Baseball is a game of inches, and that was evident throughout Team USA’s thrilling 2-1 win over the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic semifinals on Sunday night in Miami. Yes, the classic contest ended with a disputed called third strike against Dominican Republic shortstop Geraldo Perdomo -- but

MIAMI -- When the United States assembled its super team for this World Baseball Classic, the selections were skewed toward established stars not just because of their talent but because of the guaranteed contracts that make them more prone to participate.

MIAMI -- It was a team seemingly on course with destiny: 13 years after its lone World Baseball Classic title, the Dominican Republic had stormed through its first five games, battering any opponent that stood in its way. It was leading the tournament in home runs, runs scored and pitching

MIAMI – The game met the hype. And the Americans met the moment. In a semifinals matchup rife with many of baseball’s biggest names and a game rife with the kind of tension that makes the sport great, Team USA outlasted the Dominican Republic, 2-1, on Sunday night at loanDepot

MIAMI – In the bottom of the fourth inning, Dominican Republic center fielder Julio Rodríguez was drilled in the hand by a Paul Skenes fastball. A half-inning later and any lingering pain had surely disappeared. With one out in the top of the fifth inning of the World Baseball Classic

MIAMI -- The Dominican Republic has had a lot of use for its home run jacket. The team, which has become renowned for its bat flips, celebrations and teamwide parties at home plate, has worn out a path around the bases during this year’s World Baseball Classic.

The Dominican Republic has thoroughly dominated the World Baseball Classic, turning each contest into less of a game than a celebration of Dominican baseball and spirit. The team has smashed a tournament-best 14 home runs, hitters launching their bats with a joyous expulsion as the rest of the team spills

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- At the core of the game of baseball, having fun is what the sport is all about. Nobody in this year’s World Baseball Classic may be having as much fun as Team Dominican Republic. Although there were several Red Sox players showing their stuff for various

In the pages of the New York Times in the spring of 2005, a just-announced tournament to be known as the “World Baseball Classic” was being touted for one particular potential pairing. “Baseball’s first world cup will probably be decided,” David Leonhardt wrote, “by a matchup between one of the

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- The best things happening to the Blue Jays aren’t happening in Dunedin. The World Baseball Classic is bringing out the biggest, brightest, loudest version of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and it’s only the middle of March. One of baseball’s greatest showmen is starting early.

MIAMI -- Vlad Jr. went airborne. Juan Soto went swimming. Austin Wells went deep off the facing of the second deck. And the Dominican Republic went on to the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic. The D.R. rolled past Korea, 10-0, in a seven-inning, run-rule shortened game in the opening

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Cristopher Sánchez heard the names Albert Pujols, Pedro Martínez and Nelson Cruz and glanced at his left arm. He shook his head. “Goosebumps,” he said via an interpreter.

Twenty teams began in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Only eight clubs remain. The ‘26 WBC quarterfinals will take place in Miami and Houston on Friday and Saturday and there will be some compelling matchups. On Friday night, the Dominican Republic will face Korea (6:30 p.m. ET, FS2), while Team

MIAMI -- This Dominican Republic lineup is all-time. And so are its home run celebrations. Juan Soto, Ketel Marte, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. all crushed monster home runs in the heavyweight bout between the D.R. and Venezuela on Wednesday night at the World Baseball Classic, which the

MIAMI -- It's a miracle the roof stayed on loanDepot park. The juggernaut Dominican Republic lineup put on an epic fireworks display to beat Venezuela and take first place in Pool D at the World Baseball Classic. The D.R. mashed four home runs -- one each by Juan Soto, Ketel

What a day of baseball. The final day of pool play in the 2026 World Baseball Classic began with plenty of intrigue and did not disappoint, with excitement abound. At the end of the day, we have Canada advancing past pool play for the first time in the WBC, and

MIAMI -- The Dominican Republic and Venezuela both brought out a legendary pitcher from their country to kick off their matchup at the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday. First, Juan Marichal -- MLB's first Dominican-born Hall of Famer -- threw out the ceremonial first pitch at loanDepot park.

MIAMI -- Fernando Tatis Jr. spent the first two games of the World Baseball Classic setting the table for his teammates. Monday, he decided to eat. Tatis hit the first grand slam by a Dominican Republic player in Classic history, setting a team record with six RBIs to lead the

The Dominican Republic team has been a slugging juggernaut so far this World Baseball Classic, with a tournament-high nine home runs. Juan Soto has one of those, a run rule game-ender, and during Monday's breezy 10-1 victory over Israel he made a bid for two more. Both of them came

Fernando Tatis Jr. isn't playing for Slam Diego right now, but he brought a little of it with him to Team Dominican Republic's 10-1 win over Israel on Monday afternoon. The Padres superstar launched a no-doubt grand slam in the second inning, the first in Dominican Republic's World Baseball Classic

MIAMI -- When Luis Severino talked to his wife following the Dominican Republic’s one-sided win over the Netherlands, his performance wasn’t the topic of conversation. She wanted to talk about Austin Wells’ home run. “She was more excited than me that he hit a homer,” Severino said.

MIAMI -- A small band marched through the concourse at loanDepot park shortly before Sunday’s game, working the Dominican Republic fans into a lather before the first pitch was even thrown. The party didn’t stop for more than two hours, as the D.R. lineup kept the drummers busy all afternoon,

The first full day with all four World Baseball Classic pools in action provided plenty of excitement and fodder. Here’s a look at nine stats and facts from some wild games. • Let’s start where we so often do when discussing the extraordinary: with Shohei Ohtani. He hit a grand

MIAMI – As they prepared for their first game in this year’s World Baseball Classic, Juan Soto promised that the Dominican Republic team was going to have fun. “And we’re going to be loud,” Fernando Tatis Jr. added. Tatis wasn’t necessarily talking about the sound of Junior Caminero’s bat, but

MIAMI -- Four batters into Cristopher Sánchez’s World Baseball Classic debut, it looked like he might not make it out of the first inning. By the time he walked off the mound, the left-hander had made Classic history. Sánchez became the first pitcher in the 20-year history of the tournament