The 2026 World Baseball Classic continues Friday morning with a highly-anticipated Pool C clash between host nation Japan and Chinese Taipei at the Tokyo Dome. First pitch is set for 5:00 AM ET (7:00 PM local time) on FS1.
Chinese Taipei (0-1) enters this matchup fresh off a 3-0 loss to Australia in Wednesday night’s tournament opener. Despite entering the game as a hefty -250 favorite on the moneyline, Chinese Taipei was shut out after surrendering a pair of home runs to Robbie Perkins and former No. 1 overall pick Travis Bazzana.
Japan, meanwhile, will make its 2026 WBC debut with Los Angeles Dodgers ace RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound.
Japan vs. Chinese Taipei Game Info
- 📍 Where: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
- 📅 Date: Friday, March 6
- ⏰ First Pitch: 5:00 AM ET
- 📺💻 TV/Streaming: FS1
Japan vs. Chinese Taipei Odds
Japan is listed as a heavy -1200 favorite to win this matchup at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook. The run line is set at a whopping 4.5 runs, while the total sits at just 7.5 runs.
Odds subject to change.
Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Moneyline | Japan -1200, Chinese Taipei +600 |
| Run Line | Japan -4.5 (-120), Chinese Taipei +4.5 (+100) |
| Total (Runs) | Over 7.5 (-130), Under 7.5 (+100) |
Japan vs. Chinese Taipei Player Props
For those looking to target any player props for Friday morning’s showdown, Hard Rock Bet has a wide array of props featuring Japan’s star-studded lineup and ace pitcher.
Home Run Props
- Shohei Ohtani to Record 1+ Home Run (+155)
- Munetaka Murakami to Record 1+ Home Run (+275)
- Seiya Suzuki to Record 1+ Home Run (+275)
- Kazuma Okamoto to Record 1+ Home Run (+400)
- Masataka Yoshida to Record 1+ Home Run (+450)
- Yu Chang to Record 1+ Home Run (+900)
- Stuart Fairchild to Record 1+ Home Run (+1000)
- Shohei Ohtani to Record 2+ Home Runs (+1100)
- Munetaka Murakami to Record 2+ Home Runs (+2500)
- Seiya Suzuki to Record 2+ Home Runs (+2500)
Hit Props
- Shohei Ohtani to Record 2+ Hits (+170)
- Seiya Suzuki to Record 2+ Hits (+210)
- Masataka Yoshida to Record 2+ Hits (+210)
- Kazuma Okamoto to Record 2+ Hits (+260)
- Munetaka Murakami to Record 2+ Hits (+275)
- Shohei Ohtani to Record 3+ Hits (+750)
- Seiya Suzuki to Record 3+ Hits (+1000)
- Masataka Yoshida to Record 3+ Hits (+1000)
- Kazuma Okamoto to Record 3+ Hits (+1200)
Strikeout Props
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto to Record 5+ Strikeouts (-150)
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto to Record 6+ Strikeouts (+145)
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto to Record 7+ Strikeouts (+300)
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto to Record 8+ Strikeouts (+600)
Japan World Baseball Classic Futures
We already dove into all of Chinese Taipei’s futures betting options at Hard Rock Bet in our preview of Chinese Taipei vs. Australia, so it’s only right that Japan gets the same treatment.
Japan World Baseball Classic Odds to Repeat
Japan currently sits among the top tier of World Baseball Classic contenders at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook, priced at +375 to capture their second consecutive WBC title. Only Team USA (-110) and the Dominican Republic (+350) carry shorter championship odds, underscoring major respect for the defending champions playing on home soil.
Japan Pool C Odds
Japan’s path to winning Pool C looks clear at -500, facing a group that includes South Korea (+600), Australia (+800), Chinese Taipei (+3000), and Czechia (+5000).
World Baseball Classic MVP Odds for Japan
When it comes to individual hardware, Japan has multiple World Baseball Classic MVP candidates scattered throughout the betting board. Shohei Ohtani is unsurprisingly Japan’s leader at +1100, second only to Team USA’s Aaron Judge (+750).
Beyond Ohtani, several other Japanese stars populate the MVP odds. Slugger Munetaka Murakami, who recently signed with the Chicago White Sox, sits at +3000 alongside a cluster of elite talent including the DR’s Juan Soto, Venezuela’s Ronald Acuña Jr., and Japan teammate Seiya Suzuki. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who took home the 2025 World Series MVP, also carries 30-1 odds and could vault into serious WBC MVP consideration with a dominant outing or two.
- Shohei Ohtani (+1100)
- Munetaka Murakami (+3000)
- Seiya Suzuki (+3000)
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto (+3000)
- Kazuma Okamoto (+3000)
- Yusei Kikuchi (+6000)
- Masataka Yoshida (+7500)
- Tatsuya Imai (+10000)
The concentration of Japanese talent across the MVP odds board tells the whole story: this isn’t a one-man team. If Japan makes another deep run, anyone could realistically emerge as the team’s defining performer – and the odds reflect that.
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