'Otani No. 1 DH' announced the starting lineup for the WBC match against Taiwan! 3 to 6 are all MLB members [the Tokyo scene]

*This content was translated by AI.

The Japanese national baseball team, which aims to win its second consecutive World Baseball Classic (WBC) championship in 2026, unveiled its first starting lineup for the game. The biggest change is that "superstar" Shohei Ohtani (32, LA Dodgers) will be the first designated hitter.

The Japanese national team, led by coach Hirokazu Ibata (51), announced its starting lineup ahead of the first match against Taiwan in Group C in the first round of the 2026 WBC at Tokyo Dome, Japan on the 6th.

Japan set up the starting lineup in the order of Shohei Ohtani (designated hitter), Kensuke Kondo (right fielder), Seiya Suzuki (center fielder), Masataka Yoshida (left fielder), Kazuma Okamoto (third baseman), Munetaka Murakami (first baseman), Shugo Maki (second baseman), Sosuke Kenda (striker) and Kenya Wakatsuki (catcher).

The most eye-catching part is Shohei Ohtani, who was named the first designated hitter. Ohtani led the 2023 tournament by mainly batting third, but in the first game of the tournament, he was in charge of leadoff. It is interpreted as manager Ibata's aggressive strategy to overwhelm the opponent's mound at the start of the game.

Japan's batting lineup is truly glamorous. After Ohtani, Kondo Kensuke (Softbank), who is considered the best hitter in Japanese professional baseball, takes the second position to create a chance. The central lineup is composed of all major league-class batters, including Seiya Suzuki (Chicago Cubs), Masataka Yoshida (Boston Red Sox), Kazuma Okamoto (Toronto Blue Jays), and Munetaka Murakami (Chicago White Sox). In particular, the key is whether Murakami, who entered the U.S. domestic stage last season, can keep his pride as the fourth batter.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (28, LA Dodgers), Japan's proud right-hander ace, will start the mound. Orix Wakatsuki wears a mask as Yamamoto's dedicated catcher.

Taiwan also faces off with a formidable lineup. Taiwan's batting order was composed in the order of Jung Zong Zer (second baseman), Stuart Fairchild (middle fielder), Lin Anker (right fielder), Zhang Yu-cheng (third baseman), Gili Gilau Gongquan (designated hitter), Wu Yeng Ting (first baseman), Kang Kun-yu (striker), Lin Jajeong (fourth) and Chen Wei (left fielder). The starting pitcher is right-hander Jung Ha-jun (Jinshin Brothers). As it beat Japan in the 2024 Premier 12 final, the previous international competition, the initial fight is expected to be a watershed in the game.

Meanwhile, Japan, which starts its tournament schedule today with the match against Taiwan, will play its biggest big match in the first round against its fateful rival South Korea on the 7th.

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*This content was translated by AI.