Australia National Baseball Team

It is ranked as the top team in Oceania, and is the Oceanian Champion, having been awarded the title in 2007 when New Zealand withdrew from the Oceania Baseball Championship. After achieving a last (16th) place in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, its rank dropped to 13, which is the lowest rank Australia ever received. The highest rank it has achieved is 6th, and its current rank is 10th.

Australia national baseball team
Information
Country	Australia
Federation	Australian Baseball Federation
Confederation	Baseball Confederation of Oceania
Manager	Dave Nilsson
WBSC ranking
Current	11 (18 December 2023)
Highest	6 (3 times; latest in June 2021)
Lowest	14 (December 2014)
Uniforms
World Baseball Classic
Appearances	5 (first in 2006)
Best result	7th (1 time, in 2023)
Olympic Games
Appearances	3 (first in 1996)
Best result	2nd (1 time, in 2004)
World Cup
Appearances	9 (first in 1978)
Best result	5th (2 times, most recent in 2011)
Intercontinental Cup
Appearances	6 (first in 1981)
Best result	1st (1 time, in 1999)
Asian Championship
Appearances	8 (first in 1971)
Best result	3rd (1 time, in 1975)
Oceania Championship
Appearances	1 (first in 2003)
Best result	1st (1 time, in 2003)

The Australian team participated in the Summer Olympic Games in 1996, 2000, and 2004, but failed to qualify for 2008. The team has also participated in both of the other major international baseball tournaments recognised by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF): the Baseball World Cup and most recently the World Baseball Classic (WBC).

The team is controlled by the Australian Baseball Federation, which is represented in the Baseball Confederation of Oceania (BCO). Prior to the BCO's formation, Australia competed in the Asian Baseball Championship under the Baseball Federation of Asia (BFA). Australia continues to have a relationship with the BFA; the 2011 resumption of the Asia Series includes the Australian Baseball League's champion team. Team Australia came in 6th in the 12-team 2019 WBSC Premier12 Tournament, in November 2019.

The following is a list of professional baseball match results currently active in the latest version of the WBSC World Rankings, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Legend

  Win   Lose   Void or postponed   Fixture

2019

WBSC Premier12 GS	November 6	Australia	0–5	South Korea	Gocheok Dome, South Korea
	19:00 KST		Boxscore		Attendance: 5,899

WBSC Premier12 GS	November 7	Australia	2–3 (F/10)	Cuba	Gocheok Dome, South Korea
	12:00 KST		Boxscore		Attendance: 252

WBSC Premier12 GS	November 8	Canada	1–3	Australia	Gocheok Dome, South Korea
	12:00 KST		Boxscore		Attendance: 200

WBSC Premier12 SR	November 11	Australia	2–3	Japan	ZOZO Marine Stadium, Japan
	19:00 JST		Boxscore		Attendance: 17,819

WBSC Premier12 SR	November 12	Australia	0–3	Mexico	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	12:00 JST		Boxscore		Attendance: 2,089

WBSC Premier12 SR	November 13	Australia	2–1	United States	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	12:00 JST		Boxscore		Attendance: 2,149

WBSC Premier12 SR	November 16	Australia	1–5	Chinese Taipei	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	12:00 JST		Boxscore		Attendance: 7,299

2022

Friendly	November 9	Australia	1–8	Japan	Sapporo Dome, Japan
			Boxscore

Friendly	November 10	Australia	0–9	Japan	Sapporo Dome, Japan
			Boxscore

2023

World Baseball Classic GS	March 9	Australia	8–7	South Korea	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	12:00 JT	WP: Jon Kennedy (1–0) Sv: Josh Guyer (1) HR: Tim Kennelly (1), Robbie Glendinning (1), Robbie Perkins (1)	Boxscore	LP: Kim Won-jung (0–1) HR: Yang Eui-ji (1)	Umpires: HP – Ramon De Jesus, 1B – Fabrizio Fabrizzi, 2B – Adam Hamari, 3B – Chan-Jung Chang

World Baseball Classic GS	March 11	China	2–12 (F/7)	Australia	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	12:00 JT	LP: Xin Qi (0–1)	Boxscore	WP: Kyle Glogoski (1–0) HR: Robbie Glendinning (2)	Umpires: HP – Adam Hamari, 1B – Chan-Jung Chang, 2B – Pat Hoberg, 3B – Delfin Colon

World Baseball Classic GS	March 12	Japan	7–1	Australia	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	19:00 JT	WP: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1–0) HR: Shohei Ohtani (1)	Boxscore	LP: Will Sherriff (0–1) HR: Alex Hall (baseball) (1)	Attendance: 41,664 Umpires: HP – Pat Hoberg, 1B – Cuti Suárez, 2B – Adam Hamari, 3B – Chan-Jung Chang

World Baseball Classic GS	March 13	Australia	8–3	Czech Republic	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	12:00 JT	WP: Daniel McGrath (1–0) HR: Alex Hall (2)	Boxscore	LP: Marek Minařík (1–1)	Umpires: HP – Ramon De Jesus, 1B – Delfin Colon, 2B – Laz Díaz, 3B – Fabrizio Fabrizzi

World Baseball Classic QF	March 15	Australia	3–4	Cuba	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	19:00 NST	LP: Josh Guyer (0–1) HR: Rixon Wingrove (1)	Boxscore	WP: Miguel Romero (2–0) Sv: Raidel Martínez (1)	Attendance: 35,061 Umpires: HP – Adam Hamari, 1B – Cuti Suárez, 2B – Laz Díaz, 3B – Delfin Colon

2024

Friendly	February 17	Hanwha Eagles	2–1	Australia	Melbourne Ballpark, Australia
			Boxscore

In January 2009 the International Baseball Federation created a ranking system so that the nations involved in international competition could be compared independently. Teams receive points based on the position they finish at the end of tournaments. The system takes into account results not only of the senior men's teams but also of junior teams. Weightings that emphasise the importance of certain tournaments are based on the number of teams competing, the number of continents represented (or eligible to be represented), and in the case of continental tournaments such as the Oceania Baseball Championship the relative strength of teams eligible. Only results within the previous four years are used, so points are added and removed over time. Since the system began, the rankings have been adjusted after the completion of tournaments qualifying for the ranking process; the most recent was the 2009 Baseball World Cup.

When the rankings were first introduced, Australia was listed at 10th position. The high-water mark was after the 2009 World Baseball Classic when they were in 9th. The lowest position they have been in the ranking since its inception is 11th. At the end of 2010, Australia had returned to their original position of 10th.

Date Released	Tournament*	Tournament Result	Ranking		Points		Position Above			Position Below
							Rank	Team	Points Difference	Rank	Team	Points Difference
1 December 2010**	2010 World Junior Championship	2nd	10th		226.83		9th	Mexico	+60.40	11th	Puerto Rico	−13.60
2 June 2010**	†	†	11th		211.24		10th	Puerto Rico	+20.15	12th	Italy	−45.24
19 October 2009**	2009 World Youth Championship	9th	11th		211.24		10th	Puerto Rico	+20.15	12th	Italy	-45.24
	2009 World Cup	5th
12 August 2009**	†	†	11th		214.11		10th	Puerto Rico	+1.28	12th	Panama	−1.79
24 March 2009	2009 World Baseball Classic	12th	9th		214.11		8th	Canada	+66.08	10th	Puerto Rico	−2.97
13 January 2009	†	†	10th		191.43		9th	Panama	+6.21	11th	Puerto Rico	−38.61

In January 2009 the IBAF, in releasing the first edition of the world rankings, announced the classifications of various tournaments that contributed to the rankings themselves. In doing so, they identified that of the "world" tournaments, there were different levels with differing levels of weighting towards the ranks: major world championships, minor world championships, world qualifying tournaments and continental championships/qualifying tournaments.

Major world championships

There are currently three recognised tournaments that are considered "major" by the IBAF: the World Baseball Classic, the Summer Olympic Games and the Baseball World Cup. Of those, the Summer Olympics will be phased out of the rankings structure, as baseball will no longer be contested as an Olympic event.

World Baseball Classic

Australia has competed in all four editions of the World Baseball Classic. All sixteen teams that played in the 2006 edition were invited to compete in the second in 2009. By virtue of their third-place finish in their first-round pool, Australia qualified compete at the 2013 edition of the WBC.; however, they were eliminated with an 0–3 record and finished in last place overall.

Australia, which has not progressed beyond the first round of competition, achieved its highest finish, 9th, in the 2017 tournament. Unusual for international competition in baseball, the squads selected in the World Baseball Classic tournaments featured players active in Major League Baseball in addition to Minor League, Nippon Professional Baseball and local players. Generally players in the Major Leagues are unavailable for international representative teams due to their contracts with the respective clubs.

World Baseball Classic record								Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	W	L	RS	RA		W	L	RS	RA
2006	Round 1	13th	0	3	4	18		No qualifiers held
2009	Round 1	12th	1	2	22	28		No qualifiers held
2013	Round 1	16th	0	3	2	14		Automatically qualified
2017	Round 1	9th	1	2	15	8		3	0	27	7
2023	Quarterfinals	7th	3	2	32	23		Automatically qualified
Total	Quarterfinals	5/5	5	12	75	91		3	0	27	7

Australian World Baseball Classic Record by opponent
Opponent	Tournaments met	W-L record	Largest victory		Largest defeat		Current streak
			Score	Tournament	Score	Tournament
China	2	2–0	11–0 (F/8)	Japan 2017	–		W2
Chinese Taipei	1	0–1	–		4–1	Taiwan 2013	L1
Cuba	3	0–3	–		4–3	Japan 2017 & 2023	L3
Czech Republic	1	1–0	8–3	Japan 2023	–		W1
Dominican Republic	1	0–1	–		6–4	United States 2006	L1
Italy	1	0–1	–		10–0 (F/7)	United States 2006	L1
Japan	2	0–2	–		7–1	Japan 2023	L2
Mexico	1	1–1	17–7 (F/8)	Mexico 2009	16–1 (F/6)	Mexico 2009	L1
Netherlands	1	0–1	–		4–1	Taiwan 2013	L1
South Korea	2	1–1	8–7	Japan 2023	6–0	Taiwan 2013	W1
Venezuela	1	0–1	–		2–0	United States 2006	L1
Overall	5	5–12	Against   CHN		Against   MEX		L1
			11–0 (F/8)	Japan 2017	16–1 (F/6)	Mexico 2009

United States, 2006

Prior to formally starting their campaign, Australia played an exhibition game, which they lost, against a Boston Red Sox squad at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, Florida. This was also the site of their training camp.

Australia competed in Pool D—along with Dominican Republic, Italy and Venezuela—in the first round at Cracker Jack Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The other three teams were able to field a large number of Major League players. Of players born outside the United States on 2006 Major League Opening Day rosters, the Dominican Republic (85) and Venezuela (43) had more than all other countries and between them accounted for more than 57% of foreign-born players in the leagues. Italy is among the top nations in Europe and had access to Italian-American players under the eligibility rules for the tournament. Thus, Australia was considered the underdog in the pool.

Having failed to win any of their round-robin pool games, they finished last in their pool, and were eliminated with Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Italy, Netherlands, Panama and South Africa. The eventual champions were Japan.

2006 WBC Results

7 March 1st Round, Pool D – Game 2	Italy	10–0 (F/7)	Australia Australia	United States Cracker Jack Stadium Attendance: 8,099
		Boxscore

9 March 1st Round, Pool D – Game 5	Australia Australia	0–2	Venezuela	United States Cracker Jack Stadium Attendance: 10,111
		Boxscore

10 March 1st Round, Pool D – Game 6	Dominican Republic	6–4	Australia Australia	United States Cracker Jack Stadium Attendance: 11,083
		Boxscore

Mexico, 2009

Australia was based in Peoria, Arizona—the site of the Seattle Mariners spring training camp—for their preparation for the formal start of their 2009 campaign. Unlike 2006, in which they had one exhibition game, they competed against three different Major League clubs: the Seattle Mariners, the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago White Sox. Their game against Seattle was Ken Griffey Jr.'s first game playing for the Mariners since October 1999, and was also their first victory as part of a World Baseball Classic tour.

Australia was drawn in Pool B for the 2009 tournament, along with Cuba, Mexico and South Africa, competing at Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico City. After beating Mexico in their opening game, they lost their next two games to Cuba and Mexico, and were eliminated from the tournament. The Australians set a WBC record against Mexico: 22 hits in a single game is more than any other team has achieved in either tournament.

2009 WBC Results

8 March 1st Round, Pool B – Game 2	Mexico	7–17 (F/8)	Australia Australia	Mexico Foro Sol Attendance: 20,821
		Boxscore

10 March 1st Round, Pool B – Game 4	Australia Australia	4–5	Cuba	Mexico Foro Sol Attendance: 13,396
		Boxscore

11 March 1st Round, Pool B – Game 5	Australia Australia	1–16 (F/6)	Mexico	Mexico Foro Sol Attendance: 16,718
		Boxscore

Taiwan, 2013

In June 2011, it was announced that the field for the 2013 WBC would be expanded to include an additional 12 teams and that a qualifying round would be several months prior to the main tournament. The qualifying tournament involved the 12 newly invited teams, as well as the four lowest-placed teams from the 2009 tournament; all teams who did not win a game. The qualifying tournament broke the teams into four pools of four teams each, which competed in a six-game, modified double-elimination format, similar to the first round of the 2009 tournament, with the winners of the sixth game in each pool proceeding to the main tournament. Australia, having finished 12th after beating Mexico in their first game in 2009, automatically qualified for the main tournament.

The main tournament combined elements of both previous WBC editions. The first round was split all teams into four pools, where the teams competed in a round-robin, as was the case in the 2006 tournament. The second round used the same modified double-elimination format as used in the 2009 tournament and the 2013 qualifying tournament. The final round was contested in the same manner as both previous tournaments: the top two teams from each group in the second round qualifying for the two semi-final matches, the winners of which played in the championship game.

Australia was drawn into Pool B, which was held at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taiwan. In their opener, they fell to host and qualifiers Chinese Taipei, 4–1. They followed up with a 6–0 loss to South Korea before finishing with a 4–1 defeat to the Netherlands.

2013 WBC Results

Pool B Game 1

2 March 12:30 (UTC+08:00) at Taiwan Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Australia Australia	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	5	0
Chinese Taipei	1	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	X	4	10	0
WP: Wang Chien-Ming (1–0)   LP: Chris Oxspring (0–1)   Sv: Chen Hung-Wen (1) Home runs: Australia: Stefan Welch (1) TPE: Peng Cheng-Min (1) Attendance: 20,035 [1]

Game 4

4 March 18:30 (UTC+08:00) at Taiwan Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
South Korea										–	–	–
Australia Australia										–	–	–

Game 5

5 March 12:30 (UTC+08:00) at Taiwan Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Australia Australia										–	–	–
Netherlands										–	–	–

* – Player has not played for Australia in international competition prior to 2013 WBC
† – Player did not play for Australia in WBC prior to 2013

Japan, 2023

Olympic Games

Australia was the third nation, after the United States and Sweden, to participate in baseball at the Summer Olympics, making their first appearance at the 1956 Games in Melbourne, and again as part of its demonstration at the 1988 Games in Seoul. Though the sport has applied for re-admission for 2016, baseball is no longer contested as a medal event at the Olympics.

Since baseball was first included as a medal sport at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Australia has participated in three of the five tournaments. The best result achieved was in the 2004 Games in Athens, where Australia lost the gold medal match to Cuba to receive silver. Their medal tally puts them at 5th, equal to Chinese Taipei.

Australia did not send a team to the 2021 Olympic qualifiers.

Summer Olympics record								Qualification
Year	Round	Position	W	L	RS	RA
1988	Preliminary	5th (tie)	1	2	10	20
1992	did not qualify
1996	Preliminary	7th	2	5	47	86		Winner a playoff between the African Champion and Oceania Champion
2000	Preliminary	7th	2	5	30	41		Host
2004	Finals	2nd	5	4	52	36		Winner of Oceania Champion versus Africa Champion qualifying match
2008	did not qualify							Finished 5th out of 3 possible spots at the Final qualifying tournament
2020	did not qualify							Withdrew from the Final qualifying tournament
Total	Finals	3/6	9	14	129	163