The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is back, and Team USA is looking for a repeat. The United States took home its first WBC championship in 2017, and with the tournament finally back six years later, a squad full of MLB stars led by Angels superstar Mike Trout hopes to defend the title.
Several other talented teams could stand in their way, though. Trout’s Angels teammate Shohei Ohtani will lead a Japan team aiming for its third WBC championship. The tournament will also feature stacked squads from the Dominican Republic, featuring Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays, and Puerto Rico, featuring Javier Báez of the Tigers and managed by former longtime Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina.
The entire tournament can be seen exclusively in the U.S. on the FOX family of networks and the FOX Sports App, and begins on March 5. We now have our first look at early odds to win the World Baseball Classic, courtesy of FOX Bet.
ODDS TO WIN 2023 WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC*
United States: +260 (bet $10 to win $36 total)
Dominican Republic: +275 (bet $10 to win $37.50 total)
Japan: +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total)
Puerto Rico: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Venezuela: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)
Cuba: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)
Korea: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)
*Odds as of 12/28/2022
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A star-studded list of names will not only be joining Trout on Team USA’s roster but also joining manager Mark DeRosa on the team’s coaching staff, making the Americans the favorite to hoist the trophy once again.
Players who have announced they are joining Team USA include the Dodgers‘ Mookie Betts and Clayton Kershaw, the Phillies‘ Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber, the Mets‘ Pete Alonso, the Cardinals‘ Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt, the Yankees‘ Nestor Cortes, and Tim Anderson of the White Sox. Phillies superstar Bryce Harper was also set to play before undergoing offseason elbow surgery.
Additionally, Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. will serve as hitting coach and five-time World Series champion Andy Pettitte will serve as pitching coach for Team USA.
The Dominican Republic is loaded with household MLB names and seems poised to make a deep WBC run. The Padres‘ Juan Soto and Manny Machado, the Mariners‘ Julio Rodriguez and Luis Castillo, the Guardians‘ José Ramírez, the Red Sox’s Rafael Devers, and the Astros‘ Framber Valdez and Christian Javier are among the players confirmed to play for the Dominican Republic along with Gurrerro.
Sandy Alcantara of the Marlins, the 2022 National League Cy Young winner, and 2022 World Series MVP Jeremy Peña of the Astros are also set to join.
Japan may be a longer shot, but it still is the only team to win multiple World Baseball Classics, having done so in the first two editions of the tournament in 2006 and 2009. Ohtani will be the unquestioned star of that squad, reuniting with his old Nippon Professional Baseball manager Hideki Kuriyama.
“Looking forward for the opportunity to face the best players around the world and to be able to play in front of the Japanese fans for the first time in over 5 years!!” Ohtani said in a Nov. 17 Instagram post announcing his commitment to Team Japan. Seiya Suzuki of the Cubs has also announced he will join the team.
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Puerto Rico will look to avenge its loss in the 2017 championship game to Team USA, and this time will have a key figure from the USA title run — the Cubs’ Marcus Stroman — on its side. Stroman was the 2017 tournament MVP for Team USA, but the Long Island, N.Y., native has chosen to suit up for Puerto Rico in 2023 instead, as his mother is from the island.
There is precedent for such a move — Alex Rodriguez was set to join the Dominican Republic team for the 2009 WBC after playing for Team USA in 2006, but was sidelined with a hip injury. Molina and Baez will also be joined by Edwin Diaz of the Mets, José Berríos of the Blue Jays, and Jose Miranda of the Twins, Kiké Hernández of the Red Sox and prized free agent Carlos Correa.
Related: Mets and Carlos Correa are still in limbo; What could come next?
The 2023 World Baseball Classic runs from March 7-21, with the semifinals and final to be played at LoanDepot Park in Miami.
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