WBC Is Officially Rolling: Japan Dominates Chinese Taipei 13-0 as Ohtani Puts on a Show

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is officially in full swing — and if the opening game from Tokyo is any indication, the defending champions are here to remind everyone why they’re still the team to beat.

Japan national baseball team wasted absolutely no time announcing their presence in Pool C, rout­ing Chinese Taipei national baseball team 13-0 in a mercy-rule shortened game at the Tokyo Dome.

And, of course, the star of the show was the one player the entire baseball world came to see:

Shohei Ohtani.

Japan Sends an Early Message

Japan didn’t just win this game — they completely overwhelmed Chinese Taipei from the jump.

The offensive explosion started in the second inning, when Japan erupted for a 10-run inning that instantly turned the game into a runaway.

By the time the dust settled:

• Japan had 13 runs on 13 hits

• Chinese Taipei managed just 1 hit

• The game was called early due to the WBC mercy rule.

For a tournament where every run matters in pool play, that kind of dominant performance sends a loud message to the rest of the field.

Japan isn’t just here to compete.

They’re here to defend their crown.

Ohtani Doing “Ohtani Things”

The biggest storyline of the morning — and honestly the entire baseball world — was the performance from Shohei Ohtani.

Because when the brightest lights come on, Ohtani tends to do exactly what Ohtani does.

He finished the game:

• 3-for-4

• 5 RBIs

• Grand Slam

• Double

He came one hit away from the cycle, which is about as “Ohtani” of a stat line as you’ll ever see.

The highlight moment came in the second inning when Ohtani turned on a pitch and launched a grand slam into the Tokyo Dome crowd — part of the massive inning that broke the game wide open.

He even set a small piece of tournament history along the way, recording five RBIs in a single inning, the most ever in World Baseball Classic history.

Just another day at the office for the most unique player baseball has ever seen.

Ben Verlander Might Need a Change of Pants

If you follow baseball media, you know one of Ohtani’s biggest supporters is FOX analyst Ben Verlander, who has made a career out of appreciating the greatness of Ohtani.

After a performance like this — nearly hitting for the cycle, launching a grand slam, and dominating the opening game of the WBC — you can only imagine Verlander watching from home thinking:

“Yep… that’s my best friend.”

Someone might want to check on him and make sure he didn’t need a new pair of drawers after that performance.

Why This Matters for the Tournament

Japan entered the 2026 WBC as one of the favorites, and performances like this show why.

This roster is stacked with:

• MLB All-Stars

• NPB stars

• elite pitching

• one of the deepest lineups in the tournament

And if Ohtani continues to perform like this, Japan becomes incredibly difficult to beat.

Remember — he was also the MVP of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, leading Japan to the championship in one of the most iconic moments in baseball history.

So starting the tournament with a statement like this feels very familiar.

The WBC Is Just Getting Started

The beauty of the World Baseball Classic is that it brings together the best players from around the world and compresses everything into a tournament where every game matters.

And if Japan’s opening performance is any indication, we’re in for a wild couple of weeks.

Because when the tournament starts with Shohei Ohtani nearly hitting for the cycle and a defending champion dropping 13 runs in its opener, you know one thing:

The WBC has officially arrived.