Japan vs. Venezuela: WBSC Premier 12 Super Round preview, projected starters, odds and picks - Nov 22, MLB 2024
On November 22, the Premier 12 tournament will continue as Team Japan will play Team Venezuela. With both teams having secured victories in their first games of the Super Round, the stakes are high as each side will seek to keep their record clean.
After a Group Stage, the top four Premier 12 teams were re-seeded into the Super Round. This consists of a round robin against the other three teams to determine who gets to hoist the ultimate prize.
Premier 12 2024 - Team USA vs Team Taiwan
Undefeated thus far in the tournament, Team Japan is putting on a clinic on home turf. Although they do not count Shohei Ohtani or any other MLB star in their ranks, the team is showing that it is possible to win with NPB talent. In their first game of the Super Round against the USA, Kaito Kozono stole the show, hitting a pair of home runs and driving in seven in the 9-1 win.
"We don't need to explain why Kaito Kozono is the Player of the Game against USA. #Premier12" - Premier 12 presented by RAXUS
Team Venezuela also opened the Super Round with a win, albeit in a less commanding way. In their 2-0 win over Chinese Taipei, Venezuela's only run came off of a two-run shot by Oakland Athletics minor leaguer Carlos Perez in the fourth inning.
Starting Pitchers
JPN: Hiroto Saiki (才木浩人)
Hanshin Tigers ace Hiroto Saiki will get the ball for Team Japan in the game against Venezuela. An NPB All-Star in 2024, Saiki finished the season with a record of 13-3 and a 1.88 ERA - a figure that ranked third in NPB's Pacific League in 2024.
"Hiroto Saiki with the strikeout for Samurai Japan, keeping the zero on the board at the Taipei Dome. Premier 12 || @Premier12 || @samuraijapan_pr" - WBSC
VZN: Ricardo Pinto
Ricardo Pinto will get the ball for Venezuela in Friday's game. Pinto pitched in five games for the Philadelphia Phillies this past season, but is currently a free agent. Having pitched all around the world, Pinto will be spending the winter pitching for Tiburones de La Guaira - one of the top teams in his homeland.
Odds
Given the fact that Japan is not only undefeated, but undefeated by a large margin inevitably gives them the statistical leg up. The odds are as follows:]
Japan will win the game, by how much, remains to be determined.