Mike Trout and Team USA may have come up short in the 2023 World Baseball Classic championship versus Shohei Ohtani and Team Japan, but the Los Angeles Angels superstar still enjoyed his time at the WBC. Trout thanked fans on Wednesday for helping to make the energy around the WBC “electric,” per Trout's Twitter.
“It’s hard to sum up into words what these last couple of weeks have meant to me,” Trout wrote. “I had the time of my life representing that USA on my chest! The energy was electric and made the WBC a moment I’ll always cherish. So thank you all so much. It was an honor to be your captain.”
Team USA still enjoyed a number of incredible moments. Philadelphia Phillies' shortstop Trea Turner carried the offense through the final stages of the WBC, clubbing five total home runs and one epic grand slam.
Mike Trout, on the other hand, led Team USA as their captain. He endured his share of ups and downs during the tournament, but his quiet leadership caused others to take notice. Trout is well-respected among his peers without question.
In the end, everything came down to Mike Trout against his Angels teammate Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani ultimately got the best of Trout, striking him out on a filthy 3-2 slider, but it was a tremendous at-bat nonetheless. Trout and Ohtani have both already said they want to play in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
And with those two superstars leading the charge, many other players around baseball will follow. The WBC was a win for baseball. It drew no shortage of attention and got fans excited for the season.