MIAMI –
Shohei Ohtani had traded his pinstriped Samurai Japan uniform for a dark jacket and white shirt and had a pair of headphones hanging from his neck by the time he emerged from the clubhouse to put the disappointment of the last two or so hours into words.
No one knows exactly when Ohtani will wear Samurai Japan’s uniform again. The only certainty is that it will not be in the semifinals of this World Baseball Classic.
Japan, the defending champion, was knocked out in the quarterfinals after losing its grip on a three-run lead in an 8-5 loss to Venezuela in Miami on Saturday night.