The World Baseball Classic is a culmination of the best talent coming together to represent their countries. With so much talent on one stage, the WBC has delivered some memorable performances at the plate. Here are some of the best stretches at the plate during the tournament.
Trea Turner (USA 2023)
Team USA built a phenomenal roster that included Mike Trout and Mookie Betts, among other superstars. However, it was Turner who shined the brightest. In six games, Turner went 9-for-23 with a tournament-best four home runs. He also delivered one of the most iconic home runs in Team USA history with his Grand Slam against Venezuela. Turner had the second most RBIs at the WBC with 11. Turner had a .391 average and 1.483 OPS
Randy Arozarena (Mexico 2023)
Arozarena was a must-see television during the 2023 WBC. He went 9-for-20 with nine RBIs in six games. He had a tournament-best six doubles and finished with a .450 batting average. His OPS was a scorching 1.507.
Masataka Yoshida (Japan 2023)
Yoshida was a key player for Japan during their Gold Medal run at the 2023 WBC. Yoshida had 13 RBIs, leading all players. He went 9-for-22 overall with a 1.258 OPS. He struck out just once in his 22 at-bats and hit two home runs. His iconic moment came against Mexico when he hit a game-tying three-run home run in the seventh inning for Japan against Mexico in the semi-final.
Wladimir Balentien (Netherlands 2017)
Balentien had one of the best WBC runs ever in 2017. He led qualified batters at the tournament in hits, RBIs, OPS, hits, runs, and home runs. The right fielder had a four-for-four day against Chinese Taipei and also hit a game-tying two-run home run against Japan. The NPB star also had a two-home run game against Cuba, where he notched five RBIs. Overall, he went 16-26 with a .615 batting average at the tournament. He was named the Pool E MVP.
Robinson Canó (Dominican Republic 2013)
A 30-year-old Canó was perhaps the best player at the 2013 WBC. His 15 hits led all players. He had two home runs and six RBIs. The Dominican Republic won the tournament, and at the time, Cano set a new record for hits. He was rightfully named MVP of the 2013 WBC.
José Abreu (Cuba 2013)
The Chicago White Sox legend, who eventually defected from Cuba, put on a show for the nation at the 2013 WBC. He hit three home runs and was 9-for-25, with a .360 batting average for Cuba.
Seung Yuop Lee (Korea 2006)
Lee had just eight hits at the 2006 WBC, so what made his performance so memorable? Five of those hits were home runs. He also collected 10 RBIs and had a .333 batting average. He was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Ken Griffey Jr. (USA 2006)
The Kid showed up on the biggest stage. Griffey went 11-for-21 with three home runs and 10 RBIs. Team USA did not make it to the finals, but Griffey was named to the All-Tournament Team.
_____
WBN World Baseball Classic Articles: https://worldbaseball.com/league/wbc/
