Team Czechia has won hearts with its underdog status and scrappy play in the WBC. Now they are seeking to topple a world power.

Team Japan stars like Shohei Ohtani, Masataka Yoshida, and Seiya Suzuki are making noise in the World Baseball Classic while boosting their fantasy baseball outlook for 2026.

With a two-run go-ahead home run in the bottom of the seventh inning of Sunday's 4-3 win against Australia, Yoshida crept closer to an all-time WBC record. His Japan teammates include Major League superstars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Japanese Emperor Naruhito watched his nation's national team win on Sunday at the Tokyo Dome and broke a similar national tradition that Donald Trump snapped in 2025

Masataka Yoshida’s seventh-inning two-run homer lifted Japan past Australia 4-3, sending the defending champions into the WBC quarterfinals.