Team Australia Stuns Chinese Taipei in WBC Opener

Top prospect Travis Bazzana leads Australia to 3-0 win with powerful home run

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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In the opening game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Team Australia pulled off a surprising 3-0 victory over defending champions Chinese Taipei. The star of the game was top Cleveland Guardians prospect Travis Bazzana, who hit a 104 mph home run to power the Aussie offense. Australia's veteran pitching staff also held Chinese Taipei scoreless, limiting them to just 3 hits.

Why it matters

This win marks a major upset in the WBC tournament, as Chinese Taipei was the defending champion coming into the event. It showcases the depth and talent of the Australian national team, which features several former MLB players. The performance of young star Travis Bazzana also highlights the bright future of the Guardians' farm system.

The details

In the opening game, Australia rode the strong pitching of their veteran staff to shut out Chinese Taipei 3-0. Bazzana's towering home run in the 5th inning provided the offensive spark, as the Aussies took advantage of Chinese Taipei's lack of run production. Australia's experienced roster, including several former major leaguers, proved too much for the defending champions to handle on this day.

  • The game was played on March 5, 2026.
  • Australia will face Czechia on Thursday, March 6 at 10:00 pm ET.
  • Chinese Taipei will look to bounce back against Japan in their next game.

The players

Travis Bazzana

A top prospect in the Cleveland Guardians' farm system, Bazzana hit a 104 mph home run to power Australia's offense in the win.

Team Australia

The Australian national baseball team, featuring several former MLB players, pulled off the upset victory over defending WBC champions Chinese Taipei.

Team Chinese Taipei

The defending World Baseball Classic champions, Chinese Taipei was stunned 3-0 by Australia in the opening game of the 2026 tournament.

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What they’re saying

“In 2024, we played in the 'Premier 12' and Chinese Taipei were the champions. They are an incredible baseball team, but I mean, we had two ex-major leaguers pitch today, and the third guy was one of the toughest pitchers for any left-hander to face. A lot of experience throughout our team. When we go against anyone, we will have belief and trust in each other.”

— Travis Bazzana (clutchpoints.com)

What’s next

Australia will quickly move on as they take on Czechia at 10:00 pm ET on Thursday night. Chinese Taipei will look to bounce back against former champions Japan in their next game.

The takeaway

This upset victory by Team Australia over the defending WBC champions Chinese Taipei showcases the depth of talent in the Australian national team. Led by the powerful hitting of top prospect Travis Bazzana and a veteran pitching staff, the Aussies proved they can compete with the best teams in the world and will be a force to be reckoned with in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.