -2.5 for Japan in the WBC Semifinal.
The winner of Mexico-Japan will move onto the WBC Championship and face Team USA on Tuesday night March 21st at 7:00 pm ET – broadcast on FOX Sports 1 (FS1).
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Robert Rizzo is a journalist and co-editor of Latino Sports
Email: RobertRiz994@gmail.com
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