World Baseball Classic rosters: Comparing star-studded lineups of Team USA vs Team Japan

Baseball fans will not have to wait long for the beautiful game to return as the World Baseball Classic and Spring Training are about to begin. The WBC will start on March 8, with Spring Training opening on February 24.

The World Baseball Classic is set to return for the first time since 2017, which saw the United States finish the tournament with the first gold medal in the team's history.

"Here are the current 2023 World Baseball Classic odds, according to @FOXBet" - FOX Sports: MLB

The tournament will see 20 nations compete for the crown, with the Dominican Republic, the United States, and Japan ranked as the top three favorites to walk away with the crown.

While many fans and experts have Team Dominican as the favorites to claim the title, Team USA and Team Japan have solid cases for taking that top spot. Here is a look at both teams, determining which nation may have the advantage as the WBC approaches.

Team USA may have a legitimate case for the strongest roster heading into the World Baseball Classic

Heading into the tournament, Team USA has one of the scariest rosters in the history of the World Baseball Classic. After Mike Trout committed to the roster, players continued to join him in representing their country on the world stage.

While Team USA is strong from top to bottom, they may have the advantage over every team in one area: catchers. J.T. Realmuto and Will Smith will handle their catching duties, creating one of history's most potent catching duos. The duo easily holds the two best catchers in the tournament, giving them the edge over Team Japan in that aspect.

"Will Smith has committed to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Who would you start at C in the WBC: Smith or Realmuto?" - Shawn Spradling

Another reason the United States may have an advantage over Team Japan might be their offensive depth. The USA bench alone could be one of the strongest in the tournament, not to mention their powerful starting lineup, which features Mookie Betts and Mike Trout.

Where does Team Japan hold the advantage over the United States?

While the USA may hold the advantage on offense, Team Japan may hold the edge in pitching. This may not have been the case a few months ago, but considering the news that Clayton Kershaw and Nestor Cortes Jr. won't pitch for the United States, Japan look more threatening in that department.

Entering the tournament, Team Japan will roster a pitching rotation featuring Shohei Ohtani, Yu Darvish, and twenty-year-old pitching phenom Roki Sasaki. The trio will pose problems for any team that Japan will play, helping make them one of, if not the toughest pitching rotation at the World Baseball Classic.

"Yu Darvish is back with the national team for the first time since helping Japan win the 2009 World Baseball Classic" - The Japan Times

With both Team USA and Team Japan having clear advantages over one another, the USA's offense may be enough to give them the edge over Japan. But the best part of baseball is its unpredictability.