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Team Mexico takes on Team Japan tonight in the semifinal of the World Baseball Classic, and sensation Roki Sasaki will take the mound for Team Japan, but outfielder Randy Arozarena is not afraid, and basically declared that Team Mexico will win.
He was asked what he expects from Roki Sasaki in the game.
“What do I expect? For him to lose today,” Randy Arozarena said, via Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.
Arozarena's impact has been made throughout the tournament. He has eight hits in five games with nine RBI, including five doubles and one home run. He is batting .471 with a .625 on-base percentage with a .941 slugging percentage and a 1.566 OPS.
The team that wins tonight will move on to the championship game and face Team USA, who beat Cuba last night by the score of 14-2. Trea Turner has been as hot as anyone in the tournament, hitting a go-ahead grand slam against Venezuela, and two more home runs against Cuba.
Mexico defeated Team USA in the group stages by the score of 11-5 in Arizona on March 12. Team Mexico won the group while Team USA finished in second. Japan has not played Team USA in the tournament so far.
Shohei Ohtani is expected to hit in the games, but not expected to pitch even if Japan makes it to the championship game.
Japan has gone undefeated so far in the tournament, while Mexico lost to Colombia. Some would argue that Mexico and Team USA would be the best competition that Japan has faced so far in the tournament.
Regardless of the outcome, the next two nights should be an exciting conclusion to the World Baseball Classic.