- The United States and the Dominican Republic are co-favorites with +225 odds to win the 2023 WBC.
- Japan has the next shortest odds at +300 to win the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
- Japan is the only team to have won the WBC multiple times.
MIAMI – The United States look to repeat as World Baseball Classic champions as a co-favorite with the Dominican Republic at +225 odds. Japan represents the next team with the shortest odds to win with +300 odds.
Will a Young Core Be the Key to Victory?
The three most likely 2023 WBC winners – The United States, Dominican Republic, and Japan - have built their rosters in different ways.
The United States’ roster focuses on veteran talent while the Dominican and Japanese rosters contain more young stars. 15 of the 29 players (51.7%) on the United States WBC roster are 30 years old or older.
Most of these older players are some of the best on the planet, such as former MVPs in Clayton Kershaw, Mike Trout, Paul Goldschmidt, and Mookie Betts.
Out of the 37 players on the Dominican Republic’s roster, only 10 players are over 30 years old (27%).
The DR has 13 players 26 years old or younger, their youngest being top talents such as: Julio Rodriguez (22), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (23), and Juan Soto (24).
Japan is employing a similar strategy as the Dominican Republic to win their third WBC title with a very young roster.
How Japan Can Win 2023 World Baseball Classic
Japan has +300 odds on online gambling sites to win their third World Baseball Classic in 2023.
The 2023 Japanese WBC team has seven players under the age of 23 years old and only seven players over the age of 30. Japan (+300) is led by two-way MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani, who won the 2021 AL MVP.
In addition to Ohtani, Japan has Yu Darvish and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to round out a dominant three-man starting rotation.
Yamamoto was said to be “MLB ready with five above average or better pitches” in an MLB scouting report.
Outside of the superb Japanese pitching staff, they have MLB talent in the batting order with Seiya Suzuki and Masataka Yoshida. Suzuki is an outfielder for the Chicago Cubs and Yoshida recently inked a five-year contract for over $105 million dollars with the Boston Red Sox.
Japan won’t have to face either co-favorite in the United States or the Dominican Republic until the semifinals. They have the benefit of a weaker side of the bracket, with the United States, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and other strong teams all on the opposing side.
Japan’s excellent pitching staff and young roster give their odds at +300 on baseball sportsbooks great value to win the World Baseball Classic for a third time in 2023.
Japan to Win 2023 WBC +300