After contributing from both sides of the plate to Team Japan's conquest of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Shohei Ohtani was crowned the tournament's Most Valuable Player. With the bat, Ohtani's prowess and discipline were more than elite, posting a .435 batting average and leading the tournament in walks with 10. On the mound, Ohtani picked up 11 strikeouts, tying him for third in the tournament with teammate Roki Sasaki.