The World Baseball Classic is rapidly approaching and fans everywhere are hoping that this year's edition can match the electricity of the 2023 event that saw Japan walk away as champions after a classic in the final. It is unlikely that the chips are ever going to fall in a way that's more compelling than Shohei Ohtani striking out Mike Trout with everything on the line, but baseball always does seem to deliver the drama.
This will be the fifth World Baseball Classic held since its inception in 2006 and this one features stacked rosters full of Major League Baseball talent. Since it happens every three years, it might be helpful to have a refresher on the format of the tournament.
