MIAMI -- Nicaragua may have been the first team in Pool D eliminated from the possibility of advancing, but manager Dusty Baker isn’t approaching Monday night’s game against Venezuela any differently than he would if his team was fighting for a spot in the quarterfinals. “I've been on first-place teams

MIAMI – The Dominican Republic has steamrolled its way to lopsided wins in each of its first two games of this year’s World Baseball Classic. If manager Albert Pujols’ team can do the same on Monday, it will have accomplished its first goal of the tournament. “Our mission is to

MIAMI -- Unlike Saturday, when Team Israel looked across the field at Venezuela and saw familiar faces such as Ronald Acuña Jr., Luis Arraez and Eugenio Suárez, its opponent Sunday night presented a different type of challenge. “It’s a little bit more old-school baseball when you don't have as much

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,

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

MIAMI – It was the biggest moment of Jeter Downs’ career, yet when all was said and done, the 27-year-old struggled to put his day into words. Downs belted a go-ahead, two-run home run in the eighth inning against the Netherlands on Saturday, putting Nicaragua in position to pick up

MIAMI – For eight innings Saturday, Team Netherlands looked helpless at the plate, stranding 10 men on base while going hitless in six tries with runners in scoring position. One swing by Ozzie Albies erased all of that frustration, turning what would have been a crushing defeat into a Classic

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

MIAMI -- A bruised left hand kept budding Brewers star Jackson Chourio out of Venezuela’s lineup for its opening game of the World Baseball Classic on Friday, a 6-2 victory over the Netherlands. Milwaukee officials, however, have “no concern” about his long-term availability, a source said. Chourio was struck on

MIAMI – Erik González has replaced Jeremy Peña on the Dominican Republic’s roster for the World Baseball Classic, the team announced on Friday, adding a versatile infielder to manager Albert Pujols’ star-studded roster. González will join the Dominican team at loanDepot park prior to Friday night’s WBC opener against Nicaragua

MIAMI – When Javier Sanoja walked out to the field at loanDepot park shortly before Friday’s World Baseball Classic opener, it was hard for him not to notice the number of Venezuela fans in the crowd. That was the moment his first WBC experience got real. “I felt very happy

MIAMI – Friday’s opener was a family affair for the Netherlands. Andruw Jones, who will enter the Baseball Hall of Fame this summer, is managing the team for the first time after playing for the Netherlands in 2006 and 2013. And while he had familiarity with most of his players

MIAMI – Three years ago, Venezuela went undefeated in pool play, opening the World Baseball Classic with four straight victories before falling to the United States in the quarterfinals. The 2026 Classic started out in similar fashion for Venezuela, as a four-run fifth inning propelled them to a 6-2 win

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

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- While his team was playing an exhibition against Team Israel at Clover Park on Wednesday, Nolan McLean took the mound in a Minor League scrimmage on a back field at the Mets’ complex. The numbers -- one run allowed over four innings -- were irrelevant.

MIAMI – Watching Team Venezuela take batting practice, it’s hard not to notice the star power on the roster. Ronald Acuña Jr., Jackson Chourio, Ranger Suarez and the Contreras brothers (Willson and William) are among those who have all accomplished great things during their Major League careers. But there’s one

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Nolan McLean was among the Spring Breakout alumni to make an impact in the Majors last season. Which Mets prospects could be the next ones to forge a similar path? For the third straight year, the Mets will send many of their top prospects to

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Carson Benge has been impressive this spring as he competes for the Mets’ right-field job, producing another highlight on Wednesday. The 23-year-old hit his first home run of the spring in the Mets’ 5-2 win over Team Israel, though the homer won’t count toward his

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Mark Vientos, Jeter Downs and Freddy Zamora grew up together in the Miami area, playing with and against each other during their travel ball days. Nearly two decades after they first met, the trio is back together, comprising three-fourths of the starting infield for Team

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Nolan McLean’s World Baseball Classic experience was delayed by a few days after the Mets pitcher experienced what his manager called “some vertigo-like symptoms” last week. McLean was dealing with dizziness and a loss of appetite early last week, though the pitcher said he began

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Francisco Lindor’s path to Opening Day took another step in the right direction Monday. The Mets’ shortstop played catch for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair a stress reaction in his left hamate bone on February 11, a significant event as he works

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The words weren’t coming easily for Josiah Gray on Monday. Given his 23-month layoff following Tommy John surgery, who could blame him? Gray made his first start of the spring Monday, taking a Major League mound for the first time since April 4, 2024. He

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Dylan Crews was scratched from Sunday’s game with soreness in his left thumb, but the Nationals received good news on the outfielder’s status on Monday. X-rays on Crews’ thumb were negative, and the outfielder could be back in the lineup on Wednesday or Thursday.