Pitchers and catchers have reported to Yankees spring training, with all position players soon to follow. This will be an especially interesting lead-up to Opening Day because 2026 camp happens to coincide with the World Baseball Classic, which is being held for the first time since 2023.
Samurai Japan will be looking to defend their title and win their fourth WBC since the event was introduced in 2006. Team USA finished runner-up last time with Shohei Ohtani famously striking out then-Angels teammate
Mike Trout to win it for Japan; the Americans won the second-most-recent edition of the event, back in 2017.
Team USA will also be getting the talents of a certain 6-foot-7 Yankees superstar this time around, as Aaron Judge will don the stars and stripes and captain Team USA in his first WBC. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Austin Wells, David Bednar, and others are also expected to be active on various WBC rosters. We’ll have a more thorough WBC preview coming up as the event draws closer, but Team USA might have their best roster yet, as they actually have the top-tier pitching talent this time around that has often eluded them. Indeed, they’ll get both defending Cy Young Award winners in their rotation, with Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal leading the staff.
The WBC action will run from March 5th through the 17th. For those interested in following Judge and Team USA, here’s how you can tune in to their first four games of pool play. They must finish with one of the top two team records from the five in their pool to advance to the quarterfinals. All of their pool games will take place at Daikin Park in Houston.
Friday, March 6
Team USA vs. Brazil
First pitch: 8pm ET
TV channel: Fox/Fox Deportes
Saturday, March 7
Team USA vs. Great Britain
First pitch: 8pm ET
TV channel: Fox
Monday, March 9
Team USA vs. Mexico
First pitch: 8pm ET
TV channel: Fox/Fox Deportes
Tuesday, March 10
Team USA vs. Italy
First pitch: 9pm ET
TV channel: FS1/Fox Deportes
If Team USA advances, then here’s the broadcast schedule for each of the following games. The semifinals and championship game will be in Miami at the Marlins’ home of loanDepot Park.
Friday, March 13 (Scenario 1: if Team USA wins Pool B)
Quarterfinal game vs. Pool A runner-up
First pitch: 8pm ET
TV channel: Fox/Fox Deportes
Venue: Daikin Park (Houston, TX)
OR
Saturday, March 14 (Scenario 2: if Team USA is Pool B runner-up)
Quarterfinal game vs. Pool A winner
First pitch: 3pm ET
TV channel: FS1/Fox Deportes
Venue: Daikin Park (Houston, TX)
Sunday, March 15 (if Team USA wins in Scenario 1)
Semifinal game vs. Pool C winner/Pool D runner-up
First pitch: 8pm ET
TV channel: FS1/Fox Deportes
Venue: loanDepot Park (Miami, FL)
OR
Monday, March 16 (if Team USA wins in Scenario 2)
Semifinal game vs. Pool D winner/Pool C runner-up
First pitch: 8pm ET
TV channel: FS1/Fox Deportes
Venue: loanDepot Park (Miami, FL)
Tuesday, March 17
WBC Championship Game
First pitch: 8pm ET
TV channel: Fox/Fox Deportes
Venue: loanDepot Park (Miami, FL)
If you’re interested in all the other pools and games, don’t worry. We are, too! For the sake of brevity, we just restricted the above tune-in info to a Team USA focus. The full schedule can be found below.
