No sooner had the World Baseball Classic come to a close with Japan’s two-run rally in the ninth lifting it to a third WBC title than commissioner Rob Manfred made it clear that he wants to turn the event into an annual affair.

Rest assured nobody in Japan is complaining. Shohei Ohtani delivered a game-winning, two-run double in the bottom of the ninth on Tuesday, earning the country a third WBC title in the five times the event as been played.

Just as big of news, however, was Manfred saying he is ready to create the annual staging of the event instead of it being limited to once every four years..

"Maybe the best testimony to it, after the unfortunate injury [Edwin] Díaz had, how the players came out & spoke in support of the tournament," Manafred said. "It's an indication that they really, really care."

The global pandemic caused the tournament to take an extended absence, with six years passing between events. It's to be seen if, after the 2026 edition, MLB and the WBC resume to an every-four-years cadence, or if they elect to hold the tournament more often.

Sixteen teams automatically qualified for the 2026 WBC based on their play in this tournament. Only the last-place finishers in each pool — Chinese Tapiei, China, Colombia and Nicaragua — will have to attempt to re-qualify.

The 16 teams who have qualified:

• United States

• Japan

• Mexico

• Cuba

• Italy

• Netherlands

• Panama

• Australia

• Korea

• Czech Republic

• Canada

• Great Britain

• Puerto Rico

• Dominican Republic

• Israel