The WBSC Premier12 is now in the rearview mirror, with Samurai Japan being declared as Silver Medalists after falling in the Championship Game against Chinese Taipei. Japan was undefeated in the tournament, having gone 5-0 in the Group Stage and 3-0 in the Super Round, but were unable to win when it mattered most. Hirokazu Ibata’s squad was missing many of the top NPB stars but was still expected to take home Gold. The loss snapped the Samurai’s 27-game winning streak at major international tournaments dating back to 2019.
Despite the disappointment for Japan, the Premier12 tournament as a whole was a great success, setting a new attendance record in its third edition. Asia has dominated the competition, with Korea winning in 2015, Japan winning in 2019, and now Chinese Taipei winning in 2019. Congratulations to the Taiwanese side for the remarkable upset! What a wild ride! Let’s take a closer look at this past week of games.
Samurai Japan routed Team USA 9-1 in their Super Round opener, showcasing a stellar pitching display and explosive offense. 22-year-old Hiroto Takahashi and 44-year-old Rich Hill had an epic, albeit unconventional, pitcher’s duel through 4 innings, and Colby Thomas gave the USA the lead with a solo shot in the top of the 5th inning. But Japan quickly answered with three runs in the bottom of the 5th and ran away with the game in the late innings. Hiroshima Carp infielder Kaito Kozono had a historic night, going 3 for 5 with two homers and seven RBI. Takahashi, Chihiro Sumida, Koki Kitayama, Shoma Fujihira, and Rikuto Yokoyama combined for 16 strikeouts.
After taking an early 3-0 lead, Venezuela stormed back against Hiroto Saiki and Haruto Inoue to score five runs. Down 5-3 in the bottom of the 6th, the Samurai rallied to tie it with a Shogo Sakakura solo shot and Ryoya Kurihara RBI walk. Then, DeNA BayStars captain Shugo Maki capped off a six-run inning with a huge grand slam, putting Japan in front 9-5 as the Tokyo Dome crowd went into a frenzy. Taisei allowed a run in the 9th but got the final three outs, putting Japan in prime position to qualify for the championship game. Kozono stayed hot with two more knocks, while Ryosuke Tatsumi had a three-hit night.
With the USA beating Venezuela earlier in the day, Japan and Chinese Taipei had both clinched a spot in the final, but the sides met for the second time in the tournament in front of a full house. The early offense set the tone for Japan, with Itsuki Murabayashi’s leadoff home run and Shota Morishita’s two-run double in the 1st. Chinese Taipei battled back, capitalizing on Takahisa Hayakawa’s command struggles to close the gap to 4-3. But a clutch double play by Tatsuya Shimizu in the top of the 5th shut down the comeback and Japan added key insurance runs in the 5th and 6th to secure a 9-6 victory.
Chinese Taipei stunned Samurai Japan in the Gold Medal game with a 4-0 shutout, snapping Japan’s 27-game winning streak at major international tournaments. Tokyo Dome was packed to capacity, buzzing with enthusiasm as passionate Taiwanese supporters joined a sea of Japanese fans.
Yomiuri Giants ace Shosei Togo, who tossed two innings against the USA in the WBC Finals, pitched well early but was undone by a Chia-Cheng Lin solo bomb and Chieh-Hsien Chen three-run homer in the 5th. Chinese Taipei’s pitching quartet of Yu-Min Lin (Arizona D-backs No. 7 prospect), Yi Chang (former Buffalo/Lion), Kuan-Yu Chen (former BayStar/Marine), and Kai-Wei Lin stifled Japan’s offense, holding the No. 1-ranked nation in the world to just four hits.
While Japan reflected on a rare defeat, Chinese Taipei celebrated its first major international title, a historic milestone for their baseball program. “I take full responsibility,” said Hirokazu Ibata, who will remain as Japan’s skipper through the 2026 WBC. “I’m sorry to the players that I couldn’t get them this win.”
- NPB Standings
- Central League Hitting Leaders
- Central League Pitching Leaders
- Pacific League Hitting Leaders
- Pacific League Pitching Leaders
- Yuri’s NPB Pitcher Rankings
- Yakyu Cosmopolitan’s Website
