WBC = World Baseball Classic in baseball, Japan and USA finals. Before the game, the MLB organization described the confrontation as the "ultimate and perfect ending" between Shohei Ohtani and Trout of the United States. The main players of the MLB Angels faced each other at the last minute.
While establishing himself as a star player in the big leagues with his unprecedented double-wielding pitching, Ohtani was hungry for winning more than anyone else, saying, "If you lose, there will be no fun." Five years after crossing the ocean, I first stood at the top of the world with the national team.
In a circle, "I came to be at the top, give up my longing"
Before the match, Ohtani was nominated by coach Kuriyama and spoke out in the team's circle.
"Don't just yearn for one from me. If you look at Goldschmidt in the first, if you look at the center, there's Trout, there's Betts in the lights, and if you're playing baseball, you've heard of the players, but if you just admire it for one day today, you can't get over it. We came here to surpass them today and to be at the top, so let's just think about giving up our admiration for them and winning for one day today. Let's go!"
"The ultimate and perfect ending"
True to his word, he led the team in relief pitching as a designated hitter, which he had never played before in the big leagues, and took the mound in the ninth inning in a muddy uniform.
He gave a foreball to the first batter, but then struck out Betts in the second double play to get two outs.
This double play led to the "ultimate and perfect ending".
(Shohei Ohtani)
"I thought it would be Trout at the end if I got one out and two outs, but I thought I wouldn't be able
to play at the end because I put the first batter out.
At bat, Trout, the Angels' teammate and captain of the U.S. National Team.
After driving in a 163-kilometer straight, he finally struck out with a slider that bent wide to the out-of-course. Literally, he played a key role in winning the championship and also won the MVP = best player of the tournament.
Ohtani, who has always been greedy and obsessed with winning, thinking that "if you lose, there is nothing fun," led Japan to victory with his own dual-wielding style and completed the WBC's "ultimate and perfect ending".
Otani: "I'm really happy because I dreamed of winning the championship"
After the match, Ohtani expressed his joy, saying, "I'm really happy because I dreamed of winning the championship, and I'm glad that I was able to let my coach win the championship without giving up until the very end."
As for taking the mound in the ninth inning, he said, "I thought it would change a little depending on the score, but I was nervous at the end of a close game, but I'm glad I managed to keep it down."
Regarding the end of the match for the national team, he said, "To be honest, I feel sad that it will end, and I think everyone else is the same, but I want to go back to my respective team and do my best to prepare for the season."