TOKYO, Japan – Samurai Japan enters the Super Round with a perfect 5-0 record, aiming to defend its Premier12 title. In 2019, Japan defeated Korea in the finals, avenging a heartbreaking semifinal loss in the tournament’s inaugural edition. While Japan and Korea have been joined at the hip for many international clashes, the latter was eliminated in the group stage this year.
Though Japan looked beatable at times in the opening stage, often waiting until the late innings to pull away, manager Hirokazu Ibata has been pleased with the team’s performance so far. “I think we looked good in practice today, and our players are getting their motivations up,” he said.
Ibata’s squad will have a major target on its back as the United States, Venezuela, and Chinese Taipei have nothing to lose with the odds stacked against them. Though the Samurai have won 24 consecutive games at major international tournaments dating back to 2019, they’re more focused on what lies ahead. With four more wins, Japan can secure another major championship, further establishing its dominance on the world stage.
“Ohtani is not playing, right?” manager Mike Scioscia joked at the Team USA press conference. While Japan is without its MLB superstars – and many top NPB players – it still boasts the most talented roster in the tournament on paper. “To be honest with you, top to bottom, you have to be careful with every single one of them,” Venezuelan manager Omar Lopez said.
But Japan is not taking its opponents lightly, sending out NPB ERA title winner Hiroto Takahashi in its opening game against the United States tomorrow. “I don’t think he’s been able to pitch to the best of his ability yet,” manager Ibata remarked. “But he pitched incredibly well all year, and I believe he’s going to show us what he’s made of in what will be the last start of his tournament.”
Team USA made a late announcement that veteran southpaw Rich Hill will start its Super Round opener against Japan. Takahashi was 2 years old when Hill made his MLB debut in 2005. “We’ve only hit two home runs so far, the fewest of the four remaining teams,” Ibata noted. “But we can keep putting runs on the board if the one through nine in our lineup can string together hits.”
Outfielder Shota Morishita, the player representative for Japan at the press conference, spoke about the contrast he sees between Japanese and American pitchers. “There are differences in the timing,” he said. “American pitchers tend to throw in a good rhythm and show off their power with compact mechanics. So, I need to make sure I don’t lose to their strength and ensure my own timing is well-adjusted.”
With an impressive .571 batting average from the cleanup spot, Morishita is emerging as a strong candidate for Premier12 MVP. As a team, Japan possesses a .792 OPS and a 2.80 ERA in the tournament and are expected to maintain its undefeated streak. Now, their Super Round opponents face a tough decision: whether to go all in against Japan or save their top arms for other matchups that might offer a better chance of victory.
