The defining storylines of the '26 Classic

The World Baseball Classic is now over, with Venezuela the last team standing as the newest champions. But when the confetti clears and we look back at the tournament, what moments will stand out? In 2017, it’s Adam Jones’ leaping grab that first comes to mind. The 2023 edition saw Shohei Ohtani’s strikeout of Mike Trout become stamped in our memories.

So, what will be the players, moments, and storylines we remember from 2026? Here are my 10.

1. Venezuela danced tambores to the championship

Before every game, Venezuela would gather in its dugout and reliever Eduard Bazardo would pull out his drum, a special kind known as “el tambor.” As he played, the team would jump into a circle and dance, showing off their Venezuelan pride.

“What you see right there, that's us,” Venezuela manager Omar López said. “That's our country. That's us. That's winter ball. That's how we enjoy our baseball. We understand everybody has a different culture. You go to Puerto Rico, they have a different way. La Plena in Puerto Rico, that's amazing. It's kind of the same, but it’s a different type of music. In the Dominican, it's Merengue, Ripiao, it's Bachata, Dembow. There's a lot of ways prior to the game they get loose and identify who they are and who we are.”

Many thought that the Dominican Republic, the United States, or Japan would walk away with the championship – each of those three nations having won a World Baseball Classic title before. Instead, it was Venezuela, who hadn't reached the semifinals since 2009, that won it all. After they received the trophy, what else was played over the loudspeakers at loanDepot park in Miami? The popular Venezuelan band, Tambor Urbano, of course.

2. Espresso baseball

With a team largely consisting of Italian-Americans, Team Italy shocked many as they upset the United States, won the Houston pool, and reached the WBC semifinals for the first time in the team’s history. They also became fan favorites as the players embraced their roots, celebrating their connection to Italy, and punctuating every home run with a shot of espresso in the dugout.

“Italy means coffee,” manager Francisco Cervelli said. “Coffee is not to be energetic. It's a way of life, it is socializing. Speaking with the guys, drinking coffee, and speaking with the others.”

They may not have won it all, but the performance will have an impact on the sport’s future development back in Italy. Newspapers reported on the team’s success, members of its government spoke about baseball, and millions tuned in across the tournament.

“For the kids in Italy, just know that we're doing this for you guys,” team captain Vinnie Pasquantino said. “We want in 20 years for the World Baseball Classic team to be full of Italians, like Italian speakers from Italy. That's the goal of this.”

3. Shohei Ohtani – because of course

Japan may have been eliminated in the quarterfinals, failing to reach the semifinals for the first time in tournament history. But of course Shohei Ohtani, the most talented ballplayer to ever play the game, was one of the biggest storylines.

In his first plate appearance in the tournament, he laced a double on the first pitch he saw. In his next at-bat, he smashed a grand slam. Though he was “just” a DH in the tournament, the fact that he was throwing bullpens on days off to prepare for the regular season with the Dodgers meant that there were constant rumors and questions from Samurai Japan fans who hoped they’d get to see him trot in from the bullpen just as he did in the 2023 championship game to defeat the USA.

He also proved that he can be counted on as a leader in the clubhouse, too. Wanting to make sure the young players on Samurai Japan felt included on the ballclub, he tasked the introverted pitcher Koki Kitayama to come up with the team’s home run celebration. That became the famous matcha whisking celebration they would use as teammates rounded third base.

4. Team Korea flies to Miami

Korean baseball dominated baseball in the early aughts. They won gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics and lost in extra innings to Japan at the 2009 World Baseball Classic. With a mix of KBO stars, Korean MLB players, and U.S. born players of Korean heritage, they rallied around the idea of getting on the charter flight from the Tokyo pool. On home runs, the team would spread their arms out like airplane wings and then celebrate with a golden "M" for Miami back at the dugout.

It worked: Though the team lost to the Dominican Republic in the quarterfinals, the team’s first trip beyond pool play since '09 was considered a success by many of the team’s supporters.

Veteran pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu, who helped deliver the team a gold medal in 2008, also returned to the team for the first time since the 2009 WBC. After pitching against the D.R. in the quarterfinals, the man known as “Monster” announced his retirement.

5. Team USA brings its arms

Team USA has always been able to bring a stacked lineup – even if this year’s juggernaut may have been the best yet one through nine. But the criticism was always that America’s pitchers didn’t match up.

That changed this year: The reigning American and National League Cy Young Award winners in Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes signed on, with Giants ace and 2025 NL strikeout leader Logan Webb and young Mets starter Nolan McLean rounding out the rotation. It worked: Webb gave up just one run in 8 2/3 innings, looking impressive against Canada in the quarterfinals. Paul Skenes lived up to his billing, shutting down a record-setting Dominican Republic lineup, and McLean’s stuff looked awfully impressive in the championship against Venezuela.

Though the USA finished runners up once again, Skenes and Webb were both named to the all-tournament team.

6. The electrical engineer strikes again

Czechia starter Ondřej Satoria became a celebrity in 2023, striking out Shohei Ohtani and becoming a viral sensation. He had an even better encore in 2026. After pitching 3 2/3 scoreless innings against Australia, the electrical engineer from Ostrava was given the start against Japan in the Tokyo pool’s final game. Despite a fastball that struggles to reach 80 mph, Satoria dominated. Relying on his changeup, which he calls “the worker” and a curveball that he compares to casting a reel while fishing, Satoria shut down the defending champions for 4 2/3 innings in his final start for the national team.

As he left the mound, he received a standing ovation, his work a reminder that pitching is not just about sheer velocity. Sometimes it’s about pitch sequencing, location, and having the guts to throw your best against a team of professional superstars.

Satoria has now retired from the national team, but he’s not done pitching: He’ll continue to work for the electrical company ČEZ Group, spending his weekends pitching for the Arrows Ostrava in the Extraliga.

7. Brazil’s famous youngsters

While Satoria may be walking away from the game, there were two famous sons who starred for Brazil in this year’s Classic. First there was Joseph Contreras, the son of former White Sox World Series winner Jose Contreras. Just 17 years old and committed to Vanderbilt – the youngest player in this year’s tournament – he even got Aaron Judge to ground into an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play with the bases loaded.

“Impressive,” Judge said following the game. “I know I wasn't doing that at that age. Just great stuff. I know he had some poise on the mound. He's throwing up to 100 miles an hour. He's facing Team USA, a lot of guys he has seen on TV.

“It was just impressive, impressive just seeing him control himself out there and get out of a big jam. And he had some good stuff.”

He wasn’t the only youngster to stand out: Manny Ramirez’s son Lucas – who helped Brazil qualify for the tournament with a strong performance in the Tucson Qualifier – smashed two home runs against the U.S.

8. Tugboat Wilkinson's amazing invisiball

Satoria wasn’t the only player without elite velocity to stand out. Enter Canada’s Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson. Though his fastball sits in the low-90s, his impressive deception has led to his fastball being called an “invisiball.” It worked well enough that Canada had Wilkinson pitch against the USA in the quarterfinals while trailing by two late in the game.

Tugboat came through, striking out Cal Raleigh and Bryce Harper. Though Canada lost the game, it was the team’s best performance in World Baseball Classic history, marking the first time the nation advanced beyond the group stage.

9. The Dominican Republic sets the record for home runs

The D.R. may not have won its second World Baseball Classic title, but it may have brought the most fearsome lineup in World Baseball Classic history. Its top eight batters in the lineup all received MVP award votes. Until running into the unhittable force that is Paul Skenes, the Dominican Republic battered its opponents, setting the World Baseball Classic record with 15 home runs.

Each one was marked with an incredible celebration, a pure festival of baseball. Bats were flipped high into the air, players trotted the bases (slowly) with joy, and the dugouts burst forth with exuberance.

“That's why we have guys that are really emotional -- because they play for their countries and they're having fun and they see the crowd and everything,” Juan Soto said. “I think it brings everything out of you."