Japan vs Republic of Korea Prediction 15 November 2026
💣 Japan and the Republic of Korea will meet in the final of the Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC). Hosts Japan came through the group stage convincingly, winning all three games by a combined run margin of 30:6. Korea began the tournament with losses to Australia (7:8) and Japan (5:9), but then beat Chinese Taipei 6:4. Tiebreakers put Korea in second place and gave them a chance to compete for the title. Japan won the previous meeting between the teams and once again go into the game as favourites.
Head-to-head statistics Japan - Republic of Korea
Japan Team Overview
Japan are showing impressive offensive form, averaging ten runs per game. After beating Chinese Taipei 5-0, they defeated the Republic of Korea 9-5 and then thrashed Australia 16-1. The hosts’ pitchers have allowed their opponents just six runs across three games. Hiroto Takahashi, who plays for the Chunichi Dragons in NPB, will take the mound in the final. This season, the right-hander has pitched in 19 games, posting a 2.62 ERA and recording 135 strikeouts over 123⅔ innings.
Match Results: Japan
Republic of Korea Team Overview
The Republic of Korea have had notable problems with their pitching, allowing 21 runs in three games. Their offence, however, has looked fairly confident and has already scored 18 runs in the tournament. In their previous game against Chinese Taipei, the Koreans hit three solo home runs, including one by Kim Do-yeong. SSG Landers pitcher Kim Gwang-hyun is set to start the final. He finished the KBO regular season with nine wins, eleven losses and a 6.38 ERA.
Match Results: Republic of Korea
⭐ Editor's Pick
Japan are clear favourites thanks to their consistent offence and considerably more reliable pitching. The hosts have already beaten South Korea in the group stage, scoring nine runs, and are capable of another strong performance. Takahashi's appearance will be a further advantage: he had a strong season in NPB and knows how to limit opponents' scoring. South Korea are dangerous at the plate, but their starting pitcher will have to contain a team that has scored 25 runs in its last two games. We expect Japan to take the initiative again and secure a convincing win, so our pick is Japan Handicap (-2.5).
No comments
Betting Tips: Japan - Republic of Korea
in 8 of last 9 home games against Republic of Korea.in 13 of last 14 games.in 8 of last 9 home games.in 6 of last 7 away games against Japan.in 8 of last 9 games.in 9 of last 10 games.in 6 of last 7 home games.
