The stage was set for an extraordinary encounter on March 21, 2023. In the championship game of the World Baseball Classic final, Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout were up against each other, and millions were watching the epic showdown in anticipation. But one person had a truly unique view. Japan’s outfielder Lars Nootbaar was right there in the middle of it all. He recently made a bold confession about what was really going through his mind when it all unfolded.

In the championship game, Japan, a two-time champion, took on Team USA, hoping to reclaim the throne after a long wait. Team USA, on the other hand, had entered the final as the defending champions, determined to replicate their feat. It was a tense, back-and-forth game and it eventually ended 3-2 in favor of Samurai Japan, starting

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