The second episode of Ronald Acuña Jr.’s podcast revealed one of the best-kept secrets regarding Venezuela’s performance in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. During a relaxed conversation between the two Venezuelan Major Leaguers, infielder Maikel García disclosed an intense verbal exchange he had with Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani during the decisive matchup between the two nations.

That clash between Venezuela and Japan stood out as one of the most tense moments of the international tournament. Beyond the spectacle on the field, heightened emotions led to friction between the game’s key stars, details that the official television broadcast did not fully capture but which remained etched in the memories of those involved.

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An exchange of words with Shohei Ohtani during an at-bat

According to Maikel García, the atmosphere of the game caused adrenaline to run high in the Japanese dugout. Following a hard-fought at-bat, tensions escalated quickly when the Los Angeles Dodgers star began shouting comments from the field as the play was unfolding.

"The left-handed pitcher threw a fastball toward my feet; I was off-balance and lunged forward, and Ohtani started yelling at me in his strange language... I kept fouling off his splitter, and I thought, 'He’s going to try to do the same thing to me that he did to Chupae (Ronald Acuña Jr.), go for a high fastball.' Instead, he dropped it a bit, and I hit it."

"...That’s why, when we caught the fly ball and he rounded second base, I told him, 'You son of a b*tch, go back to Japan, for f*ck's sake!' I said it in my Venezuelan way, I was furious because he had been yelling things at me. It didn't come across on the broadcast, but that’s one of the things that happened."

The intensity that the broadcast didn’t capture

This entire episode revealed the true competitive atmosphere that unfolded on the diamond against the Asian squad. Television cameras often focus exclusively on pitches or defensive plays, overlooking the constant psychological sparring and the rivalry that emerges when facing the best baseball players on the planet.

For Venezuelan fans, these insights add a layer of authenticity to the coverage of top-tier baseball. Maikel García’s account demonstrates that, given the intense nature of a short tournament like the World Baseball Classic, even the most established Major League Baseball stars are not immune to the passion and the heat of the game.

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During his participation in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Maikel García established himself as one of the most consistent offensive contributors in the Venezuelan lineup. Over the course of seven games, the infielder posted a .320 batting average, recording eight hits in 25 at-bats, including one home run, along with four RBIs and six runs scored.

His patience at the plate resulted in a .393 on-base percentage (OBP), bolstered by three walks, while his aggressiveness on the basepaths led to three stolen bases. This underscored his comprehensive contribution to the Venezuelan team's success, a performance that earned him the tournament's MVP award.

Note: Statistics were verified via the official MLB.com World Baseball Classic portal and confirmed by the statistics department of our media outlet, Swing Completo.

Who is Maikel García?

Maikel José García (born March 3, 2000, in La Sabana, Venezuela) is a professional baseball player who primarily plays as an infielder for the Kansas City Royals in Major League Baseball (MLB). Having developed his skills within the Venezuelan baseball system, and as a cousin to prominent stars like Ronald Acuña Jr., he has solidified his career in the Major Leagues thanks to his defensive reliability, speed on the basepaths, and offensive ability.

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