'26 Classic starts tonight! Chinese Taipei vs. Australia (10 ET, FS1)
The World Baseball Classic is finally here and the first game could have a huge impact on how Pool C shakes out. Australia finished second in the Tokyo pool in 2023, while Chinese Taipei – which upset Japan to win the 2024 Premier12 inside the Tokyo Dome – was relegated to a Qualifier after tiebreakers went against the team in a five-way tie.
While 2024 No. 1 overall MLB Draft pick Travis Bazzana made his senior national team debut for Australia at the 2024 Premier12, this will be his World Baseball Classic debut – something he had dreamed about and kept a note about in his phone while back in college.
“I think growing up, I always looked ahead and had a vision of things I wanted to do in this game, and this was a big part of it,” Bazzana said at Wednesday’s workout. “I was always writing about it, thinking about it, [willing] myself to see it come to fruition. I know [pitcher] Lachlan [Wells] well, he was on my team. Here he is right now. So, it's awesome. It's something that young me was dreaming of, and now it's here.”
Here’s what you need to know about the matchup:
When and where: Thursday, March 5, 12 p.m. local time in Tokyo (March 4, 10 p.m. ET)
How you can watch: The game will be on FS1 for fans in America, while viewers in Japan can watch on Netflix. Click here to view viewing options in other countries and territories.
How you can listen: There is a free English-language audio stream available for every game.
Probable starting pitchers: Jo-Hsi Hsu vs. Alexander Wells
Hsu is Chinese Taipei’s most electric pitcher: Though undersized at 5-foot-10, his fastball can reach the upper 90s and he pairs that with an excellent split-finger. After dominating in Taiwan’s CPBL, posting a 2.42 ERA across his first four seasons, he drew interest from Major League and NPB teams. There was reportedly interest from the Dodgers, but he instead signed with the SoftBank Hawks in Japan for 2026, choosing to continue to develop as a starting pitcher before a hopeful eventual move to the Majors.
He appeared in the 2025 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers for Chinese Taipei, posting a 2.45 ERA in 3 2/3 innings with five strikeouts.
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Wells – who is seven minutes older than his twin and fellow Australian national teammate Lachlan – takes the ball on the first day of the tournament. He reached the Major Leagues with the Orioles in 2021-22, pitching 46 1/3 innings with a 6.60 ERA. Injuries derailed his career and caused him to step away from the game until he returned to pitch for the Sydney Blue Sox beginning in 2024. Last year, he went 5-3 with a 3.42 ERA.
What’s at stake: The winner of this game will be in great position to advance while the loser would no longer be in full control of its destiny. The pool-play part of the tournament doesn’t hinge on one single game, but it’s not far off.
Matchup history:
The teams last met in the ‘24 Premier12, an 11-3 Chinese Taipei win, with captain Chieh-Hsien Chen scoring three runs and a three-run home run from former Guardians prospect Kungkuan Giljegiljaw.
Before that, these teams had only faced off once in the World Baseball Classic: In 2013, Chinese Taipei defeated Australia, 4-1, with former Yankees pitcher and current Chinese Taipei pitching coach Chien-Ming Wang throwing six shutout innings for the victory.