The opening game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic in Tokyo quickly turned into a one-man show. Japan crushed Chinese Taipei 13-0 at the Tokyo Dome, but the biggest reason fans kept cheering all night was Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese superstar hit a powerful grand slam and finished the game with five RBIs, helping Japan start its title defense in dominant fashion.Many famous faces were sitting in the crowd to watch the moment live, including global music star Bad Bunny and Hollywood actor Timothée Chalamet. Bad Bunny arrived in Tokyo as a proud supporter of Puerto Rico’s team, but inside the stadium it became impossible not to watch Ohtani. His huge swing in the second inning changed the entire mood of the game and quickly became the moment everyone was talking about.
Shohei Ohtani’s grand slam headlines Japan’s 13-0 win while Bad Bunny continues showing strong support for Kiké Hernández and Team Puerto Rico
Japan’s offense exploded early in the game. The team scored ten runs in the second inning, which became one of the biggest innings in World Baseball Classic history. The rally began with aggressive hitting from the top of the lineup, but the loudest moment came when Shohei Ohtani launched a grand slam deep into the stands.The blast pushed Japan to a comfortable lead and completely changed the pace of the game. By the time the seventh inning arrived, Japan was still ahead by double digits. Because the tournament uses a mercy rule, the game officially ended early with Japan winning 13-0.Shohei Ohtani finished the night 3-for-5 with five RBIs. He was only a triple away from hitting for the cycle. Fans inside the Tokyo Dome stood and cheered as he rounded the bases after the grand slam, and the moment quickly spread across social media.Among those watching from the stands was Bad Bunny, who has been very vocal about supporting Puerto Rico in the tournament. Even though he attended the Tokyo game, his loyalty to Puerto Rico’s national team has been clear throughout the event.The singer partnered with Adidas to design special BadBo 1.0 cleats for Puerto Rico players. The shoes were created using the colors of the Puerto Rican flag. Several players proudly showed them online, including Kiké Hernández, Edwin Díaz, and José De León.Hernández shared photos of the cleats on Instagram so fans could see the gift from the global music star. The gesture helped highlight the strong connection between Puerto Rico’s baseball team and one of the island’s biggest celebrities.Bad Bunny also tried to help the roster before the tournament even started. According to reports from ESPN, the singer offered to personally cover the insurance costs needed for star players Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa so they could participate in the World Baseball Classic.However, the official insurance provider did not approve the coverage. Reports suggested Lindor’s previous elbow procedures and Correa’s contract situation made the approval difficult. Because of that decision, both players had to stay out of the tournament.Even though the plan did not work, the move showed how strongly Bad Bunny wanted to support Puerto Rico’s team. Still, on opening night in Tokyo, the spotlight clearly belonged to Shohei Ohtani, whose grand slam turned Japan’s first game into a powerful statement.