After a nerve-racking 24 hours, Team USA can exhale.
The U.S. officially punched its ticket to the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic with Italy’s 9-1 win over Mexico on Wednesday at Daikin Park in Houston. With a 3-1 record, Team USA finished second in Pool B and will advance to face Canada in the quarterfinals on Friday at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
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Final Pool B standings
- Italy (4-0)
- United States (3-1)
- Mexico (2-2)
- Great Britain (1-3)
- Brazil (0-4)
Team USA appeared to be assured of a spot in the WBC quarterfinals after beginning Pool B play 3-0, handily defeating Brazil and Great Britain and holding on for a win over Mexico. But a surprising 8-6 loss to Italy on Tuesday upended those expectations and left the U.S. vulnerable to missing out via a potential three-team tiebreaker.
But Italy’s dominant win over Mexico assuaged those fears, giving Italy the top spot in Pool B and moving Mexico down to third place. As the runner-up in Pool B, the U.S. will take on Canada -- the Pool A winner with a 3-1 record -- in the quarterfinals on Friday in Houston. Team USA is 4-1 all time against Canada in the WBC, with all five games taking place in pool play.