Australia and Chinese Taipei opened the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Check out all the highlights.

Most No. 1 picks get thrown into the fire with a big-league team across their chest. Travis Bazzana has the unique opportunity to do it on a global stage. Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Images TOKYO — The only things Travis Bazzana remembers about the 2023 World Baseball Classic were the late nights and one outback-sized win.

The World Baseball Classic gets underway on Thursday with a couple of underdogs in action, as Australia takes on Chinese Taipei in Tokyo. The World Baseball Classic is back for the first time since 2023.

World Baseball Classic game got off to an interesting start.

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is underway in pool play, and the sport’s best player hasn’t needed long to make a statement. Shohei Ohtani and Japan secured a berth in the quarterfinals with a 4-3 victory over Australia on Sunday.

Australia entered the tournament a few years removed from a memorable run. After failing to make it out of the opening round in each of the first four editions of the WBC, the Aussies managed to sneak into the quarterfinals, only to fall to Cuba in a thriller.

During the World Baseball Classic, Australia's pitcher Connor MacDonald's stellar three scoreless innings against Japan captivated viewers, but it was his brother Callum's emotional reactions from the stands that stole the show.