Michael Clair

Oshu City, part of the Iwate Prefecture, is a rural inland town in northern Japan. Famed for its Maesawa beef and historic temples and shrines, these days the city may be better known as the hometown of one Shohei Ohtani, baseball's biggest star. Head to its City Hall, and you'll

After Shohei Ohtani left Game 2 of the World Series with a shoulder injury, it wasn't just the Dodgers or Ohtani superfans who were worried about the superstar's health: Those at city hall in Oshu, the rural Japanese town where Ohtani is originally from, were equally nervous. That's because the

Thought baseball season was over? Did you watch the Dodgers parade through Los Angeles, champagne bubbling along the way and think you had to get through a baseball-free winter? Then, you're in luck: There's no such thing as a baseball offseason. Not when there's winter leagues around the globe: LIDOM games are available to stream to MLB.TV subscribers,

Sixteen teams are in for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and four spots remain for the main tournament. On Tuesday, the eight participating teams that will meet early next year in one of two Qualifiers were announced.

Just 22 years old and Travis Bazzana already has a lifetime's worth of accomplishments: He was the MVP of the Cape Cod League in 2023 and was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year for his performance with Oregon State last year. He was the No. 1 overall pick in

It's a card so rare, featuring a player so iconic, that even The Smithsonian has one in their collection. But on Friday morning, a copy of the card -- a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #149, in even better condition than the one on display at one of America's most venerated museums -- made its way to the MLB flagship store in Manhattan.

TOKYO -- It was easy for a young Japanese ace-in-the-making to slip under the radar at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. There was Shohei Ohtani, starting, relieving, and hammering baseballs all over the park. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was a year away from winning his third consecutive Sawamura Award as the best

Premier12 super-round results Michael Clair TOKYO – Four teams are left to battle for the title of Premier12 champions -- the

TOKYO -- Rich Hill lives in the moment. A veteran of nearly 400 Major League games, with trips to the injured list and stints in independent ball in between, he knows how fortunate he is to be able to put on a jersey and walk out onto the mound with the ball in his hand. Now 44 years old, Hill is representing Team USA for the first time in his career. Not only is it a rare time to be pulling off career firsts, but much of the roster is filled with young Minor League stars. Some, like Pirates second-base prospect Termarr Johnson, were born after the lanky left-hander was drafted.

TOKYO -- Before facing the rival USA Baseball team on Thursday night in the super-round of WBSC's Premier12 tournament , the cherubic Shugo Maki gathered his teammates around him near the Samurai Japan dugout. With the hint of a smile and a mischievous glint in his eye, the slugger gave his team a pregame speech to raise spirits and unite the No. 1 ranked team in the world against the American baseball powerhouse.