The Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) 2023 schedule has been announced.

“NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball) Enterprises announced the APBC bracket for the tournament, which kicks off on Nov. 16,” Japanese media outlet Daily Sports reported on Sunday afternoon.

South Korea will play its first game against Australia at noon on Nov. 16. This will be followed by the Korea-Japan game against Japan at 7 p.m. on Nov. 17. On Nov. 18 at 7 p.m., Korea will play its final group game against Chinese Taipei. On the 19th, the third-place game and the final will be held. They will be held at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., respectively.

The APBC was first held in 2017. It was scheduled to be held twice in 2021, but was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will be held this year.

The 2017 tournament featured three countries – South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. South Korea finished as runner-up, losing to Japan in the final. This time around, four countries will compete for the title, including Australia.

The APBC is an exchange tournament that aims to develop young players. Players aged 24 and under and within their third year of professional competition are eligible to represent their country, with a total of three wild cards available. The national team for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games in September will be comprised of players aged 25 or younger or in their fourth year as a professional, including three wild cards. Both tournaments will feature players who will lead the future of Korean baseball.

South Korea is currently without a commander in chief. The 토토 same goes for Japan. Head coach Hideki Kuriyama, who led the team to the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) title, announced his intention to step down after the tournament. The search is on for a replacement.

In the meantime, younger players in the Nippon Professional Baseball system, such as pitcher Roki Sasaki (Chiba Rodeo Marines) and left-handed slugger Munetaka Murakami (Yakult Swallows), who played for Japan’s WBC team, could be in the running.