No offense, Captain: With Classic title on line, Cabrera puts country first
TAMPA, Fla. – The count ran full on Aaron Judge in the sixth inning Tuesday, the potential tying run at the plate as Team USA tried to wrestle back momentum from Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic final. Surrounded by friends and family on a couch some 285 miles from
Zerpa impresses Murphy in triumphant Classic performance
PHOENIX – The least well-known of the four Brewers players who made it to Tuesday’s thrilling final of the World Baseball Classic was the one who most impressed Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy. Murphy knows all about Team USA second baseman Brice Turang and Venezuela catcher William Contreras and outfielder Jackson
Reds thrilled for Suárez after his clutch moments in Classic
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Reds were happy for Eugenio Suárez when he delivered on a big stage for Team Venezuela in Tuesday's World Baseball Classic final. The club is even happier that Suárez will soon rejoin the club just before it breaks camp.
Game-used items from Venezuela's Classic victory heading to Hall
Venezuela’s triumph at the 2026 World Baseball Classic will be celebrated in Cooperstown. Following their first WBC title, Venezuela is sending a slew of items to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY.
This clutch steal led to Venezuela's Classic-winning run
Eugenio Suárez’s outstretched arms pointing emphatically toward the sky while standing on second base will be a lasting image in World Baseball Classic history. It was Suárez’s tiebreaking RBI double in the top of the ninth inning that helped deliver Venezuela an emotional 3-2 win over Team USA for its
At long last, Salvy adds World Baseball Classic title to his trophy case
MIAMI – For 17 years, Venezuela, one of the best countries at producing big league ballplayers, had failed to even reach the World Baseball Classic semifinals. That meant Salvador Perez hadn’t either. The Royals catcher has lined up for his country at every WBC since 2013, when he was just
Venezuela stuns Team USA in the 9th to claim first World Baseball Classic title
MIAMI – Eugenio Suárez flung his head back and looked up into the rafters. The sound bouncing off loanDepot park’s steel roof washed over the Venezuelan designated hitter as he held out his arms and motioned for more. More noise. More love. More joy.
Maikel Garcia bursts onto world stage with Classic MVP Award
MIAMI -- With a breakout season for the Royals last year, Maikel Garcia made his name known around MLB. Now his name is resonating on the world stage. The 26-year-old infielder was named MVP of the World Baseball Classic after Venezuela defeated the tournament favorite USA with a thrilling 3-2
No stranger to big moments, Suárez forever a Venezuelan hero
Unpredictable as these things are, Eugenio Suárez's go-ahead RBI double in the ninth inning of the championship game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic -- the hit that won it all for Team Venezuela, 3-2, over Team USA, on Tuesday night -- was a long time coming.
Untouchable as Venezuela's closer, Palencia shuts the door with straight heat
Daniel Palencia blew a 99.7 mph fastball past Team USA's Roman Anthony and chucked his glove to the skies. He had just secured Venezuela's first World Baseball Classic title, bookending a dominant run as his country's closer in the 2026 WBC. After Venezuela took the lead in the ninth inning
With Venezuela 1 win from first Classic title, Altuve showing his support
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Venezuela’s biggest fan in the World Baseball Classic will be back in his seats behind home plate on Tuesday night, cheering on his fellow countrymen in the championship game against the U.S. at loanDepot park in Miami (7 CT on FOX). Jose Altuve, the Astros’
Venezuela finds right pitching formula in semis, but final test looms large
MIAMI – When Venezuela starter Keider Montero walked consecutive lefty batters in the second inning against Italy, manager Omar López knew he was going to have his work cut out for him in the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic on Monday night. “That,” he said, “was a red flag
Venezuela rallies past Italy to reach first Classic final
MIAMI -- Outside, it was one of those relentless South Florida rains. But still, the hundreds of Venezuelan baseball fans who remained long after the last pitch of the World Baseball Classic semifinals had been thrown were in ecstasy. Thoroughly soaked but swept up in the moment, they sang, danced,
Palencia displaying his mound dominance on global stage
This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian’s Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
The 'crazy hour' dance that has carried Venezuela through the Classic
Before each game in the World Baseball Classic, Team Venezuela gathers in a circle in its dugout. As pitcher Eduard Bazardo pounds upon a special drum – known as el tambor – the players take turns jumping into and out of the circle to show off their moves. This isn’t
Venezuela native Cervelli managing against home country in Classic semis
Monday’s World Baseball Classic semifinal clash between Italy and Venezuela carries a little extra meaning for Team Italy manager Francisco Cervelli. Cervelli was born and raised in Venezuela. His mother, Damelis, is Venezuelan. Cervelli’s Italian roots come from his father, Emanuele, who was born in Italy, but he immigrated to
Omar López is managing Venezuela to 'make my country happy'
MIAMI -- When Venezuela finished its 8-5 victory against the defending champions Japan on Saturday night, manager Omar López wasn’t thinking about himself. Nor was he thinking about his team – not Wilyer Abreu, whose three-run home run provided the crucial blow, nor Enmanuel De Jesus, the unheralded pitcher on
Venezuela powers past defending champs to reach Classic semifinals
MIAMI -- The champs are out at the World Baseball Classic. This was Venezuela's night. Venezuela took down Japan, the 2023 WBC champions, with an 8-5 come-from-behind win in the quarterfinals at loanDepot park on Saturday night. Wilyer Abreu crushed a go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth inning off Hiromi
World Baseball Classic Power Rankings: Quarterfinals Edition
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
D.R. holds off Venezuela rally in 9th to claim top seed in Pool D
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
Icons Juan Marichal, King Félix help kick off DR-Venezuela heavyweight matchup in style
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.
Gómez back at Rays' camp competing for 'pen spot after Classic appearance
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- The magnitude of the moment set in for Yoendrys Gómez last Saturday, when the Venezuelan team lined up at loanDepot park before taking on Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic. There stood Gómez, alongside his countrymen, listening to the Venezuelan national anthem with pride. “I
'Acuña was our hero tonight': Venezuela heads to rivalry game undefeated
MIAMI -- With their ticket already punched to the quarterfinals, it might have been natural for Venezuela’s players to begin looking ahead at Wednesday’s rivalry game against the Dominican Republic. Not Ronald Acuña Jr., whose focus was squarely on Nicaragua on Monday night as his team tried to preserve its
Arraez's surprise pop (2 HRs!) sets Classic mark in Venezuela's romp over Israel
MIAMI -- After watching Luis Arraez drive in two runs for Venezuela in its opening win, Willson Contreras wanted the world to know what he thought of his teammate. “Arraez is a great player,” Contreras said of Arraez, who owns a .317 career average and only 36 home runs. “He
Need a hype man? Acuña can do that, too
Ronald Acuña Jr. can contribute on the baseball field in just about any way imaginable for a position player -- he can deliver a big hit, slug a monster home run, make a tremendous catch in the outfield or steal a big base.