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MIAMI — Munetaka Murakami, a Japanese Triple Crown winner who, at 23, is already among the best hitters in the world, thought about bunting.

It was the ninth inning, two runners occupied first and second base with nobody out, and Japan trailed Mexico by a run in the World Baseball Classic semifinal, the type of moment that yearns for greatness. But Murakami didn’t feel like himself. He had begun this tournament with four hits in 21 at-bats, striking out 11 times, including during his first three plate appearances Monday night. And so he pondered the possibility of simply moving the winning run into scoring position, allowing someone else his moment.

“Bunting kind of crossed my mind,” Murakami said through an interpreter, “but [Japanese manager Hideki] Kuriyama told me that I just have to hit.”

It was the best advice he could get.

Murakami got a 94 mph, down-the-middle fastball from Team Mexico closer Giovanny Gallegos and sent the offering 400 feet to straightaway center field, a scorching line drive that bounced off the top of the fence and allowed both runners to motor home. Murakami’s long-awaited moment had highlighted another intense, back-and-forth contest in this World Baseball Classic, handing Japan the 6-5 walk-off victory that sent it into a championship showdown against Team USA.

Lars Nootbaar, bouncing in front of home plate before the winning run could score, called it “an out-of-body experience.”

“The best,” Masataka Yoshida said through an interpreter. “Epic.”

Monday’s semifinal was only the latest in a string of intense games in front of raucous sold-out crowds at multiple venues over these past couple of weeks, right up there with the recent wild swings of Mexico’s upset over Puerto Rico on Friday and Team USA’s grand-slam-fueled victory over Venezuela on Saturday. This year’s World Baseball Classic has morphed into such a thrilling tournament that it has its participants contemplating the bigger picture — even in defeat, as evidenced by the way Mexico manager Benji Gil summed up the affair.

“Japan advances,” Gil said in Spanish, “but the world of baseball won tonight.”

Mexico, a talented team that was nonetheless a clear underdog against Japan, put itself in prime position early. Patrick Sandoval dominated through the first four innings, allowing only three baserunners, and Luis Urias put his team on top with a three-run home run off Roki Sasaki, who threw almost all of his fastballs in the triple digits but didn’t locate his patented splitter low enough against Urias in the fourth.

When Randy Arozarena started doing his thing — robbing a home run, posing in front of the crowd, then signing autographs in between a pitching change moments later — it began to feel as if Mexico was destined to advance to its first championship in this tournament.

But Yoshida, who signed a $90 million contract with the Red Sox this offseason, tied the game with a seventh-inning, three-run homer off the massive concrete beam that resides beyond the right-field foul pole at LoanDepot Park. And after Mexico retook the lead, with RBI singles from Alex Verdugo and Isaac Paredes, Japan came all the way back, tacking on a run in the eighth and producing the ninth walk-off in World Baseball Classic history the following inning.

It began with Shohei Ohtani, who laced a 110 mph leadoff double into the right-center-field gap, roaring upon arriving at second base in an effort to ignite his teammates.

“It’s been a while since I’ve played in a win-or-lose game, in a playoff atmosphere,” Ohtani, speaking through an interpreter, said of displaying rare emotion.

Yoshida followed with a walk, and Murakami, who made what he called a “minor adjustment” with his mechanics during the game, followed with what amounted to the first walk-off hit in a semifinal or later in this tournament. All of Japan’s players had vacated their dugout in celebration before the second run could even score.

“Pure joy,” Nootbaar said. “I didn’t want to get a penalty for too many men on the field.”

The U.S., reigning champion dating back to 2017, hasn’t announced its starting pitcher for the championship game, but Merrill Kelly, the Arizona Diamondbacks‘ talented right-hander, is in line. Japan, the only undefeated team remaining, will go with the hard-throwing Shota Imanaga with a chance to claim its third title — but Ohtani said he’s willing to come into the game in relief.

Shohei Ohtani versus Mike Trout with everything on the line remains a possibility.

“Obviously it’s a big accomplishment to get to the championship series,” Ohtani said, “but there’s a big difference from being in first and second, so I’m going to do all I can to get that first place.”

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Utah’s Dampier now probable to face Colorado

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Utah's Dampier now probable to face Colorado

Utah quarterback Devon Dampier has been upgraded to probable for the Utes’ game against Colorado, according to the updated Big 12 availability report released Friday night.

The junior quarterback has dealt with a lower leg injury this season, and coach Kyle Whittingham said Dampier “got beat up in this game pretty good” after the Utes’ 24-21 loss to rival BYU last weekend.

Dampier was initially listed as questionable Wednesday but progressed throughout the week and took reps in practice, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

The 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior, a transfer out of New Mexico, has started every game despite the injury and ranks sixth in the Big 12 in total offense with 1,375 passing yards, 442 rushing yards and 18 total touchdowns.

True freshman backup Byrd Ficklin played four snaps against BYU and would be in line to start if Dampier is unavailable Saturday against the Buffaloes (10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Utah wide receiver Tobias Merriweather and defensive tackle Dallas Vakalahi were downgraded from doubtful to out against Colorado. Merriweather ranks second among Utes wideouts with 130 receiving yards on eight receptions this season.

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2025 World Series: Live updates and analysis from Dodgers-Blue Jays Game 1

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2025 World Series: Live updates and analysis from Dodgers-Blue Jays Game 1

The defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers opened the 2025 MLB season in Japan on March 18.

Now, 220 days later, they meet the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of the Fall Classic.

Will the Dodgers be the first team to repeat as champs since the New York Yankees at the turn of the century? Or will the underdog Blue Jays win their first title since 1993?

It all starts Friday night. We’ll have the action covered right here, from pregame lineups to live analysis during the game to takeaways after the final pitch.

Key links: Mega-preview, predictions | Schedule

Live updates

Gamecast: Follow the action pitch-by-pitch here

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Jays’ Bichette to start at 2B, bat cleanup in G1

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Jays' Bichette to start at 2B, bat cleanup in G1

TORONTO — Bo Bichette, who has not played since spraining his left knee in early September, was added to the Toronto Blue Jays‘ roster for the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Bichette, a two-time All-Star at shortstop, will play second base for the first time in his major league career and bat cleanup in Game 1 on Friday night in Toronto, according to the lineup released by the Jays.

“I’ve been able to get a lot of good work in, but honestly, I’m leaning on a whole life’s work of swings and at-bats that have all been dedicated to being ready for this moment,” Bichette said. “I feel ready, and I’m ready to get out there. I’m super excited.”

The Blue Jays also included first baseman Ty France on their roster for the first time this postseason. Outfielder Joey Loperfido and right-handed reliever Yariel Rodriguez, who were on the American League Championship Series roster, were not included.

Bichette has not played in a game since injuring the knee in a collision with Yankees catcher Austin Wells on Sept. 6. Bichette attempted to return in time for the AL Championship Series but could not run the bases without significant pain the day before the Blue Jays had to submit their roster.

The infielder worked out at second base and faced live pitching Wednesday and Thursday, after which he said the knee was “feeling good enough.” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Bichette could play second base, shortstop or even serve as the team’s designated hitter during the series, a move that would likely push George Springer into right field.

“I’ve seen him do it, albeit minor leagues a few years ago — or a number of years ago,” Schneider, who previously worked in the organization’s minor league system, said of Bichette playing second base. “But as long as he was moving around fine and physically felt OK, you felt good about putting him out there.”

Set to be a free agent this winter, Bichette had a rebound season after posting a .598 OPS in 81 games in an injury-plagued 2024 campaign. The homegrown star, 27, finished second in the majors with a .311 batting average and hit 18 home runs with 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS.

Without him, the Blue Jays have played Andres Gimenez, their regular second baseman, at shortstop in the postseason with Isiah Kiner-Falefa getting most of the starts at second base.

Los Angeles added right-handers Edgardo Henriquez and Will Klein while dropping lefty Alex Vesia and righty Ben Casparius. The Dodgers said Thursday that Vesia was not with the team in Toronto because of a family matter. The Dodgers opted to leave Vesia off the roster entirely rather than putting him on Major League Baseball’s family medical emergency list, which would have allowed him to return to the roster within three to seven days.

“We just didn’t want to have any potential for any kind of pressure,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “This is so much bigger than baseball. For us, it was doing whatever small part we could to just a hundred percent be supportive.”

Former closer Tanner Scott was not added. The left-hander was dropped from the National League Division Series roster following surgery Oct. 8 to remove an abscess from an infection on his lower body.

Clayton Kershaw, who was left off the Dodgers’ wild-card series roster and did not pitch in the NLCS, is on the World Series roster. Kershaw has said he plans to retire after this season.

Information from ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez and the Associated Press was used in this report.

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