Team Japan WBC: Schedule, Bracket, TV and live stream details

With the 2023 World Baseball Classic set to begin tomorrow, Team Japan will be looking to add to their all-time gold medal count. The WBC, which began in 2006, has only taken place four times, with Japan winning the tournament twice. The United States and the Dominican Republic are the other teams to have won the tournament.

Heading into the 2023 iteration of the World Baseball Classic, Japan will field arguably the strongest team in the history of the international tournament. The team will be headlined by two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.

Aside from Ohtani, the team will also feature the likes of MLB stars Yu Darvish, Seiya Suzuki, and Lars Nootbaar, as well as New York Mets free agent signing Kodai Senga.

"Baseball history. Lars Nootbaar’s first plate appearance for Samurai Japan. He becomes the first player born outside of Japan to play for the Japanese national team. And he got a hit." - Shawn Spradling

Nootbaar will make history during the World Baseball Classic, becoming the first player born outside the country to play for Team Japan. Hideki Kuriyama, the Samurai Japan skipper, is a fan of Nootbaar’s speed, hitting, and power. He believes Nootbaar's abilities will benefit Team Japan during the World Baseball Classic.

Japan will headline and host Pool B of the tournament, which will feature South Korea, Australia, China, and the Czech Republic. Team Japan will open its 2023 WBC campaign on Thursday against China at 5:00 AM EST.

The second game of the tournament for Team Japan may be their most important, as they will welcome Team South Korea to the Tokyo Dome on Friday, March 10 at 5:00 a.m. EST. The winner of this game will likely go on to win Pool B, giving them an easier opponent in the next round.

"The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is set to kick off and South Korea, which is in the same Pool B as Japan has been on high alert against Japan. South Korea kinna suffered Shohei's pitching during 2015 WBSC Premier 12." - @sarasahrah

The final two games of the opening round for Japan will be against Team Czech Republic on Saturday, March 11 at 5:00 AM EST and Sunday, March 12 at 6:00 AM EST against Team Australia.

How to watch Team Japan's World Baseball Classic games

For fans hoping to catch the action, all games will be broadcast live on FOX, FS1, FS2, Tubi, and FOX Deportes. While fans cannot watch the games directly on the MLB Network, highlights, recaps, condensed games, and other tournament coverage will be available (as well as on MLB.com, WorldBaseballClassic.com, and in the MLB App).

"Which team will take home the WBC trophy this year?" - FOX Sports: MLB