Japan’s manager quits after World Baseball Classic flop

Source: New York Post

Japan’s World Baseball Classic manager is stepping down after a disappointing exit from the tournament.   Sports Hochi, a Japanese outlet, reported that Hirokazu Ibata, who had been the national team’s manager since 2023, had an “intention to resign. ” Head coach Hirokazu Ibata #89 of Japan calls a pitching change in the fifth inning during the exhibition game between Orix Buffaloes and Japan at Kyocera Dome Osaka on March 2, 2026 in Osaka, Japan.