Korea sets Classic record for runs scored in win over China

March 13, 2023 9:36 AM CDT

TOKYO --

The Korean hitters took out their frustration from a difficult week -- all in one night.

Unfortunately for Team China, it happened when their pitchers were on the mound.

Korea bunted, blooped and then blasted their way to a 22-2 mercy-rule victory in the final game of Pool B at the Tokyo Dome on Monday. The 22 runs were four more than the previous World Baseball Classic record. The previous record belonged to Japan (18 vs. China in 2006 Classic) and Canada (18 vs. Great Britain in Sunday's 18-8 win).

After Australia beat the Czech Republic, 8-3, earlier in the day, Korea knew there was no way to advance to the quarterfinals. While a win was simply for pride, a loss would result in a three-way tie for third and a slight chance that the nation would need to qualify for the 2026 tournament.

Instead, Korea made sure there was no reason to worry, putting up two in the first, two in the second, an eight-spot in the third, six more in the fourth and four in the fifth to wrap up its final contest early.

"We couldn't go through the quarterfinals, but no matter what the result is, our role is to play hard until the last [out], so we did," said manager Kang-Chul Lee.

Ha-Seong Kim capped off the record performance with his third homer in two days. It was also Korea’s second grand slam in as many innings, after Kunwoo Park had made it 18-2 with a grand slam of his own in the fourth.

Unsurprisingly, the list of heroes on offense for Korea was lengthy.

Superstar Jung-Hoo Lee had two hits and three RBIs, while Kunwoo Park added five RBIs and Hyesong Kim tacked on another three as well. In all, the team picked up a remarkable 20 hits in five innings -- with only the two slams and a double going for extra bases

"A lot of fans, all the nation in Korea, everybody is expecting us to play well," Jung-Hoo Lee said. "We are sorry that we couldn't play well, including me. ... We are a bit behind from the top of the world, but that's something we learned from the tournament. In the future, for the 2026 WBC, we would like to start preparing for the future, for the next tournament."

All of this happened with one notable absence for Korea in Monday’s lineup: Cardinals star Tommy Edman. Kang-Chul Lee said after the game that Edman had slight pain in the left side of his glute.

"It's not serious, but that's why we [couldn't] let him play today," Kang-Chul Lee said. "Along [with] having him on our roster, we didn't have any problems. He's got great communication with our teammates."

Not only does the Korean victory ensure that China (0-4) finishes at the bottom of the pool, but it means that the Czech Republic automatically qualifies for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. China will now need to qualify for the tournament for the first time in program history.

"This team has improved dramatically like I said from Day 1 in China to now, and ... we need to keep improving, and the players realize that," said China manager Dean Treanor. "They know by looking across the way at the other teams that except for tonight, we've competed very, very well."

While China may not have won a game in the tournament, it kept its games close against Japan and the Czech Republic, and Treanor saw reason to be hopeful for the program’s future.

"I know it's an 0-4 record. That does not tell the story. That's not the story of Team China. It's not the story of these players," Treanor said. "This is the most excitement for the WBC. This is by far the most excitement that really, globally, is for the WBC, and you see it with the attendance here, the players that are involved. I mean, it's just a great experience. Like I said, but everyone needs to know that 0-4 does not say who we are."

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PUERTO RICO WITH A PERFECT GAME; WALKOFF HIT IN THE 8TH INNING,

PUERTOR RICO 10 ISRAEL 0

HOW COOL IS THAT!!

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Perfect ending caps perfect night for Puerto Rico

By Juan Toribio

March 13,2023 21 minutes ago

MIAMI –

José De León smacked his glove a few times. He then looked up and took a second to appreciate the raucous crowd at loanDepot park. Shortstop and captain Francisco Lindor put both his hands around De León.

As he walked off the field, he put his right hand up to salute the crowd. After setting a World Baseball Classic record with 5 2/3 perfect frames en route to combining with three relievers to make WBC history by not allowing a baserunner in a 10-0 victory over Israel. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, a no-hitter needs to be at least nine innings in order to be official.

Yacksel Ríos (one-third of an inning), Edwin Díaz (one inning) and Duane Underwood Jr. (one inning) took care of the rest before the game ended in the eighth when Enrique Hernández hit an RBI single to put Puerto Rico up by 10 runs and end the game.

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What are the "mercy" rules for the WBC ?

That Korea game was only 5 innings.

Games are called when a team has a 15-run lead after five innings or a 10-run lead after seven innings.

Canada controls own Pool C destiny after topping Colombia

March 14, 2023 53 minutes ago

PHOENIX –

Canada began its 2023 World Baseball Classic journey by bludgeoning its way to victory, tying the then-single game record for runs (18). It proved Tuesday afternoon that it can win on the back of its pitching as well, prevailing against Colombia, 5-0, at Chase Field. The win puts Canada one victory away from advancing out of pool play for the first time in five tries at the Classic.

“Coming into the tournament, we kind of knew we had to win three games to guarantee us going forward,” manager Ernie Whitt said before the game. “It’s right on the table; we do that, we’re going forward.”

Cal Quantrill and Mitch Bratt – Canada’s starters over the first two games – were unable to escape the first inning in each of their outings. Noah Skirrow, pitching his first game with “Canada” across his chest, was the calming presence the staff needed, delivering five dominant shutout frames.

The right-hander struck out five and allowed just two hits and one walk, dialing up a pair of double plays at pivotal moments.

"I couldn't ask for much more, really," Skirrow said postgame. "I mean, went about as good as you could ask for it to go. Just trying to be as aggressive as I could and give us a chance to win and give us as much length as possible."

Youth has been serving the Canadians well throughout their stint in Phoenix. Eight players on the roster rank among MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 prospects for their respective organizations, by far the most of any team in the 2023 Classic.

Bo Naylor (Guardians’ No. 4 prospect, No. 64 overall) opened the scoring with an RBI single in the fourth, before Owen Caissie (Cubs’ No. 13 prospect) slashed an opposite-field run-scoring knock in the eighth. The cherry on top came from No. 14 Blue Jays prospect Otto Lopez, who clobbered a hanging breaking ball for a three-run homer out to left-center field in the ninth to seal the win.

"We have a young team but they're getting an opportunity to play," Whitt said of that group's performance so far. "This is a big stage for them. Hopefully they'll go back to their organizations excited about having the opportunity to play."

Canada was able to piece together just enough offense despite leaving 12 runners on base and losing All-Star Freddie Freeman early with what was deemed to be a “lower body injury.”

Despite the defeat, Colombia still has a path to the quarterfinals. They will wrap up Pool C play against Team USA (2-1) on Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on FS1, needing a victory and potentially some assistance from elsewhere in the group. Canada meets Mexico at 3 p.m. on Wednesday on FS2, one victory away from earning a ticket to Miami.
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Venezuela improves to 3-0, ousting Nicaragua from Classic

March 14, 2023 3:28 PM CDT

MIAMI -- Despite dropping the first three games of the World Baseball Classic, Nicaragua manager Sandor Guido continued to dream that his squad would get its first win.

Unfortunately for Guido, his club ran into a Venezuela squad that appears poised to make a deep run in this year’s tournament. In the end, Venezuela’s talent overpowered Nicaragua’s impressive will to win in a 4-1 victory on Tuesday at loanDepot park.

With the win, Venezuela improved to 3-0 in Pool D play. While not yet assured a spot in the quarterfinals, Venezuela would advance if the Dominican Republic beats Israel on Tuesday night (7 ET on FS1). If Venezuela beats Israel on Wednesday (noon ET on FS2), it would secure its first undefeated pool play record in World Baseball Classic history.

"We're all really happy," Venezuela manager Omar López said. "I have confidence in each and every one of them because we keep advancing. Everyone has answered the call, and they've done their best to keep performing at this level in this tournament."

Nicaragua jumped out to an early lead as Venezuelan left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez struggled to execute pitches. The Nicaraguan side recorded seven hits in the first two frames but was limited to just one run.

Led by two scoreless innings apiece from José Ruiz and Carlos Hernández, Venezuela’s bullpen kept the deficit at just one run, giving the club’s potent offense a chance to break through against scrappy Nicaragua.

"We all just have to be ready," Hernández said. "You just have to trust the manager, and we just have to be ready in the bullpen for any moment because that phone can ring at any moment. You just have to be mentally prepared at all times."

Andrés Giménez got Venezuela on the board with an RBI single in the fourth inning. The next batter, Eugenio Suárez, delivered the biggest hit of the game, a two-run single to cap a three-run fourth.

In the fifth, Anthony Santander continued his impressive start to the tournament with an RBI double of his own. After going 2-for-2 on Tuesday, Santander is 5-for-11 with two homers and five RBIs through three games.

"We're looking for good pitches so we can do some damage," Giménez said in Spanish. "Just try and stay calm regardless of the situation, I think that's key, especially for me. I just tried to stay within my plan, trying to help the team, and just get a good pitch to hit."

Tuesday’s game brought an end to Nicaragua’s tournament run. The Nicaraguans were making their first World Baseball Classic appearance this year and drew plenty of praise from their opponents. Because they will finish in last place in Pool D, they’ll be required to qualify for the ‘26 Classic.

The two sides, however, did share a special moment following the game. Nicaragua asked Venezuela if the clubs could go through a handshake line following the game. Once the players got wind of that request, they immediately agreed. Nicaragua's players were in awe of stars such as Jose Altuve and Miguel Cabrera, while Venezuela came away very impressed with Nicaragua's showing, even if it didn't have the same level of talent as the other teams in the pool.

"We are brothers, Venezuela and Nicaragua," Guido said. "It was something fantastic from them. We wish them all the success in the rest of the tournament."
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Japan Pitcher Sasaki Offers Sweet Apology to Czech Player He Hit with Pitch

The Yomiuri Shimbun

JST, March 14, 2023 17:29

The tradition of a pitcher tipping his cap in apology after hitting a batter is a well-known quirk of Japanese pro baseball. Japan national team hurler Roki Sasaki has gone far beyond that gesture.

After hitting the Czech Republic’s William Escala with a 100+ mph fastball in the fourth inning of their World Baseball Classic on Saturday night, Sasaki personally apologized and presented him with two bulging bags of candy on Monday.

A photo of the two — holding the bags of goodies — was later posted on the official Twitter account of the Japan team, known as Samurai Japan, and other social media.

The thoughtful gift only further cemented the goodwill felt by the Czech team during the tournament, in which it played in Pool B at Tokyo Dome.

Following the team’s loss to Australia on Monday, Czech manager Pavel Chadim wore a hachimaki headband bearing the rising sun and Japanese word “hissho” (certain victory) to the post-game press conference.

He said it was his way of expressing his gratitude for the support and kindness that Japan has shown his team.

Referring to Sasaki, Chadim said his action was “a heartwarming thing and it touched us.” He added, “I’d like to again thank the nation of Japan.”

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Dominican Republic flexes muscles in dominant win over Israel

Marclh 14, 2023 8:49 PM CDT

MIAMI –

With a lineup that has Juan Soto, Manny Machado, Rafael Devers and countless other superstars, it’s easy to fall in love with the offense the Dominican Republic features in this World Baseball Classic.

And while that offense may just be starting to click on all cylinders, it’s actually been the Dominican Republic’s pitching staff that has set the tone. A night after allowing one run to Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic used four pitchers to shut out Israel on just one hit in a 10-0 run-rule walk-off win in seven innings on Tuesday at loanDepot park.

With the victory, the Dominican Republic improved to 2-1 in Pool D play. They’ll face Puerto Rico on Wednesday in a win-or-go-home game between the two Caribbean rivals, a matchup that is sure to provide a raucous atmosphere in Miami. As for Israel, their tournament will come to an end on Wednesday against Venezuela after falling to 1-2 in pool play.

Right-hander Roansy Contreras got the start for the Dominican Republic and was sharp over 2 2/3 innings of work, allowing no runs on just one hit. He also struck out four.

Behind Contreras, the Dominican Republic ran out numerous pitchers who flashed upper-90s on the radar gun. Génesis Cabrera tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings while Luis Ortiz chipped in with two scoreless frames of his own.

"It was a really good game. The guys swung the bat well, but the most important thing we didn't have to use our guys. You know, we shut them down, and guys came up big," manager Rodney Linares said. "The young bucks came up big early. Contreras and Ortiz. Cabrera did a great job. So happy."

Those pitching performances bought the D.R. enough time to get their bats going. Eloy Jiménez got the scoring started in the first inning with an RBI single to drive in Soto, who once again batted leadoff and opened the game with a double.

In the third, Machado sent a ball to the Budweiser porch in deep left-center field to give the D.R. a 2-0 lead. Machado’s blast had an exit velocity of 110.8 mph and traveled 437 feet. The Padres’ star has now homered in back-to-back games and has three homers in his WBC career.

Behind Machado again, the Dominican Republic’s offense started to look more like itself in the sixth, breaking the game open with a four-run frame. Julio Rodríguez got the scoring started in the inning with a two-RBI double. Machado then followed with a two-run single to right field, extending the lead to 7-0.

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On to the semis! Cuba in Classic final four

March 15, 2023 10:20 AM CDT

TOKYO -- Cuba and Australia -- two countries that have had close one-run matches in past World Baseball Classics -- were fighting on Wednesday to advance to the semifinals in Miami.

The matchup, like the two before, ended up being another thrilling one-run contest, and another victory for Cuba, 4-3. Manager Armando Johnson’s team will be heading to Miami for its first Classic semifinal game since 2006.

"Our aim is go to the final, and now we have a chance to challenge to go for the final ... we will do our best in Miami," Johnson said.

This has been an amazing turnaround for Team Cuba, which came out on top in Pool A after overcoming two straight losses to the Netherlands and Italy to open the WBC.

"The first couple games of the Taiwan round, it was ... difficult to play," said right fielder Yoelkis Guibert. "But we got through it, and we [clinched a spot in] the semifinal. ... We are looking forward to move to the next stage, too."

Supporters from both sides made the long trek to Japan’s Tokyo Dome. The Horn Guy showed up to pump up the Cuban fans in attendance, while quite possibly the cutest fan in the entire tournament was in town to cheer on her dad and every Aussie batter who stepped into the box.

"The Cuban baseball fans are so emotional right now," Johnson said. "They have been waiting for a long time. ... Everybody loves baseball so much and they cheered us so well. So this is the new page, new chapter that we could go forward. This team, we had a lot of hard workouts and we succeeded in moving forward to the semifinals."

Australia scored first in the top of the second when Darryl George doubled and came home on a Rixon Wingrove RBI single.

Cuba tied it up on a Luis Robert Jr. groundout in the third, and then extended its lead in the fifth with three runs. Alfredo Despaigne smacked a sacrifice fly to right, and Guibert lined a two-run single through the right side. The Cuban dugout was as animated as it's been all week.

The Aussies, propelled by their ever-fervent fanbase, refused to give up. Wingrove, a Phillies prospect, stepped up to the plate in the top of the sixth and blasted one out to right-center field for a two-run shot that would pull Australia back to within a run.

"Right now, I'm very disappointed," manager Dave Nilsson said. "... we had opportunities to win that game and we just couldn't get it done. We did a lot of things very well, played very well ... you have to at this point tip your hat to Cuba, they took advantage of our shortfalls. We played a great game and just couldn't get there."

But that was all the Down Underdogs could muster against Raidel Martinez, who pitches for the Chunichi Dragons in Nippon Professional Baseball and closed out the win, and Cuba’s line of fireballing bullpen arms.

"I would like to show my respect to Team Australia," Johnson said. "... They have a great starting pitcher and bullpen. But also at the same time, two of our relievers, [Miguel] Romero and Martinez, they did a great job, too."

Cuba will move on to face the winner of Quarterfinal 3 (Venezuela vs. the Pool C runner-up) in Miami on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on FS1.

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Bullpen catcher (!) carries Mexico closer to quarters

By Jesse Borek

March 15, 2023 1:14 AM EDT

PHOENIX -- When Mexico first put together its roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Alexis Wilson was on it – as the bullpen catcher.

After knocking in both runs of a 2-1 win over Great Britain on Tuesday night at Chase Field, Wilson’s name was still there – but now as the catalyst of a victory that has put the club on the doorstep of claiming Pool C. A win Wednesday vs. Canada would assure Mexico of a spot in the WBC quarterfinals.

Wilson -- hitting from the No. 9 spot in the order -- got the start behind the dish after working with starter Taijuan Walker last week in an exhibition vs. the Rockies. The 26-year-old backstop from Los Mochis, Mexico, who was out of organized baseball a year and a half ago, took advantage of the opportunity and plated both of the club’s runs with a pair of RBI singles, all while navigating the pitching staff through a historic night.

"I'm happy to have the opportunities," Wilson said via an interpreter. "I was getting ready for any situation that could arrive. And I'm very happy for the opportunity and for this game that, thank God, we came out with the victory. And we have a lot of trust to come out tomorrow to win with the same attitude, same intensity to win."

The loss officially eliminates Great Britain from the 2023 Classic, but its interest in Pool C action is not over yet. If the United States defeats Colombia on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET, FS1), Britain would earn an automatic spot in the 2026 WBC, which is given out to the top four teams from each pool. Mexico (2-1) will have a quick turnaround, returning to the yard for a 3 p.m. ET game against Canada (2-1) on FS2. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals.

Wilson was only elevated to Mexico’s active roster after Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk -- an All-Star and the reigning American League Silver Slugger winner at catcher -- withdrew from the Classic in February due to having missed the early portion of big league camp awaiting the birth of his child.

For the past six seasons, Mexico manager Benji Gil has also served as Wilson’s manager with Tomateros de Culiacan in the Mexican Pacific Winter League. In the haze of Mexico’s stirring win, Gil had to keep from getting choked up when talking about Wilson, who last appeared in U.S. affiliate ball in 2019 with the Cardinals.

“He should be in organized baseball somewhere,” Gil said. “He can help a team win. He can help an organization compete at the Major League level. At minimum, go to Triple-A and show that he can be worthy of helping somebody, even in an emergency.”

While the uniforms may have changed, Mexico returned from its off-day and played with the same pizazz it has throughout the tournament. Walker, who signed a four-year deal with the Phillies in the offseason, first looked to be the story of the night, setting the Mexico single-game record at the Classic for strikeouts (eight) in four dominant innings, scattering one hit and one walk. His strikeout of Great Britain’s Darnell Sweeney to conclude the second inning at 95.7 mph -- which kicked off a run of five straight batters punching out -- would have been his second-hardest strikeout in terms of velocity in 2022.

“Whatever he put down, we threw and it was working,” Walker said of Wilson. “Fastballs up, splitters down, that was the game plan and we kind of just stuck to it.”

That Walker was amped up to make his Mexican national team debut was evident. All six pitch types that Statcast tracked from the righty had his spin rates up significantly from where he sat last season.

“My grandma passed away when I was in, probably, eighth grade, so I didn’t really get a chance to know that side of my family,” Walker said last week, explaining why he chose to play for Mexico. “So for me, it’s real special to represent my grandma and my mom.”

Walker and his team were backed by another raucous Mexico crowd at Chase Field. There was the wave. There were multiple instances of a beach ball ping-ponging through the lower levels of the stadium. And as has become a staple of Mexico’s games at Chase Field, there was dancing -- a lot of it. While Great Britain displayed its distinct brand of gritty baseball, Mexico -- and its fans -- has shown the world how to throw a fiesta at the park.

“The fans have been really good, electric,” said Walker. “The atmosphere has been amazing.”

“They have tremendous character, they have tremendous heart,” Gil said of his club, which has been invigorated by the overwhelming support they’ve received. “They’re in it physically and mentally to have a great tournament and bring some more exposure to Mexico baseball. And they’re just proud to be representing the country and their ancestors.”

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Venezuela (4-0) tops Israel in tune-up for Round 2

March 15, 2023 3:39 PM CDT

MIAMI –

With the most talented World Baseball Classic roster it has ever had, Venezuela believes this is its best chance to bring its first Classic title back home.

So far, so good for the star-studded Venezuelan team, which capped off an unbeaten run in Pool D play with a 5-1 win over Israel on Wednesday at loanDepot park. Venezuela now waits to play the runner-up of Pool C – not yet determined – in the quarterfinals on Friday in Miami (7 p.m. ET, FS1).

"This is a dream," said Venezuela third baseman Eduardo Escobar "The most important thing, the key secret here, is that the egos were removed. No matter the position you play, the most important thing is that we are representing our country and we have one name on our chest, and that's Venezuela."

Venezuela opened Pool D with an impressive 5-1 win over the Dominican Republic on Saturday and followed that up with another stellar performance on Sunday to beat Puerto Rico. Over the last two games, they took care of business against overmatched Nicaragua and Israel.

The road gets tougher for Venezuela. But with strong starting pitching and a very deep lineup, this team is looking like a tough out in this tournament. And if its clubhouse vibe is any indication, Venezuela is as loose as can be: The club had a drum in its dugout for Wednesday’s game and celebrated its outbursts at the plate by dancing.

As it has done all tournament, Venezuela’s offense came out hot and jumped on top early against Israel. Ronald Acuña Jr., who had struggled to start the tournament and hit fifth on Wednesday, got back on track with an RBI single in the first inning off right-hander Robert Stock to give Venezuela a 1-0 lead.

"I told him, use your strengths," Venezuela manager Omar López said of Acuña. "Of course I want him to double, to triple, to steal bases, et cetera. But I told him, 'Try to get the positive things out of the negatives.' He drove in a run, he stole a base, made a great play in center and that's what I wanted to see."

Two batters later, Eugenio Suárez capped off a three-run first with a two-run single. In the fourth, Escobar tacked on with a solo homer to straightaway center field. Suárez did more damage in the sixth, smacking his first homer of the tournament, a no-doubter to left-center field.

"We all prepared ourselves the best possible way to come and compete in this World Baseball Classic differently from the previous tournaments," Suárez said. "This has been more special. We are doing our best, and we agreed on that -- not only for ourselves, but our families and our country."

That was plenty of run support for left-hander Jesús Luzardo, who struck out five over four scoreless innings. Luzardo, who was born in Peru but raised by Venezuelan parents, put the finishing touches on a very impressive performance by Venezuela’s starting pitching in Pool D.

"It was very special, very important, especially to pitch in front of my family," Luzardo said. "My grandfather always told me, 'You're going to make it and represent Venezuela.' To me, it was something very special. He's with me, I know that. And when I wear Venezuela on my chest, it's very important to me."

Led by Martín Pérez, Pablo López and Luzardo, Venezuela starters allowed three runs over 14 innings.

"We have one of the best pitching rotations, like this beast on my left, [Luzardo]," Escobar said. "If you're not well prepared for a short tournament like this, you won't be successful. But having a catcher such as Salvador Perez is an advantage that we have that, respectfully, [other teams] don't have."

Israel saw its second WBC appearance end with a 1-3 record. It did, however, earn an automatic spot in the ‘26 Classic by finishing in fourth place in Pool D.

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With shades of '20 playoffs, red-hot Randy lifts Mexico to next round

By Jesse Borek

March 15, 2023 43 minutes ago

PHOENIX –

Randy Arozarena is at it again.

Mexico is headed to the 2023 World Baseball Classic quarterfinals, having claimed Pool C with a 10-3 victory over Canada on Wednesday afternoon at Chase Field. Arozarena, who delivered a postseason run for the ages with Tampa Bay in 2020, was once again at the center of a Mexico win, delivering a bases-clearing double in the sixth that sent the heavily pro-Mexico crowd into a frenzy.

Fans behind the Mexico on-deck circle and left-field wall alike have come to enjoy both the running banter and autograph stylings of the hottest hitter at the 2023 Classic. They have chanted, “Ran-dy, Ran-dy!” before each plate appearance. They have handed down baseballs, hats and even enormous gloves for him to sign.

In four games at the group stage, Arozarena, who became a Mexican citizen in 2022, went 7-for-14 with six extra-base hits and nine RBIs, the latter of which set a club record at the World Baseball Classic.

After dropping its opening contest of pool play in extra innings to Colombia on Saturday, Mexico knew that it would likely have to run the table in order to earn a plane ticket to Miami. After a rousing upset of Team USA in front of a sell-out crowd on Sunday, back-to-back wins in under 24 hours against Great Britain and now Canada have given Mexico ample momentum as it currently sits three wins away from the 2023 Classic crown.

Mexico will meet the winner of the highly anticipated Dominican Republic-Puerto Rico matchup at Marlins Park in a single elimination game on Saturday.

Canada is not officially eliminated from advancing with the loss, but it would need both a U.S. loss to Colombia and for the game (10 p.m. ET, FS1) to be an exceptionally high-scoring affair in order to stay alive.

HRJulien (2, 7th inning off Zazueta 0 on, 2 Out); Naylor (1, 4th inning off Urquidy 0 on, 0 Out)
RBIJulien (2), Lopez (6), Naylor (3)

BO NAYLOR HOME RUN

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USA in position to advance in Pool C finale (10 p.m. ET, FS1)

By Jesse Borek

March 15, 2023 24 minutes ago

PHOENIX –

It all comes down to the final game of Pool C play.

The United States and Colombia meet in a contest that will be jam-packed with implications for who will advance to the quarterfinals in Miami.

With the expectation of becoming back-to-back Classic winners, Team USA spent the last few months assembling a roster of nearly unprecedented star power. Failing to advance out of the group stage would be a significant blow. The club has the advantage of having had Tuesday off while Colombia battled against Canada.

After an upset win in the first game of Pool C, Colombia has dropped back-to-back contests. Pitcher José Quintana, who was originally expected to be a significant member of the club but is sidelined until at least July, texted with the team Tuesday in an effort to keep their spirits up and urge them to continue pushing toward their goal of advancement.

Here is what you need to know about Wednesday’s pivotal matchup:

When and where:

10 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Chase Field in Phoenix.

How you can watch:

The game between the United States and Colombia will air live on FS1. Games are available on FOX, FS1, FS2, Tubi or FOX Deportes, and every game can be streamed online in the FOX Sports App. For international viewing options, click here.

How you can listen:

Live audio coverage of all games will be carried on Sirius XM, TuneIn, MLB.com and in the MLB App.

What’s at stake:

Things are cut and dried for Team USA: win and advance to the quarterfinals. Colombia needs a win in order to have a chance to advance, so expect manager Jolbert Cabrera to be aggressive in mixing and matching his staff against the star-studded American lineup. Conversely, a loss would be painful for the Colombians, as they would fail to qualify for the 2026 World Baseball Classic by virtue of finishing last in the group.

Matchup history:

These clubs have met just once at the Classic, a 3-2 extra-inning victory for the U.S. during the group stage in 2017, which helped spur the team toward its first WBC crown. Had Colombia won that contest, it would have advanced instead of the Americans.

Key players to watch

Nolan Arenado, 3B, Team USA:

One of the two players to return from the 2017 Classic-winning squad, the seven-time All-Star has been a steady presence at the top of the U.S. order this go-round. He opened the offensive downpour Monday night, ripping a two-run double down the left-field line at 109.5 mph off the bat. Through three games, he has gone 4-for-11 with three doubles and four RBIs, while providing his usual exemplary defense at the hot corner.

“The environment is very similar to the playoff environments that I’ve been in,” Arenado said. “Wearing USA and having fans chanting that, it just hits a little bit different.”


Oscar Mercado, OF, Colombia:

The Colombian bats have struggled to find consistency over their first three games, slashing .190/.243/.280 as a group. Mercado has gone 3-for-10 and played a solid center field, in addition to recording the club’s first steal attempt Tuesday. Now in the Cardinals’ organization, Mercado will be looking to utilize his experience on the global stage to help springboard him toward an Opening Day gig.
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