Technologies

World Baseball Classic 2023: How to Watch USA vs. Japan Tonight From Anywhere

Japan and the US face off tonight in the WBC final on FS1.

Japan won its semifinal game against Mexico in the World Baseball Classic last night in thrilling fashion, coming back from three runs down and punching its ticket to the final with a walk-off, two-run double by Munetaka Murakami, the current home run champion of Nippon Professional Baseball. The US had an easier time in its semifinal game on Sunday, cruising to a 14-2 victory against Cuba behind four innings of one-run ball each by Adam Wainwright and Miles Mikolas, and four RBIs apiece from Paul Goldschmidt and Trea Turner.

It sets up a titanic clash of baseball powers tonight in Miami for the championship game of the World Baseball Classic. The US is the defending champion, winning the last WBC tournament in 2017, and Japan is the only two-time WBC winner with back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2009. Lefty Shota Imanaga will start on the mound for Japan with MLB All-Stars Yu Darvish and Shohei Ohtani available in relief. The US will give the ball to Merrill Kelly, a right-hander who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks. If Ohtani enters the game in relief, he could face Mike Trout, his Los Angeles Angels teammate.

First pitch for the US-Japan game is scheduled for tonight at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT) on FS1. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the WBC final, with or without cable.

Mike Trout celebrates at home plate after hitting a home run — Mike Trout and Team USA will take on Japan tonight in the championship of the World Baseball Classic.

Daniel Shirey/WBCI/MLB Photos/Getty Images

What are the projected starting lineups for the WBC final?

This was the lineup USA used against Cuba and its southpaw starter:

Mookie Betts, RF
Mike Trout, CF
Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
Nolan Arenado, 3B
Kyle Schwarber, LF
Will Smith, C
Pete Alonso, DH
Tim Anderson, 2B
Trea Turner, SS

Most of the spots are set, but we could see Kyle Tucker in left field in place of Schwarber or J.T. Realmuto behind the plate instead of Smith.

Japan has had success with this lineup throughout the tournament:

Lars Nootbaar, CF
Kensuke Kondoh, RF
Shohei Ohtani, DH
Masataka Yoshida, LF
Munetaka Murakami, 3B
Kazuma Okamoto, 1B
Tetsuto Yamada, 2B
Sosuke Genda, SS
Yuhei Nakamura, C

How can I watch the World Baseball Classic?

You can watch the WBC final on FS1 and Fox Deportes with a live TV streaming service, but keep in mind that not every service carries every network, so check each one using the links below to make sure it carries Fox in your area.

Games can also be streamed live online through FoxSports.com or the Fox Sports app, but you’ll need to authenticate with a cable, streaming or satellite login.

Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Fox Sports App

Free with authentication

You can watch the WBC live at FoxSports.com or the Fox Sports app, but you need to authenticate with a cable, streaming or satellite login. Fox Sports has apps for iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Google TV and Xbox.

See at Fox Sports

Sling/CNET

Sling TV

Carries FS1 for $40 a month

Sling’s $40-a-month Blue package includes FS1 but it does not offer Fox Deportes. Read our Sling TV review.

See at Sling TV

YouTube TV

Carries FS1 for $73 a month

YouTube TV now costs $73 a month ($63 for your first three months) and includes FS1, but not Fox Deportes. Read our YouTube TV review.

See at YouTube TV

Fubo TV

FuboTV

Carries FS1 for $70 a month, Fox Deportes for $86 per month

FuboTV’s basic plan costs $75 a month and includes FS1. To watch the Spanish-language broadcast on Fox Deportes, you will need to spring for FuboTV’s $86-a-month plan. Click here to see which local channels you get. Read our FuboTV review.

See at FuboTV

Hulu

Hulu with Live TV

Carries FS1 for $70 a month

Hulu with Live TV costs $70 a month and includes Fox and FS1. Click the «View channels in your area» link on its welcome page to see which local channels are offered in your ZIP code. Read our Hulu with Live TV review.

See at Hulu with Live TV

Directv stream

DirecTV Stream

Carries FS1 for $75 a month

DirecTV Stream’s basic, $75-a-month package includes FS1. Fox Deportes is not offered. Read our DirecTV Stream review.

See at DirecTV Stream

How to use a VPN to watch the WBC from anywhere

If you’re traveling outside your home country and want to watch the WBC, or just want an added layer of privacy for streaming, there is an option that doesn’t require searching the internet for a sketchy website: You can use a VPN, or virtual private network.

With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to WBC broadcasts, which comes in handy if you find yourself unable to view the games locally. A VPN is the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds by encrypting your traffic. Using a VPN is also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

If you can’t find a convenient opportunity to watch the WBC where you live, using a VPN with a US-based server should provide access to some or all of the streaming options listed below. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.

Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, as long as you’ve got a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions. See our list of best VPNs for more and check out other great VPN deals taking place right now.

Sarah Tew/CNET

ExpressVPN

Best VPN for streaming

ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 per month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% plus get three months of access for free — the equivalent of $6.67 per month — if you get an annual subscription. Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

See at ExpressVPN

Quick tips for streaming the WBC using a VPN

With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — experience and success may vary.
If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the «search for city or country» option.
If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.

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Apple’s New Smart Home Display Delayed Until Fall Over Siri Issues

It has been nearly a year and a half since the company announced the AI-powered product.

Your home could get smarter with Apple’s Siri, but it will have to wait a few more months. Bloomberg reported the iPad-shaped AI home hub won’t be ready until September, several months after the company was hoping to launch it this spring. Apple engineers first need to complete work on a new and improved Siri assistant for the home device, code-named J490, according to Bloomberg.

Apple was hoping to release J490 this month, along with a slew of other new devices, including the iPhone 17e, MacBook Neo, MacBook Air M5, new Pro models, and iPad Air M4. Apple first teased the smart home display in November 2024.

A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Siri is Apple’s virtual assistant that uses voice recognition and AI to fulfill a variety of tasks and commands, along with intriguing uses. You might use Siri to find your iPhone — «Hey Siri, where are you?» — or to hear the weather forecast — «Siri, what will the weather be today?» Siri is available on iPhones, MacBooks and iPads. It was launched in 2011 as a feature of the iPhone 4S.

As CNET reported last month, Apple engineers have struggled to push the upgraded Siri assistant out the door. It isn’t fast enough, gets confused by complex commands and doesn’t interact well with other Apple AI models. The company is also wrestling with how much personal data to access to inform the AI, and the new Siri is not yet able to complete in-app tasks, such as finding a photo and posting it to socials, all with one command.

It has been nearly two years since Apple announced that it would give Siri a major upgrade. In the meantime, competitors like Alexa Plus and Gemini for Home have entered the marketplace.

Tech tester Jon Rettinger, whose YouTube channel has 1.66 million subscribers, says the repeated delays in upgrading Siri can «erode» confidence in Apple’s ability to keep up in the AI race.

«Apple as a whole is still one of the strongest companies on the planet. But their AI play is clearly the weakest link in an otherwise very strong chain,» Rettinger told CNET.

Rettinger said he has had issues getting Siri to complete basic commands, such as setting two alarms at the same time, and that it’s a bit of «a mess» right now.

«Having said that, the iPhone has such massive market penetration that I’m not sure it will actually matter in the end. Which is kind of wild when you think about it,» Rettinger said.

Facial recognition for residents

The hardware for the forthcoming smart home display has already been finished. It resembles an iPad and can be either attached to a wall or rest on a half-domed-shaped base, the Bloomberg report said.

The device will be equipped with facial recognition, so when residents walk up to it, they will be shown personalized data such as music preferences, news headlines, appointments, reminders, tasks and so on.

The screen interface will include a bunch of circular app icons, similar to the display on an Apple Watch. The Bloomberg report said the smart home display will be the first of several home devices by Apple. Future products include a tabletop robotic limb with a 9-inch screen, a smart security camera and a Face ID-enabled smart doorbell.