It was an ending for the ages. The two very best baseball players of their generation, teammates with the Los Angeles Angels but now facing each in the final that would decide the best team in the world.
In the deciding game of the 2023 World Baseball Classic in Miami last night, centre-fielder and phenomenal power hitter Mike Trout was at the plate with his Team USA 3-2 at the bottom of the ninth inning. Facing him on the mound was Ohtani Shohei, who since moving to the Major Leagues in 2017 has taken the sport by storm as both pitcher and hitter – was there ever a more appropriate nickname than Sho-Time!
It was the kind of matchup and grand finale that TV networks dream about, and it didn’t disappoint, as Ohtani struck out Trout to see Japan crowned as WBC champions for the third time. Watch the highlights of the final here.
