WBC Final: World Baseball Classic Match between Kyle Tucker of Team USA and Ryan Pressley against Japan’s Shohei Ohtani

Miami, Fla. (KTRK) – The 2023 World Series of Baseball and its fit, especially in the wake of injuries to stars like Jose Altuve and Edwin Diaz, hotly debated as the World Cup draws to a close.

The video above is ABC13 Houston’s Streaming 24/7.

But other than whether the multi-continent event puts athletes at risk of injury in seemingly meaningless games, one nation is poised to exit the tournament as the best in baseball in the next three years.

The United States and Japan face off in the WBC Final on Tuesday night in Miami, concluding what was essentially a two-week MLB season adjustment that is already significant in the record books.

Team USA is the defending champion from the last tournament in 2017 and can win it again, enduring a longer waiting period between tournaments due to the pandemic and the expansion of the field from 16 to 20 countries.

Up against the Americans is Team Japan, who won the first two tournaments and came close to qualifying for the finals in the last two. Japan returns to the Singles Championship with a star in the dugout: two-way phenom and Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani, who may not compete in the final.

Two Astros in line for more gold

Two American teammates, in particular, could add extra hardware to the World Series championship run they earned with the Houston Astros just five months ago.

Outfielder Kyle Tucker and shutout pitcher Ryan Pressley may join a rare club of major leaguers who have won the World Series and the WBC in the space of a few months.

But no matter what happens after Tuesday night, the Astros’ teammates can look forward to receiving their 2022 World Series rings in nine days when Houston holds its Opening Night festivities.

SEE ALSO: Astros’ Martin Maldonado catches a perfect combined game for Puerto Rico’s WBC victory against Israel