*This content was translated by AI.
The starting pitcher who will take the mound in the second round of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) between South Korea and Japan scheduled for 7 p.m. on the 7th will be announced after the Japan-Taiwan match on the 6th.
A KBO official said on the morning of the 6th, "According to the tournament regulations, South Korea and Japan must submit starting pitchers the next day within 30 minutes after the game between Japan and Taiwan at Tokyo Dome in Japan this afternoon." As a result, the main character who will take the mound with the pride of both Korea and Japan will be revealed in the late evening of the 6th in Korean time.
The Korean national baseball team, led by head coach Ryu Ji-hyun (55), made a pleasant start by winning the first game against the Czech Republic 11-4 the previous day (5th). But the real game starts from now on. The real test will begin at 7 p.m. on the 7th against Japan at Tokyo Dome.
The timing of notification of starting pitchers was set immediately after the end of the entire game according to the tournament regulations. Considering that the match between Japan and Taiwan begins at 7 p.m., the starting cards of both sides are expected to be revealed as early as 10 p.m., depending on the speed of the game.
Japanese starting pitcher against South Korea is likely to be left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (34, Los Angeles Angels). He has played in the Major League since the 2019 season and has played for four clubs, including the Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros and Angels, and has proved his pitching by striking out more than 1,000 in total. He started all 33 games for the Angels in the 2025 season, recording a comprehensive record of 7-11 with a 3.99 ERA.
Naturally, attention is also focused on Ryu Ji-hyun's choice. South Korea gained momentum with its victory over the Czech Republic in the first round, but it is expected to pick a "certain card" that will most effectively suppress the Japanese lineup as the first-round pitch limit (up to 65 pitches) is a variable. Coach Ryu Ji-hyun also said after the match against the Czech Republic on the 5th, "If Japan tells me, I'll tell you." We have a day off in our team. The future game is not to be decided as soon as today's game is over. I only focused on today's game, I'll go into the hotel and prepare various things, and I'll make a strategy and then announce it."
In the end, KBO's delay in submitting the starting list until the last minute is interpreted as a high-level psychological battle to beat Japan's analysis. What kind of "target selection" card South Korea will counter against Kikuchi, who boasts 1,000 strikeouts in the Major League, is expected to be the biggest match for the Korea-Japan match.
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*This content was translated by AI.
