The Houston Astros' eight-time All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve will be out of action for at least two months following surgery on his fractured right thumb.

Altuve sustained the injury playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic last Saturday after being struck on the thumb from a pitch by the United States' Daniel Bard.

The Astros confirmed in a statement that the second baseman had undergone surgery and subsequently will not resume baseball activities at least two months.

"Altuve will remain in Houston since Spring Training is in its final week," the Astros statement said. "The Astros ballclub is set to fly to Houston following their Florida Spring Training game on Sunday in West Palm Beach."

The 2023 MLB season commences next Thursday, with the Astros opening their campaign against the Chicago White Sox.

Altuve was a key part of Houston's 2022 World Series-winning team, hitting .300 with 28 home runs, 39 doubles, 18 steals and 103 runs while earning his sixth Silver Slugger Award and finishing fifth in AL MVP voting.

The 32-year-old won the 2017 AL MVP – the same year he helped the Astros win the franchise’s first World Series championship.

Among active players, Altuve ranks seventh in hits (1,935), eighth in doubles (379) and 12th in runs (986).

He was the second MLB All-Star to suffer a serious injury at the World Baseball Classic after New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz tore his patellar tendon, ruling him out for the entire season.

Shohei Ohtani was described as a "unicorn to the sport" by United States manager Mark DeRosa after he led Japan to victory in the World Baseball Classic final.

Ohtani struck out Los Angeles Angels team-mate Mike Trout to seal a 3-2 victory in a thrilling conclusion in Miami on Tuesday.

Named the tournament's MVP, Ohtani ticked off a list of achievements during the game that had only ever previously been matched in an MLB or WBC game by the legendary Babe Ruth in October 1921.

The 28-year-old started in the batting lineup, drew a walk, got a hit, came on to pitch in relief, struck out a batter and was the finishing pitcher.

"What he's doing in the game is what probably 90 per cent of the guys in that clubhouse did in Little League or in youth tournaments, and he's able to pull it off on the biggest stages," DeRosa said. 

"He is a unicorn to the sport. I think other guys will try it, but I don't think they're going to do it to his level.

"What blows me away on this stage is the fact that no moment is too big for him. He did not seem rattled by walking Jeff McNeil on a close pitch, not rattled that three MVPs were coming up to bat."

Ohtani himself was happy to accomplish one of his career goals by winning the tournament, and believed the victory over the USA was also proof that Japan can get the better of anyone.

"In my baseball life, [winning the World Baseball Classic was] one of the things that I wanted to achieve," Ohtani said. "Today I was able to achieve one of the goals.

"Of course, I happened to get the MVP, but this really proves that Japanese baseball can beat any team in the world."

Japan superstar Shohei Ohtani struck out Los Angeles Angels team-mate Mike Trout to end a 3-2 victory over the United States in a thrilling conclusion to the World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Tuesday.

The two pre-tournament favourites ended up meeting in the final, and almost like the script of a sports movie, fans were gifted the most anticipated matchup in baseball for the last out of the game.

It was the United States striking first, with Trea Turner continuing his remarkable tournament with a solo home run in the second inning. With it, he broke the US record for most home runs in a single WBC (five) and the most RBIs (11).

But their lead was short-lived, as 23-year-old Japan slugger Munetaka Murakami crushed a 432-foot bomb to tie the game with the first pitch in the bottom of the second frame.

With the final being played in Miami, the visiting team jumped ahead 2-1 later in the second through a Lars Nootbar RBI ground-out with bases loaded.

That score would hold until a solo home run from Kazuma Okamoto in the fourth inning to put Japan up 3-1, and while the United States finished with nearly double the amount of hits (nine against five), they failed to string them together and score.

The game was injected with life in the eighth inning as Kyle Schwarber put together a 10-pitch at-bat against Texas Rangers star Yu Darvish – including five foul balls in a row – before blasting a 436-foot homer to cut the lead to one.

All-Star Devin Williams pitched a clean eighth inning for the United States to reach the ninth with the scores still at 3-2, when Ohtani was sent out to close the show.

After a Jeff McNeil walk to open the inning, Ohtani got Mookie Betts to ground into a double-play, putting Japan one out away from securing their third WBC title.

The only thing standing in his way was Trout, and with the entire stadium on their feet – with a full count – Ohtani struck out the three-time AL MVP to collect the save.

Japan are the only team with more than one WBC crown, denying the United States a chance to tie them with two each, while the Dominican Republic also has one.

MLB Opening Day is still over a week away but several of baseball's biggest names will be in action on Tuesday – and Shohei Ohtani cannot wait.

The final of the World Baseball Classic will pit Ohtani's Japan against the might of defending champions the United States.

With Ohtani planning to hit and pitch in relief as he ramps up his preparations for the new season, all eyes will be on his potential matchup with Los Angeles Angels team-mate Mike Trout, the Team USA captain.

"It's not only Mike Trout, but one through nine in that order is filled with superstars, household names," Ohtani said.

"I'm just excited to face that lineup. It's a great thing for Japanese baseball."

Ohtani was speaking after Japan's dramatic 6-5 comeback win over Mexico that booked their spot in the final.

In an apparent nod to the Angels' eight-year absence from the MLB playoffs – spanning his entire career – Ohtani said: "It's been a while since I've played in a win-or-lose game, in a playoff atmosphere."

Munetaka Murakami, a Japanese Triple Crown winner last year, clinched Japan's victory with a walk-off double at the bottom of the ninth.

"It was the best, epic," said Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida, while Mexico manager Benji Gil graciously added: "Japan advances, but the world of baseball won tonight."

That is still not enough for Ohtani, though, as the two-way superstar said: "Obviously, it's a big accomplishment to get to the championship series.

"But there's a big difference from being in first and second, so I'm going to do all I can to get that first place."

Houston Astros All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve suffered a fractured right thumb at the World Baseball Classic and will require surgery, sidelining him indefinitely.

Astros general manager Dana Brown revealed the severity of the injury on Sunday, a day after Altuve was hit by a pitch from reliever Daniel Bard in the fifth inning of Venezuela’s 9-7 quarter-final loss to the United States.

The Astros said he will undergo surgery in the coming days, and they will then determine a prognosis for him.

There is no official timeline for when he will return, but it has been reported that similar injuries have sidelined players for eight-to-10 weeks.

A major part of Houston’s dominance over the last half-dozen years, the 32-year-old Altuve is coming off his eighth All-Star season.

In helping the Astros win the 2022 World Series, Altuve hit .300 with 28 home runs, 39 doubles, 18 steals and 103 runs while earning his sixth Silver Slugger Award and finishing fifth in AL MVP voting.

He won the 2017 AL MVP – the same year he helped the Astros win the franchise’s first World Series championship.

Among active players, Altuve ranks seventh in hits (1,935), eighth in doubles (379) and 12th in runs (986).

He is the second MLB All-Star to suffer a serious injury at the World Baseball Classic after elite New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz tore his patellar tendon, ruling him out for the entire season. 

New York Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz is expected to miss the entire MLB season after suffering a serious knee injury while celebrating a Puerto Rico win in the World Baseball Classic.

Diaz left the field in a wheelchair after injuring his right knee while celebrating Wednesday's win over the Dominican Republic, with his team-mates visibly upset by the incident.

On Thursday, the Mets revealed Diaz – who penned a five-year, $102million contract with the team in the offseason – had undergone surgery after sustaining a complete patellar tendon tear.

"Edwin Diaz underwent successful repair of the patellar tendon in his right knee today," read an update from the team. "He is expected to begin a formal rehab program in about a week."

Earlier on Thursday, Mets general manager Billy Eppler suggested the closer – widely considered to be the best in the game – could be sidelined for around eight months, a timeline which would rule him out for the entire 2023 season.

Eppler noted some athletes have returned from similar injuries within a six-month timeframe, but added such cases were "more the exception than the rule".

Diaz took to social media to update his fans after the surgery, writing on Twitter: "To all my beloved fans, especially the Mets fans, I want to let you know that I am doing well and healing. 

"I feel blessed and grateful for your support with messages and prayers, thank you very much!  I can't wait to see you guys in NY again and play those trumpets."

Celebrations for Puerto Rico at the World Baseball Classic turned sour when pitcher Edwin Diaz hurt his knee after their victory against the Dominican Republic.

The New York Mets closer – widely considered to be the best in the game – eliminated the favourites for the competition as he struck out Teoscar Hernandez to complete a 5-2 victory.

In the ensuing celebrations, the players were jumping in a huddle before stopping once it became apparent that Diaz was injured.

His brother, Cincinnati Reds reliever Alexis Diaz, was in tears as medics attended to him, helping the 28-year-old from the field.

According to ESPN, the 28-year-old will undergo an MRI on Thursday, with sources fearing "the injury could keep Díaz out for a significant period".

"I didn't see it right away," Puerto Rico manager Yadier Molina said. "I was hugging our coaches in the dugout, and when we looked up, Edwin was on the ground.

"I didn't know. I didn't know how to act, I didn't know what to say. It caught me by surprise. It sucks. When you see a guy that works so hard like Edwin, when you see him on the ground like that, it's just sad."

Center fielder Enrique Hernandez added: "It wasn't pretty much until we got to the infield dirt that we realised something had gone wrong.

"At the moment we didn't know who it was. When we got there, that's when we realised who it was. Obviously, aside from being the best closer in the game right now, and being a huge part of this team, [Diaz] is one of the glue guys in that clubhouse."

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr will not play for the Dominican Republic at the World Baseball Classic, withdrawing from the tournament due to inflammation in his right knee.

The 23-year-old slugger injured his knee Friday while running the bases in a spring training game and the team announced Saturday he would not participate in the WBC.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said an MRI showed no structural damage, and he is not expected to be sidelined for long.

Toronto, though, obviously do not want to take any chances as they head into the 2023 season with high expectations after finishing with 92 wins and reaching the playoffs last year.

Guerrero was named to his second All-Star Game in 2022 after leading the Blue Jays with 32 home runs and 97 RBIs while batting .274 in 160 games.

He is the third Toronto player to withdraw from the WBC, along with catcher Alejandro Kirk and relief pitcher Jordan Romano.

The Dominican Republic begins their WBC schedule next Saturday against Venezuela.

Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw revealed on Friday that he will no longer be able to take part in March's World Baseball Classic.

Kershaw was announced as part of Team USA's star-studded squad during the initial team reveal on February 9, but according to reporting from ESPN, he ran into a roadblock when it came to getting his MLB contract insured.

Teams require players on their 40-man rosters to have their contracts insured before taking part in the World Baseball Classic, but with 35-year-old Kershaw having missed time with back injuries in five of the past seven seasons, it was far from straightforward.

Speaking to reporters, Kershaw confirmed he is fully healthy and has the Dodgers' blessing, but ultimately could not make it work.

"Super disappointing," he said. "We tried a lot of different things, all sides, we really tried to make it work. 

"Nothing's wrong with me, it just didn't work out. I really wanted to do it, I really wanted to be a part of that group.

"Probably my last chance to do it, so I really wanted to do it. Just didn't work out for a number of reasons. I'm frustrated. 

"They should make it easy for guys that want to play, to play. Obviously if the team doesn't want you to play that's one thing, but if you have the team's blessing, like I do, it should be easier. They should probably look into that."

He added: "There were some factors that were making it hard for me to play, and I tried to work it out on my own, tried to work it out with MLB, the union, the team. Everybody worked hard to try to make it work, and I wasn't able to."

Team USA general manager Tony Reagins also shared his disappointment in the outcome.

"It's unfortunate that Clayton won't be able to pitch for us," he said. "Clayton's desire to wear USA across his chest and represent his country was evident very early on in this process.

"We would have loved to have this future Hall of Famer on the mound for us, we respect all that he would bring to this clubhouse and this group of men. 

"We now have to pivot and turn our focus toward the next man up as we prepare to defend the WBC title. I'm confident in the roster that we've built and we look forward to getting everyone together in just a few weeks."