The World Baseball Classic (WBC) has resulted in a major crisis in Samurai Japan, which lost its identity in a loss to Venezuela in the quarterfinals of the tournament. The team lost 8–5 to an explosive Venezuelan team, with players Shohei Ohtani, Seiya Suzuki, and Masataka Yoshida not being counted on to score any significant runs. They prioritized offense over defense, prioritizing the long ball over small ball, and lost their identity by modernizing their approach. The Japanese team's failure to evolve their game negatively impacted their chances of winning the tournament for the third consecutive time. Additionally, their lack of ability to play well against high-velocity pitchers in the major leagues was also a significant issue. Despite efforts to evolve, they failed to make a difference in the one area where pitching could have made a difference.