World Classic Final
Kelly and Shota Imanaga will be the starting pitchers in Tuesday’s World Baseball Classic final between the United States and Japan at the Miami Marlins’ Loan Depot Park in the Sun City.
But obviously the most epic matchup will be the one between two-time Japanese starter Shohei Ohtani and his Los Angeles Angels teammate, outfielder Mike Trout.
A spectacular three-week tournament will conclude with a showdown between the two countries with the two best professional baseball leagues in the world.
The United States is the reigning World Classic champion after defeating Puerto Rico in the 2017 final. Japan won half of the first four editions of the event, created in 2006 by the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) commissioner’s office, its baseball union and the World Baseball and Softball Confederation.
Japan comes into the final with a perfect 6-0 record and as the leader in runs scored. In the semifinal, they scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to eliminate Mexico in the most exciting game of a tournament that has had drama-filled games every day.
It will be the fourth meeting in the World Classic between these two teams. The United States dominates the series 2-1. The Americans won the first meeting, 4-3, in the 2006 edition. While Japan won 9-4 in 2009 and Team USA dominated in 2017 by 2-1. These last two clashes were in the semifinal round and the winner ended up taking home the championship trophy.
The United States has an overall record of 5-1, leads in home runs , second in runs produced, but sixth in effectiveness . In its last two games, it scored 23 runs against Venezuela and Cuba. Bullpen Trea Turner, his ninth hitter in the lineup, hit three home runs and eight RBIs in those two games.
Kelly, 34, allowed four hits and two runs in three innings in his previous World Classic appearance, against Colombia on March 15 in Phoenix. In his four-year major league career, the Arizona Diamondbacks right-handed pitcher is 36-35 with a 3.96 ERA. Last year he led the National League with a 3.96 ERA. He led the National League with 33 starts last year, pitched 200 innings for the first time and had a 13-8 record and a 3.37 ERA.
“Obviously, it’s Merrill Kelly’s turn,” said U.S. manager Mark De Rosa after advancing to the finals on Sunday. “I think my singular focus was [before the final], how do we get our bullpen to Tuesday? That was the goal. How do we get the best relievers available after the opener,” he added.
Imanaga, 29, racked up four one-run innings in two appearances in the previous rounds of the World Classic. The Yokohama Baystar of the Japanese Major League Baseball (NPB) is coming off a season in which he posted an 11-4 record and a 2.26 ERA in 143.2 innings.
Samurai manager Hideki Kuriyama had to choose between Imanaga and MLB superstars Ohtani and Yu Darvish, who have the rest needed to start in the finals. With Imanaga being the starter, Darvish and Ohtani are not ruled out to appear as relievers.
“I think we’re going to stick with the rotation at this point,” Kuriyama said. “I think when you think about the intervals, so I don’t think there’s too many pitching numbers. But I have to talk to him directly, tomorrow. But I think the opener will remain the same,” he added.
If Ohtani appears as a pitcher and faces Trout, the picture would sum up the spectacular nature of the fifth version of baseball’s world championship.
“Obviously, Trout against Ohtani, I think it’s special,” said center fielder Lars Nootbaar, the first player not born in Japan to make the Japanese national team.
“I think it’s good for Japan to face the U.S. in the final. And personally, I have some friends and teammates there as well, so it makes it even more special and more exciting,” Nootbaar said.
Ohtani, 28, is unanimously the best baseball player on the planet today after dethroning Trout, a man who at 31 already has the stats to be considered a future member of the Cooperstown Hall of Fame.
For his uncanny ability to shine as a hitter and pitcher, Ohtani was the 2021 American League Most Valuable Player. Trout has three such trophies at home. In the World Classic, Ohtani is 2-0, 2.08 with 10 strikeouts in 8.0 innings as a pitcher and is batting .450 with five extra-base hits and eight RBIs.
Trout is batting .318 with five base on balls and seven RBIs. In the game that gave the U.S. a berth in the second round, he drove in all the runs in a 3-2 win over Colombia.
