On Tuesday, in the final game of the fifth World Baseball Classic, Shohei Ohtani showed the world what greatness looks like. Ohtani, a relief pitcher for Japan, came to bat four times and put in a full day's work before taking to the mound to secure a 3-2 lead against the United States. The challenge ahead of him was formidable - he would be facing some of the best hitters in the world, including Jeff McNeil, Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, and Paul Goldschmidt.
The atmosphere at the ballpark was electric, with a record-breaking crowd of 1,306,414 fans in attendance. The World Baseball Classic has come a long way since its inception, and with Japan and the United States as the superpowers of the tournament, it has firmly established itself as a global spectacle.
Ohtani, who plays for the Los Angeles Angels, described the moment he took the mound as the best moment of his life. He walked McNeil, but then proceeded to pump 100-mile-an-hour fastballs past Trout, his teammate, before striking him out with a sweeping slider. The game was over, and Japan had won.
Ohtani's performance was nothing short of incredible, and it proved that Japanese baseball is capable of beating any team in the world. The World Baseball Classic may already be in orbit, but with performances like Ohtani's, it is clear that it has the potential to reach even greater heights.
