Welcome to Pinstripe Alley’s coverage of the 2026 World Baseball Classic! We previewed Pool A, Pool B, Pool C, and Pool D in the linked articles. Since the first several days of the WBC feature a bevy of games, we’ll be recapping them in batches. Enjoy!
For the first time since the start of the tournament, yesterday had just a small slate of World Baseball Classic games, with just eight teams playing. Despite the small number of games, there was no shortage of excitement, as we saw an electrician
dominate in his final career start, a lengthy rain delay, a bases-loaded jam in the ninth, and a stunning upset that could send shockwaves throughout the entire World Baseball Classic.
Pool C: Japan (4-0) 9, Czechia (0-4) 0
It was arguably the most anticipated game of the tournament, and certainly the most anticipated game of Pool C. Czech starter Ondřej Satoria — also known as the electrician who struck out Shohei Ohtani during the 2023 tournament — returned to the mound for one final time as a member of the Czechia national team. He did not disappoint, shutting down the vaunted Japanese lineup for 4.2 innings, striking out three (including new Toronto Blue Jays infielder Kazuma Okamoto) in the process. He departed to a standing ovation from a crowd that has loved him for three years now.
Unfortunately for Satoria, the Czech offense struggled to get anything going against Hiroto Takahashi, and while the relievers who came in after him did an admirable job of keeping the game scoreless, Samurai Japan broke through in a big way in the bottom of the eighth. Teruaki Sato led off the inning by being hit by a pitch, and two batters later, a Kenya Wakatsuki double brought him around for the first run of the ballgame. A Kaito Kozono walk with two outs then put two runners on for Ukyo Shuto, whose home run extended the lead to 4-0. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases, and another walk made the score 5-0. Finally, Munetaka Murakami — who struck out earlier in the inning — capped off the rally with a grand slam, bringing things to its final score of 9-0.
The game officially closes the book on Pool C, with Japan and South Korea advancing to the quarterfinal round this weekend.
Pool D: Israel (2-2) 6, Venezuela (3-1) 2
Because the Dominican Republic and Venezuela had already punched their tickets to the quarterfinals and Nicaragua had clinched a last-place finish, last night’s matchup between the Netherlands and Israel was for nothing but bragging rights. Don’t tell these players that the game meant nothing, though, as this one was filled with action from the jump.
The Netherlands struck first, plating a pair of runs on a Xander Bogaerts fielder’s choice and a Didi Gregorius sacrifice fly. Israel got one run right back, though, as Noah Mendlinger worked a two-out walk in the top of the second and Jake Gelof doubled him around to score. There the score would stay, as the game’s pitchers — Ryjeteri Merite and Shairon Martis for the Netherlands, Yankees farmhand Harrison Cohen and Charlie Beilenson for Israel — traded zeros for three innings; Cohen in particular impressed, striking out five of the six batters he faced, including Bogaerts.
Israel finally broke through in the sixth. Spencer Horowitz led off the inning with a single. Garrett Stubbs, pinch hitting for Harrison Bader, reached on an E3, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. An RJ Schreck RBI single tied the game. Three batters later, Gelof had the bases loaded with two outs, and he came through in a big way, grounding a single through the left side that plated two. Matt Mervis followed that up with a two-run double of his own, and just like that, Israel had themselves a 6-2 lead. There it would stay, as both pitching staffs traded zeros for the rest of the game.
Pool A: Canada (2-1) 3, Puerto Rico (3-1) 2
Puerto Rico and Canada battled not only each other, but also the rain. The game got a late start last night, thanks to a rain delay pushing back first pitch by almost an hour, and another round paused the game in the middle of the fourth. When water wasn’t falling from the sky, however, we had ourselves a tightly contested game.
Puerto Rico jumped out to an early lead, courtesy of a pair of walks and a Nolan Arenado single in the bottom of the first. But Canada — who, unlike Puerto Rico, still needs to punch their ticket to the quarterfinals — struck back in the top of the third, putting together a two-out rally that loaded the bases and scored two runs on a pair of walks. They then tacked on another in the fourth, as Owen Caissie led off the inning with double and came around to score on a Abraham Toro single.
When the game resumed after their fourth inning delay, Puerto Rico got one of those runs back, thanks to a pair of singles by Arenado and Eddie Rosario and a groundout by Martín Maldonado. And there it would stay, for although each offense would threaten — Canada in particular would load the bases in the ninth — both teams’ pitching staffs managed to consistently work out of trouble.
Pool B: Italy (3-0) 8, United States (3-1) 6
In a battle between Pool B’s last two undefeated teams, Italy pulled off a stunner, surviving a late surge from the United States and officially putting Team USA’s trip to the knockout stage in question.
After Team USA starter Nolan McLean struck out the side in the top of the first, the FS1 broadcast spent the top of the second praising the Mets prospect. Naturally, as happens every time John Smoltz opened his mouth, they immediately looked like fools. Kyle Teel deposited the first pitch he saw into the Crawford boxes in left field. McLean then plunked Jac Caglianone on a 2-2 pitch, and followed that up by surrendering a two-run shot to Sam Antonacci to give Italy a 3-0 lead. Ryan Yarbrough then came on in the fourth, looking to restore order and give Team USA some length. He walked Teel to lead off the inning, then surrendered a two-run shot to Caglianone to put his squad into a 5-0 deficit.
Meanwhile, Italy starter Michael Lorenzen had his way with the American lineup. In 4.2 innings, he allowed just two hits and one walk, while striking out two. When he was finally removed after reaching the 65-pitch limit, Team USA’s hitters were certainly thrilled. Ultimately, though, nothing changed; the offense continued to look listless.
Yarbrough departed in the sixth after surrendering a one-out double to Teel, who left the game with an injury. Brad Keller, though, wasn’t any better, walking Caglianone, then throwing the ball into center field on a grounder back to the pitcher that brought home one run. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Dante Nori plated another, and then a wild pitch brought in Antonacci. Italy’s lead had grown to 8-0.
Little by little, the United States bats began to awake. Gunnar Henderson broke the shutout with a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth. The seventh, meanwhile, saw Paul Goldschmidt single and Brice Turang (pinch hitting for Ernie Clement) double to put runners on second and third with two outs for Pete Crow-Armstrong. With one swing of the bat, PCA made it a ballgame once more.
Bobby Witt Jr. flied out to right to end the inning, but the damage was done. Unfortunately, David Bednar came on and did his best to hand those runs right back to Italy. In the end, despite loading the bases with one away, he managed to escape unscathed.
Bednar’s Houdini act gave the Team USA lineup another crack at shrinking the deficit. After Gunnar Henderson and Aaron Judge were retired on just five pitches, they once again put together a two-out rally. Kyle Schwarber, Will Smith, and Roman Anthony hit three straight singles, plating one run and bringing Bryce Harper (pinch hitting for Goldschmidt) to the plate as the tying run. Facing former Yankee Ron Marinaccio, the Phillies first baseman…hit a looping fly ball to left for the final out of the inning.
After Mason Miller sat down the side in order in the top of the ninth, Team USA came back up for last licks. With one out, PCA came to the plate with one out, and hit his second homer of the night. Another former Yankee, Greg Weissert came on in relief of Marinaccio, and he brought the tying run to the plate by allowing Witt to lace a single up the middle. Weissert battled back, however, and struck out both Henderson and Judge to complete the upset.
Today at the WBC
Cuba vs. Canada (Pool A)
Pitching matchup: Livan Moinelo vs. Cal Quantrill
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
TV: FS2
Venue: Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, PR
Mexico vs. Italy (Pool B)
Pitching matchup: TBD vs. Aaron Nola
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: Tubi
Venue: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
Venezuela vs. Dominican Republic (Pool D)
Pitching matchup: Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Sandy Alcantara
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
TV: FS1
Venue: loanDepot park, Miami, FL
