'Dream team': Pujols says his '26 Classic lineup could be the DR's best ever

MIAMI -- The Dominican Republic has had some loaded lineups throughout the 20-year history of the World Baseball Classic.

In the inaugural WBC in 2006, that group included two Hall of Famers (Adrian Beltré and David Ortiz), another slugger destined for Cooperstown (Albert Pujols) and a variety of All-Stars (Miguel Tejada, Alfonso Soriano, José Reyes and Moises Alou) who helped carry the Dominican team to the semifinals.

“We had a pretty good lineup,” said Pujols, who is managing the Dominican team for the first time in this year’s Classic. “But I think this lineup that we have in 2026 is probably the best lineup that the Dominican Republic has had.”

Based on the team Pujols sent out there in a pair of exhibition games this week, it’s difficult to argue with him.

The position players on the Dominican roster have combined for 28 All-Star selections and 19 Silver Slugger Awards. Pretty much every starting position player is accustomed to hitting in the top third of a lineup, but on this modern-day Murderer’s Row -- or Fila de Asesinos, if you will -- somebody has to hit seventh, eighth or ninth, right?

“I think it’s a good headache to have as a manager,” Pujols said. “It’s a dream team."

Consider this: last season, Julio Rodríguez posted a 30-30 season for the Mariners, hitting first, second or third in all 160 games he started. During the Dominican’s two exhibition games against the Tigers, Rodríguez hit seventh.

“There's no ego in the clubhouse, and everybody knows where they can hit,” Pujols said. “I think at the end of the day, it's really to represent the Dominican Republic, that jersey that they're wearing, and not the last name that they represent.”

If Pujols sticks with the lineup he used against Detroit, we’ll see Fernando Tatis Jr., Ketel Marte, Juan Soto and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the top four spots of the batting order. Manny Machado -- who hit No. 3 for the Padres in 150 of 159 games last season -- would be in the fifth spot, followed by Junior Caminero, who belted 45 home runs for the Rays in 2025. The lineup would be rounded out by Rodríguez, Agustín Ramírez and Geraldo Perdomo.

“Thank God I'm on this side,” said Cristopher Sánchez, who will take the mound for the Dominican Republic in Friday’s opener against Nicaragua at loanDepot park at 7 p.m. ET on FS2.

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“Everybody dreams to have a lineup like this,” Pujols said. “Everybody can produce from top to bottom, and it gives me flexibility to play with it. I'm really excited about the lineup that we're going to put on the field tomorrow and hopefully the rest of the tournament.”

Tatis agreed with Pujols’ opinion regarding this year’s lineup, though the “best ever” designation brings even more pressure to the players on the field.

“I definitely think it's even a harder deal for us because all the expectation is out there,” Tatis said. “It's definitely an All-Star team, but there's a job to be done. Really big expectations, and we’re just looking forward to that challenge.”

With so much talent to choose from as he put together the roster, Dominican general manager Nelson Cruz -- who played in four Classics himself, including the 2013 squad that went a perfect 8-0 on its way to the Dominican’s lone WBC title -- was looking not only for the best talent, but players who could fit into a number of roles.

“We want players that can be flexible,” Cruz said. “The first message and what we [made] clear to the players was their roles, how we're going to use them. That message was very clear; we want to have players be able to perform and we created a team where no matter what situation, Albert would feel free to take the best from those players in any scenario that we can find.”

Pujols hopes his historical assessment of this year’s Dominican’s lineup proves to be correct, but in order for that to happen, they must be the last team standing.

“The best lineup was the one in 2013 when we won,” Pujols said. “If we win the next Classic, they are going to say that we had the best lineup.”