Baseball

(Getty) Teammates turned foes on Tuesday night when Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout — ever-presents in the Angels starting lineup — faced off under the lights. The stakes were, unsurprisingly, major: the ninth inning of the World Baseball Classic championship game.

(Riley Trujillo/SN) PHOENIX — Team USA, folks, is in serious trouble in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Mathematically, of course, it’s still fine. Even with the loss to Mexico on Sunday, if Team USA beats Canada and Colombia in its final two games, that should almost certainly be enough to advance out of Pool C, which is the goal.

After a six-year hiatus, the World Baseball Classic is back. Rosters are stacked with elite talent from around the world, and the excitement and stakes seem higher than ever. It’s all building toward a tournament that should be quite entertaining.

The vibe around the World Baseball Classic feels different this time. There’s anticipation. There’s excitement. There’s intrigue. I’m looking forward to it, which is kind of saying something. On the surface, it makes sense.

The Commissioner’s Trophy is in the building. It’s just waiting for its moment. Baseball’s World Series trophy is one of the most recognizable pieces of hardware in sports. Adorned with its circle of flagpoles and a glowing exterior, it is not only one of the easiest to hold in sports, but also one of the most aesthetically pleasing.