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The Japanese squad seems to be having a lot of fun as they gear up for the World Baseball Classic, and why wouldn’t they?
As Los Angeles Dodgers fans know, having players like superstar Shohei Ohtani and World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto on your team makes for a fun time.
But it’s not just the on-field play of Samurai Japan that’s got players and fans smiling.
The team has debuted a new celebration, as shown in a video posted to social media by Jeffrey Hall, a university lecturer living in Japan.
“The World Baseball Classic is starting and millions of Japanese will be paying attention to the performance of Ohtani and the Samurai Japan team,” Hall wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “It looks like a matcha tea-whisking gesture might become a popular victory celebration this year.”
When is the World Baseball Classic?
The tournament begins Wednesday evening and runs through March 17.
Though most of the games will require a cable or streaming TV subscription, some will be available for free, either over the air on the Fox network or on the free streaming platform Tubi.
Here is a list of those free games:
- Friday, March 6, 9 a.m.: Netherlands vs. Venezuela, Tubi
- Friday, March 6, 5 p.m.: USA vs. Brazil, Fox
- Saturday, March 7, 9 a.m. Nicaragua vs. Netherlands, Tubi
- Saturday, March 7, 5 p.m.: Great Britain vs. USA
- Sunday, March 8, 9 a.m.: Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic, Fox
- Sunday, March 8, 10 a.m.: Great Britain vs. Italy, Tubi
- Sunday, March 8, 4 p.m.: Nicaragua vs. Israel, Tubi
- Monday, March 9, 10 a.m.: Brazil vs. Great Britain, Tubi
- Monday, March 9, 5 p.m.: Mexico vs. USA
- Tuesday, March 10, 4 p.m.: Canada vs. Puerto Rico, Tubi
- Wednesday, March 11, 4 p.m.: Italy vs. Mexico, Tubi
- Friday, March 13, 5 p.m.: Quarterfinal game, Fox
- Saturday, March 14, 6 p.m.: Quarterfinal game, Fox
- Tuesday, March 17, 5 p.m.: Championship game, Fox
Who’s Favored to Win the World Baseball Classic?
In 2023, the U.S. and Samurai Japan faced off in the title game, and it’s likely they’ll do so again this year.
Japan is a strong contender to repeat as champions, though the American team has many of the stars who oddsmakers say are most likely to take home the tournament MVP award.
In fact, Ohtani isn’t even the favorite to take home the individual award.
That said, anything can happen, and we have only one more day before action gets underway.