Samurai Japan, which advanced to the final eight of the World Baseball Classic, held its first practice in Miami on March 12. The team arrived in the city that morning, with players including Shohei Ohtani participating in a voluntary session. Japan aims for a second consecutive title and will face Venezuela in the quarterfinals on Saturday (Sunday Japan time).
Samurai Japan, Japan's national baseball team in the World Baseball Classic (WBC), arrived in Miami— the venue for its quarterfinal matchup—on the morning of March 12, 2026. The team held its first practice there that Wednesday, with some players joining a voluntary session. Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers warmed up by playing catch, while Kazuma Okamoto of the Toronto Blue Jays also participated.
Japan advanced to the final eight with a perfect record in its pool games in Tokyo. In the first three games, the team heavily relied on its three major league stars at the top of the batting order: Shohei Ohtani, Seiya Suzuki, and Masataka Yoshida. Despite this success, lineup questions remain for the knockout stage.
In Pool B, Italy finished first with four consecutive wins, while the United States advanced as runner-up with a 3-1 record. Venezuela qualified as runner-up from Pool D and will face Japan in the quarterfinals on Saturday (Sunday Japan time). The team is aiming for its second consecutive WBC title under manager Hirokazu Ibata.
