The 2026 World Baseball Classic is underway in pool play, and the sport’s best player hasn’t needed long to make a statement. Shohei Ohtani and Japan secured a berth in the quarterfinals with a 4-3 victory over Australia on Sunday.
Ohtani went 0-for-3 with two walks after coming into Sunday’s matchup with 5 hits, 2 home runs and 6 RBI.
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This year marks the sixth iteration of the international baseball tournament, with Japan the reigning champion after defeating Team USA 3-2 in the 2023 final.
The Americans have taken home one WBC title, back in 2017, and they’re looking for a second with a loaded roster that includes 22 MLB All-Stars — the most of any roster in the tournament. Among those who will represent Team USA are Paul Skenes, Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge, just to name a few of the stars, with the U.S. entering the tournament as the favorite (-105) over Japan (+350) at BetMGM.
During pool play, games will be played in Tokyo, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Miami and Houston. The pool stage runs through March 11, followed by the quarterfinals (March 13 and 14) and semifinals (March 15 and 16). It all culminates with the WBC final on March 17, which will be played at loanDepot Park in Miami.
Games will air across Fox, FS1, FS2 and Fox Deportes, with streaming for all games available with a Fox One subscription.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest news and updates from the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Live139 updates
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 5:49 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Following Rixon Wingrove’s home run that cut Japan’s lead to one run, Taisei Ota gets Robbie Perkins to ground out to third base and finish off a 4-3 win.
Masataka Yoshida gave Japan the lead with a 2-run homer in the seventh, and two more runs came in the eighth on a Teruaki Sato pinch-hit RBI double and Seiya Suzuki bases-loaded walk.
Chihiro Sumida gets the win for Japan with three scoreless innings of relief and Jon Kennedy takes the loss for Australia.
Japan had already advanced out of Pool C to the knockout round. Australia wil need to beat Korea on Monday to move on.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 5:47 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Australia is making this ninth inning interesting. Rixon Wingrove hit an opposite-field home run to left field and Japan’s lead is now 4-3 with two outs.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 5:41 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Australia isn’t done yet. With one out in the ninth inning, Alex Hall blasted a home run to right field off Taisei Ota to trim Japan’s lead to 4-2.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 5:34 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Japan adds to its lead in the eighth inning.
Munetaka Murakami drew a leadoff walk against Australia reliever Ty Hampton. Ukyo Shuto pinch-ran for Murakami and stole second base. After getting Shugo Maki to ground out, Hampton walked Sosuke Genda.
Teruaki Sato pinch-hit for Kenya Wakatsuki and sliced an opposite-field double into the left-field corner for Japan’s second run of the game.
Australia then intentionally walked Shohei Ohtani to loaded the bases. But Hampton followed that up by walking Seiya Suzuki to bring in another run for Japan.
Cooper Morgan is coming in to relieve Hampton with one out in the eighth.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 5:14 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Japan is finally on the board in the seventh inning and has taken a 2-1 lead.
Following a leadoff walk to Shohei Ohtani, Australia pitcher Jon Kennedy retired Seiya Suzuki and Kensuke Kondoh. Masataka Yoshida then reached low and inside for a slider and golfed it into the right-field seats for a 2-run homer.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 5:09 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Shohei Ohtani still doesn’t have a hit versus Australia, but he drew a walk to lead off the seventh inning for Japan.
Australia has issued eight walks, but none of those runners have come around to score. Will Ohtani finally break through?
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 5:00 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
After Shugo Maki was ruled safe at first base on a replay review to negate a double play turned by Australia, Sosuke Genda hit an infield single to give Japan runners on first and second with two outs.
But Jon Kennedy got Kenya Wakatsuki to ground out to shortstop and Japan still hasn’t scored after six innings. Australia leads 1-0 going to the seventh.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 4:57 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Australia’s Coen Wynne appeared to get out of the sixth inning without allowing a run. He walked Kazuma Okamoto to lead off the frame. But after a fly out by Munetaka Murakami to fly out, Townsend got Shugo Maki to ground into what appeared to be a 5-4-3 double play.
However, the play was reviewed and Maki was ruled safe at first base. Townsend was taken out of the game and Jon Kennedy is coming in to relieve Wynne.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 4:49 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Australia breaks the 0-0 tie in the sixth with Aaron Whitefield creating havoc on the bases. Whitefield hit a one-out single off Chihiro Sumida, then stole second base.
With Alex Hall at the plate, Whitefield then attempted to steal third base. Japanese catcher Kenya Wakatsuki’s throw was wide left from third baseman Kazuma Okamoto and Whitefield came in to score.
Sumida struck out Hall and Jarryd Dale to end the inning, but Australia has a 1-0 lead.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 4:33 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Shohei Ohtani led off the fifth inning after Shugo Maki was picked off second base to end the fourth.
But Ohtani still has yet to reach base, lining out to right field in front of the warning track against Blake Townsend. He is 0-for-3 thus far.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 4:30 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Chihiro Sumida took over for Tomoyuki Sugano in the fifth inning and continued to keep Australia scoreless.
Sumida struck out the first two batters he faced before giving up a single to Tim Kennelly. But he quickly got ahead of Travis Bazzana with two strikes before getting him to fly out and end the inning.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 4:21 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Left-hander Blake McDonald took over to pitch for Australia, facing Shohei Ohtani with two outs and the bases loaded.
Ohtani worked the count to 2 balls and 2 strikes, then Australia catcher Robbie Perkins picked Shugo Maki off second base to end Japan’s scoring threat.
Manager Hirokazu Ibata might have something to say to Maki about getting picked off with Ohtani at the plate. But this game is going to the fifth inning tied 0-0.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 4:16 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Japan may have its first real scoring threat. Kazuma Okamoto drew a leadoff walk against Warwick Saupold, followed by Shugo Maki hitting a one-out single. Kenya Wakatsuki drew a walk after Sosuke Genda flied out.
That has loaded the bases for Shohei Ohtani. And Australia is making a pitching change.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 4:08 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Warwick Saupold is in to pitch for Australia, taking over for Connor McDonald, who started with three scoreless innings.
McDonald allowed 1 hit and 3 walks with 1 strikeout. He threw 54 pitches, 27 of them for strikes.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 3:44 AM PDT
Yahoo Sports Staff
Shohei Ohtani came to the plate with runners on first and second, but flew out to center field to end the second inning.
Japan has left a pair of runners on base in each of the first two innings.
The game remains scoreless headed into the third.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 3:28 AM PDT
Yahoo Sports Staff
Shohei Ohtani grounded out in his first at bat — only the second time in three games he failed to reach base.
Australia worked around a pair of walks after getting Ohtani out, and neither team scored in the first inning.
The winner of today’s game xdcures a berth in the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 3:00 AM PDT
Yahoo Sports Staff
Here’s a look at the tournament schedule for Saturday, beginning with Team Japan vs. Australia at 6 a.m. ET.
WBC schedule for Sunday, March 8
*All times listed are ET
6 a.m.: Japan vs. Australia (FS1)
Noon: Cuba vs. Colombia (FS2)
Noon: Dominican Republic vs. Netherlands (Fox)
1 p.m.: Italy vs. Great Britain (Tubi)
7 p.m.: Israel vs. Nicaragua (Tubi)
7 p.m.: Canada vs. Panama (FS2)
8 p.m.: Mexico vs. Brazil (FS1)
Sat, March 7, 2026 at 10:12 PM PST
Jack Baer
Sat, March 7, 2026 at 10:08 PM PST
Jack Baer
The most back-and-forth game of the tournament ended with Chinese Taipei raucously celebrating an extra-innings win. Neither team led by more than a run the entire game, and it all came down to the bottom of the 10th inning, when TPE first baseman first baseman Nien-Ting Wu threw out the runner at the plate.
Sat, March 7, 2026 at 8:07 PM PST
Jack Baer
The American offense took a while to get going, but ground down the Great Britain pitching staff. The American pitching staff allowed a homer on its first pitch, then allowed only two hits for the rest of the game, while striking out 17 and walking none.
Mexico awaits for Team USA, which is now 2-0 in the WBC.