Czechia faces Korea in a crucial pool game at the 2026 World Baseball Classic in Tokyo. The Czech team, known for its amateur roots but featuring emerging pros, takes on a Korean squad aiming to advance past the first round for the first time since 2009. Starting pitchers Daniel Padýšak and Hyeong Jun So will lead their respective teams in this high-stakes contest.
The matchup between Czechia and Korea is set for Thursday at 5 a.m. ET (7 p.m. local time) at the Tokyo Dome. Viewers in America can watch on FS1, while Netflix will broadcast in Japan; a free English-language audio stream is available for all games.
Czechia's roster includes former Baltimore Orioles utility man Terrin Vavra, outfielder Marek Chlup—the first Czech-born player in Japan's NPB—and starting pitcher Daniel Padýšak, who pitched for the independent Oisix Niigata Albirex. Padýšak, a former Georgia Bulldog, earned the start as Czechia manager Pavel Chadim called him “our best pitcher.” In the tournament opener against China, Padýšak tossed four shutout innings in an 8-5 win, though he struggled later against Australia. “It's been three years,” Padýšak said. “We've all been looking forward to this, and I'm really excited that Pavel had confidence in me to start the game against Korea. I will do my very best to help my team win. I think we have a great group of guys, and I'm really excited to see what we can do.”
Chlup highlighted the value of his Japanese experience: “I have to say I learned a lot playing here, and it can be a great experience for tournaments like this where you play a bunch of different teams... In a tournament like this, I think it's important to make adjustments day by day and game by game—especially where we play two games in less than 24 hours, like tomorrow and the next day.”
Korea counters with captain Jung Hoo Lee of the San Francisco Giants, Detroit Tigers outfielder Jahmai Jones, Houston Astros prospect Shay Whitcomb—both with Korean mothers—plus young sluggers third baseman Do Yeong Kim and right fielder Hyun Min Ahn. Starter Hyeong Jun So went 13-6 with a 3.86 ERA for the KT Wiz in the KBO last year and won rookie of the year in 2020. “Not only the last tournament but the previous couple tournaments, we couldn't go to the quarterfinals round,” Lee said. “So, this 2026 tournament, we are aiming to go for the quarterfinal, at least.”
Manager Ji-Hyun Ryu emphasized national expectations: “Among all sports in Korea, baseball is the No. 1 favorite sport, and the previous couple international tournaments, our national baseball team has not succeeded... So, this is a time to recover, and at this tournament, I am expecting us to go to the Miami round at the quarterfinal. We are aiming to get the good result for the entire nation.”
For Czechia, a win could help avoid another qualifier in Pool C, which Chadim described as “the group of death” with four top-10 teams, including three from the top four worldwide. “The big change [from 2023] is this is the group of death,” Chadim said. “We don't have China here. We have Chinese Taipei, and it's not easy to play... Some mornings, I am brave, and some mornings, I want to run home.”
Historically, Korea defeated Czechia 7-3 in the 2023 Classic, with Ha-Seong Kim hitting two home runs, and won both games of a November series in Korea.
