In a surprising move, Team Japan manager Hideki Kuriyama announced that St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar has been selected to the World Baseball Classic roster.

Nootbaar is the first non-Japan-born player ever to play for the Japanese national team. He was born and raised in Los Angeles but is eligible to play for Japan because his mother, Kumiko, is from ...

Lars Nootbaar is playing for Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. ... Nootbaar, a 25-year-old center fielder for the Cardinals, was added to Team Japan's roster for the 2023 WBC.

TOKYO, Japan — Most Japanese couldn't recognize Lars Nootbaar a few weeks ago, before the World Baseball Classic opened. Few could even pronounce his name or spell it in English or Japanese. He ...

Lars Nootbaar, a high-energy outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals, was the first player born outside Japan to play for its national team. He put on a show.

Nootbaar said he didn’t want to lose key at-bats in spring training with the Cardinals unless he was going to get them with a Japan team that already features Ohtani and Yu Darvish. He’s told ...

• Lars Nootbaar, CF, Japan – Atop Team Japan’s lineup, Nootbaar has been the table-setter for Ohtani and others. So far in the tournament, he’s batting .368 (seven-for-19) ...

Lars Nootbaar has taken the world by storm with the way he is playing for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic. He's batting .500 for the tournament with four runs and has been a big help, as ...

He's got the biggest smile in Cardinals camp and has become a fan favorite for Team Japan. But Lars Nootbaar doesn't let success get to his head. To stream 5 On Your Side on your phone, you need ...

Lars Nootbaar of Japan reacts in 8th inning during the Pool B game between Japan and China at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) at the Tokyo Dome Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Tokyo.

Lars Nootbaar of Japan hits a single against China in the first inning of the Pool B game at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in Tokyo, Japan, Thursday, March 9, 2023.