At long last, we’ve come to the end. The World Baseball Classic concludes tonight at loanDepot park in Miami, and two teams who have forded adversity in the tournament will compete for the coveted championship. Team USA, the 2017 champions and 2023 runners-up, will host Team Venezuela, who defeated Italy last night to reach their first ever Classic final.
Venezuela’s victory over the plucky Italian squad marked their second consecutive come-from-behind win in an elimination game against an undefeated
opponent. They had previously clawed back from a 5-2 deficit against defending champion Japan to prevail 8-5, thanks to outstanding relief pitching and a three-run homer from Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu.
Manager Omar López’s squad relied upon a similar formula against Italy. After starter Keider Montero lost control, López was able to count on clutch performances from relievers Ricardo Sánchez and Luinder Avila to keep Italy’s white-hot offense at bay. When a three-run, seventh-inning rally off Michael Lorenzen gave Venezuela their first lead, the back-end relievers erased all possibility of a counter-rally. Andrés Machado and Daniel Palencia collected a pair of strikeouts apiece in the final two innings to seal the deal.
Of course, Team USA has that defeated Italian team to thank for being in their current position. After shockingly losing 8-6 to Francisco Cervelli’s group in pool play, the Americans only advanced because Italy trounced Mexico the following day. Not content to waste that second opportunity, they beat first-time quarterfinalist Canada 5-3, then found a way to outlast the high-powered Dominican Republic in a 2-1 nailbiter. Now they’re in position to take home their second WBC crown.
Let’s meet the starting pitchers! USA manager Mark DeRosa will be sending Mets rookie Nolan McLean to the hill for this title game. McLean made his Classic debut in that loss to Italy, allowing three runs on a pair of homers while striking out four across three innings. Fans unfamiliar with McLean got to see both his wipeout stuff and his penchant for surrendering the long ball, an issue which has dogged him throughout his time as a professional. He’ll attempt to keep a potent and confident Venezuelan offense in the yard tonight.
On the other end is veteran lefty Eduardo Rodriguez. The 2018 World Series champion has plenty of big game experience, though the most enduring image of him on the big stage is spiking his glove after surrendering a homer to Yasiel Puig. Rodriguez has ridden the struggle bus the past few seasons in Arizona, and had trouble in his first Classic start against the DR—surrendering three runs on three hits despite picking up five strikeouts. He’ll get a chance for redemption against an American lineup that feels like it still hasn’t truly fired on all this cylinders this tournament.
Will the United States send bombs bursting in air? Or will Venezuela dance tambor all night long? Tune in and share your thoughts as the game progresses in this open thread!
How to watch
Location: loanDepot park — Miami, FL
First pitch: 8:00 pm ET
TV broadcast: Fox
Radio broadcast: MLB.com
Online stream: Fox Sports App
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