Superstars shine as USA holds off Mexico in thriller
HOUSTON -- In an electric atmosphere at Daikin Park on Monday night, the United States defeated Mexico, 5-3, in a thrilling showdown of undefeated World Baseball Classic rivals. The superstars came through for the U.S., which got a dominating start from Paul Skenes and a big game by captain Aaron
Twice as nice! Witt's Gold Glove defense on display vs. Mexico
HOUSTON -- Bobby Witt Jr. Dawg. The Team USA shortstop had a Gold Glove performance on defense in the World Baseball Classic on Monday, with a pair of show-stopping plays in the 5-3 win over rival Mexico. Witt's web gems even drew the attention of a fellow Kansas City sports
Judge throws a laser, then hits one to spark USA vs. Mexico
HOUSTON -- The Captain came to play in Team USA's biggest game of the World Baseball Classic. Aaron Judge had a highlight-reel outfield assist and crushed a home run to open the scoring all within the same inning of the USA-Mexico showdown on Monday night at Daikin Park. With the
Puerto Rico stifles Cuba, celebrates return to quarters in front of home fans
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Ask any baseball fan in Puerto Rico and they’ll tell you about the 2006 World Baseball Classic game against Cuba. How they lost in a crushing 4-3 defeat to the international superpower. How it was the loudest they’d ever heard Hiram Bithorn Stadium. How they’ve
Wearing country's colors, Red Sox teammates one-up each other in Mexico-USA
Roman Anthony and Jarren Duran will share plenty of time in the Red Sox outfield this season. For now, they’re competing against each other for World Baseball Classic glory. In a key moment early in the United States-Mexico game on Monday, Mexico’s Duran committed a little Sox-on-Sox crime against the
'Acuña was our hero tonight': Venezuela heads to rivalry game undefeated
MIAMI -- With their ticket already punched to the semifinals, 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
Elimination scenarios for the World Baseball Classic
Five teams have advanced out of pool play at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, leaving three spots in the next round up for grabs. Samurai Japan clinched the top spot in Pool C with a narrow victory over Australia on Sunday. Meanwhile, Korea secured the second seed in that pool
Who'll win awards in '26? Here are the top contenders in each division
The Yankees and Giants will open the 2026 MLB season on March 25. We’ll be counting down to that date with our annual preview series, with each story looking ahead to the coming season by breaking down a particular topic. Previously: The best pending free agent in each division. Today:
Phillies, Luzardo agree to 5-year, $135 million extension (source)
CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Phillies couldn’t let Jesús Luzardo go. Luzardo didn’t want to go anywhere, either.
In nod to their roots, Skenes, Jax arrange for Air Force cadets to watch USA-Mexico
HOUSTON -- Paul Skenes has dominated on the mound in an Air Force uniform. In an LSU uniform. In a Bradenton Marauders and Altoona Curve and Indianapolis Indians uniform. And of course in a Pittsburgh Pirates uniform. But the one he's wearing right now is different.
Skubal will leave Team USA to return to Tigers camp
HOUSTON -- Tarik Skubal will not make any more starts for Team USA at the 2026 World Baseball Classic after all. The ace left-hander will return to Tigers Spring Training in Lakeland, Fla., after the United States' game against Mexico on Monday night at Daikin Park. U.S. manager Mark DeRosa,
Unbeaten DR thumps Israel to secure spot in quarterfinals
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
From Aldegheri to Zhuang, the World Baseball Classic's top performing prospects
The World Baseball Classic has been a stage for players across the world to show off their talents, and plenty of prospects have thrived in the spotlight. Players ranked on organizational Top 30 Prospects lists have shown out, in particular.
Japan, Czechia close out Tokyo pool (Tuesday, 6 a.m. ET, FS1)
Japan has already a clinched a quarterfinals berth and will be hopping on a plane to Miami when this game is over. Czechia will finish last, even if it pulls off one of the game’s greatest upsets, and is ticketed for a Qualifier. That makes Tuesday night at Tokyo Dome
Czechia's viral electrical worker 'Jedi' who K'd Ohtani bids farewell to Classic
TOKYO -- One pitch changed Ondřej Satoria’s life -- and he thought it was a mistake. Facing Shohei Ohtani in the Tokyo Dome three years ago, Satoria -- an electrical controller at ČEZ Group in Ostrava, a city on the border of Poland – threw his changeup, which he calls
Facing unbeaten PR, Canada eyes win to keep pace in Pool A (7 p.m. ET, Tubi)
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- One place is cold for much of the year. One place is hot all the time. Both places have bred some of the best baseball players on the planet.
Soto assigned dugout push-ups after flying out to warning track twice
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
'Beloved' McGonigle continues high-powered spring with first Grapefruit homer
LAKELAND, Fla. -- The word should be out by now: Don’t start off Kevin McGonigle with a cookie. Six days after the Tigers’ top prospect – and MLB’s No. 2 prospect overall – started off the Tigers’ visit to the Dominican Republic by turning on Luis Severino’s 98 mph fastball
No Classic FOMO for Crochet, who's planning to 'pitch until November'
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Unlike many of the top-tier aces around baseball, Garrett Crochet decided on his own that pitching in the World Baseball Classic didn’t make sense for him this time around. His reasons were sound, and he laid it out clearly to Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig
With no room in deep outfield, Yanks send spring star Jones to Triple-A
TAMPA, Fla. – Spencer Jones arrived at Yankees camp with a clear understanding of the landscape. Any discussion of a pending competition for a starting outfield spot was quieted when the organization made offseason moves to re-sign Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger. Instead, Jones knew that his most likely scenario
This World Baseball Classic pitcher may be baseball's biggest Taylor Swift fan
TOKYO -- Baseball has taken Todd Van Steensel around the world. He's pitched in the Minors for the Phillies and Twins, played for Kinheim in Holland's Honkbal Hoofdklasse, Guadalajara in the Mexican League (for current Mexican national team manager Benji Gil), the Tigres de Aragua in Venezuela's Winter League and
Stearns weighs in on Lindor's status for Opening Day, RF position battle
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Francisco Lindor remains on track to be ready for Opening Day, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Monday, but he'll have to play some Grapefruit League games first. “That would be a prerequisite,” Stearns said. “We would not have his first competition be
Coming off career year, Fried named Yankees' Opening Day starter
TAMPA, Fla. – Max Fried filled the role of ace for the Yankees last year, but because of the timing of Gerrit Cole’s injury, he did not receive the honor of starting on Opening Day. That will change this season.