Author: rincon

Second-and-26. Santonio Holmes’ toe tap. Blowing a 3-1 series lead. 28-3. 

Sometimes, you don’t need more than a score or a couple of words to conjure memories of stunning championship-winning games. The pressure, stakes, legacies and dreams of winning it all elevate incredible performances to unforgettable moments etched in sports lore. 

Going back to the beginning of the 21st century, we’re breaking down the top-10 championship games across the NFL, the World Cup, college football and basketball, MLB and NBA, and reexamining what made them so special and memorable. Here are our 10 best title games since 2000.

Honorable mention:

• 2010 World Cup Final: Spain’s Andrés Iniesta scores the winner in the 116th minute vs. Netherlands
• 2008 NCAA Championship: Kansas’ Mario Chalmers hits the game-winner to beat Memphis
• 2005 UEFA Champions League Final: Liverpool overcomes a 3-0 deficit vs. AC Milan
• 2014 World Cup Final: Germany’s Mario Götze scores the winner in the 113th Minute vs. Argentina
• 2013 Stanley Cup Final: Chicago Blackhawks win the Cup in Game 6 vs Bruins

10. 2013 NBA Finals: Ray Allen’s Shot for Heat vs. Spurs in Game 6

Rowan Kavner: The San Antonio Spurs led by five points with less than 30 seconds on the clock and were seven seconds away from celebrating an NBA championship. The trophy presentation was already getting prepared when history was rewritten with one of the most iconic shots in playoff history. After a LeBron James 3-pointer brought the Miami Heat within two with 20 seconds to go, Kawhi Leonard made one of two free throws on the other end. A three would tie it. 

James came off a screen from Chris Bosh and had a good look but couldn’t connect. Bosh crashed to the rim. No one boxed him out. He secured the offensive board as Ray Allen backpedaled toward the corner. Allen barely got his feet behind the 3-point line when he launched the game-tying shot that would send the contest to overtime, where the Heat prevailed before winning their second straight NBA title in Game 7. The Spurs would get their revenge on the Heat a year later, needing only five games in the 2014 NBA Finals to end Miami’s run. 

9. 2009 Super Bowl: Santonio Holmes’ Toe-Tap TD Gives Steelers the Win

Ralph Vacchiano: Kurt Warner was supposed to be the star of this show, in a Super Bowl that would be the perfect capper to his Hall of Fame career. But two players on the Pittsburgh Steelers stole his spotlight and the game.

The first highlight-reel moment came just before halftime with Warner and the Arizona Cardinals at the Steelers’ 1-yard line. That’s when Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison picked Warner’s pass off at the goal line and rumbled 100 yards the other way for a touchdown — the longest interception in Super Bowl history — giving the Steelers a 10-point halftime lead.

Warner led the Cards back and even got them the lead with 2:37 to go, when he hit Larry Fitzgerald with a 64-yard touchdown. But Ben Roethlisberger and receiver Santonio Holmes had one last surprise left in them. They quickly drove back down the field, and, with 35 seconds to go, Roethlisberger hit Holmes in the back of the end zone where he made arguably the greatest catch in Super Bowl history — reaching for the ball way out of bounds while his toes miraculously stayed just inside the white lines.

It was enough to deny Warner his second championship and give the Steelers ring No. 6.

8. 2016 NBA Finals: LeBron’s Iconic Chase-Down Block vs. the Warriors in Game 7

Rowan Kavner: With three NBA championships in four years, the one title that slipped away from the Golden State Warriors was the year in which they won a record 73 games. They were unstoppable during the 2015-16 season and looked on their way to cementing one of the league’s all-time great seasons… until LeBron James and Kyrie Irving authored a different ending. James returned to Cleveland to bring a championship to the city, and he did so by reviving the Cavaliers from the brink in the NBA Finals. 

James scored 41 points in Game 5, another 41 in Game 6 and then produced a triple-double in Game 7 along with an iconic chase-down block on Andre Iguodala that will live on highlight reels in Cleveland forever. In the waning minutes of a tie game, James came out of nowhere to swat the shot. One minute later, Irving buried a step-back three, and the Cavs became the first team ever to rally back from a 3-1 NBA Finals deficit to win a championship. 

7. 2016 NCAA Championship: Villanova’s Kris Jenkins Hits Buzzer-Beater to Beat North Carolina

Michael Cohen: How often does the biggest moment of the biggest game on a sport’s grandest stage really and truly come down to a buzzer beater, the outcome only decided when the clock shows all zeroes? It’s exceedingly rare — something fans will remember forever — and that’s why the 2016 national championship game between North Carolina and Villanova claims its rightful place on this list. 

It wasn’t enough for Tar Heels guard Marcus Paige to make a leaning, double-clutch 3-pointer of his own with 4.7 seconds remaining, tying the game at 74-74. No, that incredible bucket would be swiftly upstaged by arguably the greatest shot in NCAA tournament history. Wildcats point guard Ryan Arcidiacono flipped an underhand pass to forward Kris Jenkins for a championship-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer as time expired. It’s a moment that has been replayed millions of times since then as the ultimate One Shining Moment in a sport that glorifies such things, and it won’t be forgotten any time soon.

6. 2018 CFP Title: Tua Tagovailoa Leads Alabama to Overtime Win Over Georgia

RJ Young: What I remember — what some Georgia fans loathe — is the play before The Play, resulting in Bulldogs defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter and linebacker Davin Bellamy absolutely planting Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for a sack and a 16-yard loss. The game was in overtime, and Georgia had a three-point lead. The Bulldogs were just two downs from glory — two downs from the program’s first national championship in 38 years.

But on second-and-26 from Georgia’s 31, Tagovailoa reared back, planted his left foot and uncorked a shot gorgeous in its arc and spiraling as if it would explode like a Roman candle. A beautiful pass that became a title-winning shot when wideout DeVonta Smith caught it in stride as two Georgia players watched him float into the end zone, run along the back of the white line with his right fist high and into a crush of hugs from his Bama teammates. That DeVonta Smith turned out to be the Heisman Trophy winner two years later on an undefeated national title team only adds to the mystique.

5. 2008 Super Bowl: Giants Beat Undefeated Patriots 

Ralph Vacchiano: The New England Patriots were 18-0 and everyone thought they were unbeatable, especially by a New York Giants team that barely made the playoffs and entered with few expectations. The Pats were already a dynasty, led by the consensus greatest coach (Bill Belichick) and quarterback (Tom Brady) in NFL history.

But Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning got in the way.

And they did it in style, sealing the deal with a brilliant, dramatic game-winning drive in the final minutes, which included one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history. Manning saved the drive by pulling himself away from two Patriots defenders and heaving the ball 32 yards downfield to fourth receiver David Tyree, who made a leaping, one-handed catch by pinning the ball against his helmet.

And that wasn’t all. Manning finished the drive by hitting Plaxico Burress for a game-winning touchdown pass with 35 seconds remaining. And when the Giants defense, which had battered Brady all game long, stopped the Patriots’ final, desperation drive, the Giants had capped the most unexpected, improbable and perfect Super Bowl upset of all time.

4. 2006 Rose Bowl: Vince Young and Texas Beat Undefeated USC

RJ Young: The Vince Young Game — that’s how I and many others remember it. That’s because, with 19 seconds left to play, on fourth-and-5, Young took off for the pylon from the 8-yard line to score the touchdown that would earn Texas a 41-38 win against the No. 1 USC Trojans and the 2005 BCS championship. It capped off an improbable win against a seemingly unbeatable opponent. 

When the game ended, Young clutched a rose stem in his teeth. The box score reflected he’d accounted for 467 total yards — including 200 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns — in a win against a program that had not lost a single game in 831 days (Sept. 27, 2003) and had been ranked No. 1 in the country for 735 consecutive days.

3. 2025 World Series: Dodgers Beat the Blue Jays in Game 7

Rowan Kavner: The Blue Jays returned home with two chances to knock out the reigning champs. Instead, the city of Toronto was left heartbroken. After getting doubled off on a line drive to end Game 6, the Blue Jays responded by striking first on a three-run homer by Bo Bichette in Game 7. They were two outs away from celebrating their first championship since 1993 when Miguel Rojas, whose nifty pick at second base ended Game 6, became the Los Angeles Dodgers’ unlikely Game 7 hero. 

The light-hitting infielder lifted the first-ever game-tying home run in the ninth inning of a winner-take-all World Series finale. The Blue Jays still had multiple chances to walk it off in the bottom of the frame, but Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s slide home was just late on a bases-loaded grounder and a deep drive in the gap by Ernie Clement was tracked down by center fielder Andy Pages, who bulldozed teammate Kiké Hernandez to make the play. 

Two innings later, a home run from Will Smith put the Dodgers ahead for the first time, and World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto — one night after throwing 96 pitches in a Game 6 win — recorded the final eight outs of Game 7 to cement a dynasty. The Dodgers became the first repeat champions since the New York Yankees won three straight titles from 1998-2000. 

2. 2022 World Cup Final: Argentina Beat France in Penalties

Doug McIntyre: At halftime at jam-packed Lusail Stadium, most of the almost 90,000 souls in attendance were already in a celebratory mood. With Argentina comfortably ahead 2-0, everyone but the relatively small minority of Les Bleus backers in attendance was convinced that Lionel Messi was less than an hour away from lifting his first World Cup and cementing his legacy as the greatest soccer player of all time. 

Then all hell broke loose with 10 minutes left. France got a penalty that Kylian Mbappe converted. Seconds later, in front of a global television audience of 1.5 billion, Mbappe capitalized on a Messi turnover in midfield and evened the score with a ruthless volley. Messi scored his second of the match deep into extra time — the storybook ending every neutral wanted. Yet another French penalty somehow sent Mbappe to the spot again. Of course, he completed his hat trick. France then had a golden chance to win, but Albiceleste keeper Emiliano Martínez’s spectacular kick save on Randal Kolo Muani ensured that the contest would be decided via a tiebreaker.  

Club teammates in Paris turned hated rivals on this night in Qatar. Messi and Mbappe both scored from 12 yards again, but another Martinez stop, combined with a French effort that sailed wide, left Argentina one shot from glory. Gonzalo Montiel stepped up and calmly stroked the ball past Hugo Lloris, giving Messi his moment and ending the greatest World Cup final ever played. 

1. 2017 Super Bowl: Patriots Overcome 28-3 Deficit to Beat Falcons

Henry McKenna: This was a game for the record books with Tom Brady and the Patriots overcoming the — now meme-ified — 28-3 deficit, the largest comeback in Super Bowl history. Sorry, Falcons fans. The comeback started almost as a joke on the sideline, with Julian Edelman saying to Brady: “Going to be a hell of a story.” Edelman delivered in the fourth quarter with what must be the most improbable catch in Super Bowl history — with the Patriots receiver famously bobbling the ball off a defender’s shoe. 

That helped send the game into the first-ever overtime period in a Super Bowl, where New England finished it off with a touchdown from James White. The Patriots and Falcons scored 62 total points. Brady threw for 466 yards and two touchdowns. To this day, Matt Ryan has to deal with people reminding him of “28-3.”

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Terrance Gore, a speedy outfielder who played for three World Series champions while spending parts of eight seasons in MLB, has died. He was 34.

Chad Funderburk, a family friend who also worked with Gore through his baseball academy, confirmed Gore died Friday night. He deferred to Gore’s family in terms of providing any further details.

While Gore was known for his athleticism, Funderburk said he was “a much kinder human.”

“Just a giving, giving man to so many [youths]. … That’s just who Terrance was,” Funderburk said.

Gore, a Georgia native, was selected by Kansas City in the 20th round of the 2011 amateur draft. He batted .216, scored 33 runs and swiped 43 bags in 52 attempts over 112 regular-season games with the Royals, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.

“Terrance was an unforgettable part of our organization with a unique talent that catapulted him to some of the biggest moments in Royals history,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said in a team statement. “While his speed and athleticism were what most people immediately noticed, those of us who had the opportunity to know him also remember his energy, his humility, and the impact he made in big moments on the game’s biggest stage.”

Gore was mostly used as a pinch runner and defensive replacement. He made his debut with the Royals in 2014 and stole 23 bases before he got his first hit, a single to center for the Cubs against Max Scherzer in the ninth inning of a 10-3 loss at Washington on Sept. 8, 2018.

Gore appeared in two postseason games during Kansas City’s championship run in 2015. He played in two regular-season games when the Dodgers won the World Series in 2020. He appeared in one NL playoff game with Atlanta in 2021, and the Braves went on to win the World Series.

“Terrance brought a high level of excitement and anticipation to the game,” former Royals executive Dayton Moore said. “He was unstoppable as a base stealer, and he inspired athletes throughout our country to pursue baseball. He was loved and respected by his very special teammates, who will continue to love his family during this time of sadness.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

A jury has found former major league outfielder Yasiel Puig guilty of obstruction of justice and lying to federal officials investigating an illegal gambling operation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Friday.

The verdict came after a multi-week trial that featured testimony from Major League Baseball officials and Donny Kadokawa, a Hawaii baseball coach that Puig placed bets through. Puig now faces up to 20 years in federal prison and is scheduled to be sentenced May 26.

Puig’s attorney, Keri Curtis Axel, said the government failed to prove key elements of its case and that she plans to raise post-trial motions.

“We look forward to clearing Yasiel’s name,” Axel said.

Puig, 35, initially pled guilty to a felony charge of lying to federal agents investigating an illegal gambling operation. He acknowledged in an August 2022 plea agreement that he wracked up more than $280,000 in losses over a few months in 2019 while wagering on tennis, football and basketball games through a third party who worked for an illegal gambling operation run by Wayne Nix, a former minor-league baseball player.

Nix pled guilty in 2022 to conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and subscribing to a false tax return. He is still awaiting sentencing.

Authorities said Puig placed at least 900 bets through Nix-controlled betting websites and through a man who worked for Nix.

Prosecutors said that during a January 2022 interview with federal investigators, Puig denied knowing about the nature of his bets, who he was betting with, and the circumstances of paying his gambling debts.

But he changed his tune months later, announcing that he was switching his plea to not guilty because of “significant new evidence,” according to a statement from his attorneys in Los Angeles.

“I want to clear my name,” Puig said in the statement. “I never should have agreed to plead guilty to a crime I did not commit.”

The government argued that he intentionally misled the federal investigators. They played in court audio clips of Puig speaking English and brought expert witnesses to testify on Puig’s cognitive abilities, the New York Times reported.

His attorneys said that Puig, who has a third-grade education, had untreated mental-health issues and did not have his own interpreter or criminal legal counsel with him during the interview with federal investigators where he purportedly lied.

Puig’s former attorney Steven Gebelin testified that during the January 2022 interview, Puig tried to be helpful in answering the investigators’ questions and the interpreter struggled with Puig’s Spanish language dialect, according to the New York Times.

Puig batted .277 with 132 home runs and 415 RBIs while appearing in seven major-league seasons, the first six with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he earned an All-Star selection in 2014.

Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully called Puig the “wild horse” for his on-field antics and talent at a young age, joining MLB at 22, a year after escaping his home country of Cuba.

Puig played for the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Indians in 2019 before becoming a free agent. He then played in the Mexican League and last year he signed a one-year, $1 million contract with South Korea’s Kiwoom Heroes.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

All 20 teams at the World Baseball Classic will have MLB representation. And all 30 MLB teams will have several players taking part in baseball’s marquee international event. In all, 190 players who are on major league rosters will be at the WBC.

Which team has the most? The Mariners (16) lead the pack with the Phillies (15) right behind. On the flipside, the Nationals (2) and the Astros (3) will have the least. 

WBC Power Rankings: USA or Japan? Stacking All 20 Teams

What’s cool about the event (March 5-17) is also the sheer number of talented players who’ll be showing out during the tournament. Both reigning MVPs (Aaron Judge for the USA, Shohei Ohtani for Japan) and both reigning Cy Young winners (USA duo Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes) are ready to go. 

In all, 78 All-Stars will be playing, the most ever. Who has the most? Team USA will strut out the most 2025 All-Stars (15) while the Dominican Republic will have eight on their squad. 

With that, let’s break down how many major-leaguers will be at the World Baseball Classic. 

JUMP TO DIVISION: AL East | AL Central | AL West | NL East | NL Central | NL West

BLUE JAYS (12)

Ernie Clement (United States)
Willis Cresswell (Great Britain)
Andrés Giménez (Venezuela)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Dominican Republic)
Leo Jiménez (Panama)
Alejandro Kirk (Mexico)
Adam Macko (Canada)
Ismael Munguia (Nicaragua)
Kazuma Okamoto (Japan)
Yariel Rodríguez (Cuba)
RJ Schreck (Israel)
C.J. Stubbs (Israel)

ORIOLES (10)

Micah Ashman (Canada)
Enrique Bradfield Jr. (Panama)
Naykel Cruz (Cuba)
Jose Espada (Puerto Rico)
Rico Garcia (Puerto Rico)
Gunnar Henderson (United States)
Dean Kremer (Israel)
Ryan Long (Great Britain)
Tyler O’Neill (Canada)
Luis Vázquez (Puerto Rico)

RAYS (8)

Jonathan Aranda (Mexico)
Junior Caminero (Dominican Republic)
Garrett Cleavinger (United States)
Gary Gill Hill (Great Britain)
Yoendrys Gómez (Venezuela)
Griffin Jax (United States)
Edwin Uceta (Dominican Republic)
Owen Wild (Great Britain)

RED SOX (14)

Wilyer Abreu (Venezuela)
Jack Anderson (Great Britain)
Brayan Bello (Dominican Republic)
Willson Contreras (Venezuela)
Jarren Duran (Mexico)
Nate Eaton (Great Britain)
Tayron Guerrero (Colombia)
Jovani Morán (Puerto Rico)
Ceddanne Rafaela (Netherlands)
Eduardo Rivera (Puerto Rico)
Ranger Suárez (Venezuela)
Greg Weissert (Italy)
Garrett Whitlock (United States)
Masataka Yoshida (Japan)

YANKEES (11)

Brendan Beck (Great Britain)
David Bednar (United States)
José Caballero (Panama)
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (Great Britain)
Harrison Cohen (Israel)
Fernando Cruz (Puerto Rico)
Camilo Doval (Dominican Republic)
Aaron Judge (United States)
Elmer Rodríguez (Puerto Rico)
Amed Rosario (Dominican Republic)
Austin Wells (Dominican Republic)

GUARDIANS (9)

Logan Allen (Panama)
Travis Bazzana (Australia)
Dylan DeLucia (Italy)
Stuart Fairchild (Chinese Taipei)
Matt Festa (Italy)
Dayan Frias (Colombia)
Bo Naylor (Canada)
Ryan Prager (Israel)
Matt Wilkinson (Canada)

ROYALS (14)

Jorge Alfaro (Colombia)
Jac Caglianone (Italy)
Eric Cerantola (Canada)
Carlos Estévez (Dominican Republic)
Maikel Garcia (Venezuela)
Omar Hernández (Cuba)
Seth Lugo (Puerto Rico)
Eli Morgan (Israel)
Vinnie Pasquantino (Italy)
Salvador Perez (Venezuela)
Oscar Rayo (Nicaragua)
Abraham Toro (Canada)
Michael Wacha (United States)
Bobby Witt Jr. (United States)

TIGERS (10)

Enmanuel De Jesus (Venezuela)
Woo-Suk Go (Korea)
Duque Hebbert (Nicaragua)
Kenley Jansen (Netherlands)
Jahmai Jones (Korea)
Hao Yu Lee (Chinese Taipei)
Carlos Lequerica (Israel)
Keider Montero (Venezuela)
Tarik Skubal (United States)
Gleyber Torres (Venezuela)

TWINS (7)

Dan Altavilla (Italy)
Matt Bowman (Israel)
Taj Bradley (Mexico)
Byron Buxton (United States)
Pablo López (Venezuela)
Luis Quinones (Puerto Rico)
Joe Ryan (United States)

WHITE SOX (5)

Sam Antonacci (Italy)
Seranthony Domínguez (Dominican Republic)
Curtis Mead (Australia)
Munetaka Murakami (Japan)
Kyle Teel (Italy)

ANGELS (8)

Sam Aldegheri (Italy)
Gustavo Campero (Colombia)
Yusei Kikuchi (Japan)
Matthew Lugo (Puerto Rico)
Yoán Moncada (Cuba)
Samy Natera Jr. (Mexico)
Lucas Ramirez (Brazil)
Najer Victor (Great Britain)

ASTROS (3)

Zach Dezenzo (Italy)
Jeremy Peña (Dominican Republic)
Shay Whitcomb (Korea)

ATHLETICS (12)

Elvis Alvarado (Dominican Republic)
Brayan Buelvas (Colombia)
Denzel Clarke (Canada)
Carlos Cortes (Puerto Rico)
Max Durrington (Australia)
James Gonzalez (Panama)
Darell Hernaiz (Puerto Rico)
Wei-En Lin (Chinese Taipei)
Joey Meneses (Mexico)
Luis Severino (Dominican Republic)
Tzu-Chen Sha (Chinese Taipei)
Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang (Chinese Taipei)

MARINERS (16)

Randy Arozarena (Mexico)
Michael Arroyo (Colombia)
Eduard Bazardo (Venezuela)
Charlie Beilenson (Israel)
Dominic Canzone (Italy)
Pedro Da Costa Lemos (Brazil)
Dane Dunning (Korea)
Miles Mastrobuoni (Italy)
Abdiel Mendoza (Panama)
Andrés Muñoz (Mexico)
Josh Naylor (Canada)
Cal Raleigh (United States)
Julio Rodríguez (Dominican Republic)
Gabe Speier (United States)
Dylan Wilson (Netherlands)
Guillo Zuñiga (Colombia)

RANGERS (8)

Austin Bergner (Colombia)
Nabil Crismatt (Colombia)
Robert Garcia (Mexico)
Daniel Missaki (Brazil)
Alejandro Osuna (Mexico)
Cal Quantrill (Canada)
Blake Townsend (Australia)
Ricardo Velez (Puerto Rico)

BRAVES (5)

Ronald Acuña Jr. (Venezuela)
Ozzie Albies (Netherlands)
Javy Guerra (Panama)
Jurickson Profar (Netherlands)
Chadwick Tromp (Netherlands)

MARLINS (11)

Sandy Alcantara (Dominican Republic)
Owen Caissie (Canada)
Yiddi Cappe (Cuba)
Liam Hicks (Canada)
Ian Lewis (Great Britain)
Otto Lopez (Canada)
Jakob Marsee (Italy)
Michael Petersen (Great Britain)
Agustín Ramírez (Dominican Republic)
Javier Sanoja (Venezuela)
Jared Serna (Mexico)

METS (17)

Josh Blum (Israel)
Huascar Brazobán (Dominican Republic)
Alex Carrillo (Mexico)
Jamdrick Cornelia (Netherlands)
Daniel Duarte (Mexico)
Jordan Geber (Israel)
Carlos Guzman (Venezuela)
Clay Holmes (United States)
Daviel Hurtado (Cuba)
Nolan McLean (United States)
Nick Morabito (Italy)
Jose Ramos (Panama)
Benjamin Simon (Israel)
Juan Soto (Dominican Republic)
Robert Stock (Israel)
Mark Vientos (Nicaragua)
Jared Young (Canada)

NATIONALS (2)

Harry Ford (Great Britain)
Matt Mervis (Israel)

PHILLIES (15)

José Alvarado (Venezuela)
Gabriel Barbosa (Brazil)
Jaydenn Estanista (Netherlands)
Bryce Harper (United States)
Brad Keller (United States)
Max Lazar (Israel)
Mitch Neunborn (Australia)
Aaron Nola (Italy)
Dante Nori (Italy)
Johan Rojas (Dominican Republic)
Cristopher Sánchez (Dominican Republic)
Kyle Schwarber (United States)
Edmundo Sosa (Panama)
Garrett Stubbs (Israel)
Taijuan Walker (Mexico)

BREWERS (14)

Tyler Black (Canada)
Jackson Chourio (Venezuela)
William Contreras (Venezuela)
Stiven Cruz (Nicaragua)
Andrew Fischer (Italy)
Miles Langhorne (Great Britain)
Joey Ortiz (Mexico)
Carlos Rodriguez (Nicaragua)
Jack Seppings (Great Britain)
Brice Turang (United States)
Abner Uribe (Dominican Republic)
Freddy Zamora (Nicaragua)
Rob Zastryzny (Canada)
Angel Zerpa (Venezuela)

CARDINALS (10)

Leo Bernal (Panama)
Luis Gastelum (Mexico)
Gordon Graceffo (Italy)
Iván Herrera (Panama)
Matt Koperniak (Great Britain)
Zach Levenson (Israel)
Noah Mendlinger (Israel)
Riley O’Brien (Korea)
Thomas Saggese (Italy)
Bryan Torres (Puerto Rico)

CUBS (13)

Miguel Amaya (Panama)
Javier Assad (Mexico)
Christian Bethancourt (Panama)
Matthew Boyd (United States)
Alex Bregman (United States)
Pete Crow-Armstrong (United States)
Jonathon Long (Chinese Taipei)
BJ Murray (Great Britain)
Daniel Palencia (Venezuela)
Yacksel Ríos (Puerto Rico)
Erian Rodriguez (Panama)
Seiya Suzuki (Japan)
Jameson Taillon (Canada)

PIRATES (14)

Pietro Albanez (Brazil)
Emmanuel Chapman (Cuba)
Po-Yu Chen (Chinese Taipei)
Oneil Cruz (Dominican Republic)
Alessandro Ercolani (Italy)
Nick Gonzales (Mexico)
Spencer Horwitz (Israel)
Antwone Kelly (Netherlands)
Joe La Sorsa (Italy)
Oddanier Mosqueda (Venezuela)
Kyle Nicolas (Italy)
Dennis Santana (Dominican Republic)
Paul Skenes (United States)
Gregory Soto (Dominican Republic)

REDS (6)

Edwin Arroyo (Puerto Rico)
Ivan Johnson (Great Britain)
David Lorduy (Colombia)
Ryjeteri Merite (Netherlands)
Eugenio Suárez (Venezuela)
Alexander Vargas (Cuba)

DIAMONDBACKS (12)

Nolan Arenado (Puerto Rico)
Corbin Carroll (United States)
Indigo Diaz (Canada)
Druw Jones (Netherlands)
Jaitoine Kelly (Netherlands)
Yu-Min Lin (Chinese Taipei)
Ketel Marte (Dominican Republic)
Geraldo Perdomo (Dominican Republic)
Kristian Robinson (Great Britain)
Eduardo Rodriguez (Venezuela)
Michael Soroka (Canada)
Alek Thomas (Mexico)

DODGERS (8)

Edwin Díaz (Puerto Rico)
Jake Gelof (Israel)
Hyeseong Kim (Korea)
Antonio Knowles (Great Britain)
Shawndrick Oduber (Netherlands)
Shohei Ohtani (Japan)
Will Smith (United States)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Japan)

GIANTS (9)

Luis Arraez (Venezuela)
Harrison Bader (Israel)
Tristan Beck (Great Britain)
José Buttó (Venezuela)
Dayson Croes (Netherlands)
Jung Hoo Lee (Korea)
Heliot Ramos (Puerto Rico)
Reiver Sanmartin (Colombia)
Logan Webb (United States)

PADRES (11)

Xander Bogaerts (Netherlands)
Miguel Cienfuegos (Panama)
Alek Jacob (Italy)
Carter Loewen (Canada)
Manny Machado (Dominican Republic)
Josh Mallitz (Israel)
Ron Marinaccio (Italy)
Yuki Matsui (Japan)
Mason Miller (United States)
Wandy Peralta (Dominican Republic)
Fernando Tatis Jr. (Dominican Republic)

ROCKIES (10)

Brennan Bernardino (Mexico)
Cole Carrigg (Israel)
Willi Castro (Puerto Rico)
Antoine Jean (Canada)
Troy Johnston (Israel)
Edouard Julien (Canada)
Michael Lorenzen (Italy)
Antonio Senzatela (Venezuela)
Ezequiel Tovar (Venezuela)
Victor Vodnik (Mexico)

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

All 20 teams at the World Baseball Classic will have MLB representation. And all 30 MLB teams will have several players taking part in baseball’s marquee international event. In all, 190 players who are on major league rosters will be at the WBC.

Which team has the most? The Mariners (16) lead the pack with the Phillies (15) right behind. On the flipside, the Nationals (2) and the Astros (3) will have the least. 

WBC Power Rankings: USA or Japan? Stacking All 20 Teams

What’s cool about the event (March 5-17) is also the sheer number of talented players who’ll be showing out during the tournament. Both reigning MVPs (Aaron Judge for the USA, Shohei Ohtani for Japan) and both reigning Cy Young winners (USA duo Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes) are ready to go. 

In all, 78 All-Stars will be playing, the most ever. Who has the most? Team USA will strut out the most 2025 All-Stars (15) while the Dominican Republic will have eight on their squad. 

With that, let’s break down how many major-leaguers will be at the World Baseball Classic. 

JUMP TO DIVISION: AL East | AL Central | AL West | NL East | NL Central | NL West

BLUE JAYS (12)

Ernie Clement (United States)
Willis Cresswell (Great Britain)
Andrés Giménez (Venezuela)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Dominican Republic)
Leo Jiménez (Panama)
Alejandro Kirk (Mexico)
Adam Macko (Canada)
Ismael Munguia (Nicaragua)
Kazuma Okamoto (Japan)
Yariel Rodríguez (Cuba)
RJ Schreck (Israel)
C.J. Stubbs (Israel)

ORIOLES (10)

Micah Ashman (Canada)
Enrique Bradfield Jr. (Panama)
Naykel Cruz (Cuba)
Jose Espada (Puerto Rico)
Rico Garcia (Puerto Rico)
Gunnar Henderson (United States)
Dean Kremer (Israel)
Ryan Long (Great Britain)
Tyler O’Neill (Canada)
Luis Vázquez (Puerto Rico)

RAYS (8)

Jonathan Aranda (Mexico)
Junior Caminero (Dominican Republic)
Garrett Cleavinger (United States)
Gary Gill Hill (Great Britain)
Yoendrys Gómez (Venezuela)
Griffin Jax (United States)
Edwin Uceta (Dominican Republic)
Owen Wild (Great Britain)

RED SOX (14)

Wilyer Abreu (Venezuela)
Jack Anderson (Great Britain)
Brayan Bello (Dominican Republic)
Willson Contreras (Venezuela)
Jarren Duran (Mexico)
Nate Eaton (Great Britain)
Tayron Guerrero (Colombia)
Jovani Morán (Puerto Rico)
Ceddanne Rafaela (Netherlands)
Eduardo Rivera (Puerto Rico)
Ranger Suárez (Venezuela)
Greg Weissert (Italy)
Garrett Whitlock (United States)
Masataka Yoshida (Japan)

YANKEES (11)

Brendan Beck (Great Britain)
David Bednar (United States)
José Caballero (Panama)
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (Great Britain)
Harrison Cohen (Israel)
Fernando Cruz (Puerto Rico)
Camilo Doval (Dominican Republic)
Aaron Judge (United States)
Elmer Rodríguez (Puerto Rico)
Amed Rosario (Dominican Republic)
Austin Wells (Dominican Republic)

GUARDIANS (9)

Logan Allen (Panama)
Travis Bazzana (Australia)
Dylan DeLucia (Italy)
Stuart Fairchild (Chinese Taipei)
Matt Festa (Italy)
Dayan Frias (Colombia)
Bo Naylor (Canada)
Ryan Prager (Israel)
Matt Wilkinson (Canada)

ROYALS (14)

Jorge Alfaro (Colombia)
Jac Caglianone (Italy)
Eric Cerantola (Canada)
Carlos Estévez (Dominican Republic)
Maikel Garcia (Venezuela)
Omar Hernández (Cuba)
Seth Lugo (Puerto Rico)
Eli Morgan (Israel)
Vinnie Pasquantino (Italy)
Salvador Perez (Venezuela)
Oscar Rayo (Nicaragua)
Abraham Toro (Canada)
Michael Wacha (United States)
Bobby Witt Jr. (United States)

TIGERS (10)

Enmanuel De Jesus (Venezuela)
Woo-Suk Go (Korea)
Duque Hebbert (Nicaragua)
Kenley Jansen (Netherlands)
Jahmai Jones (Korea)
Hao Yu Lee (Chinese Taipei)
Carlos Lequerica (Israel)
Keider Montero (Venezuela)
Tarik Skubal (United States)
Gleyber Torres (Venezuela)

TWINS (7)

Dan Altavilla (Italy)
Matt Bowman (Israel)
Taj Bradley (Mexico)
Byron Buxton (United States)
Pablo López (Venezuela)
Luis Quinones (Puerto Rico)
Joe Ryan (United States)

WHITE SOX (5)

Sam Antonacci (Italy)
Seranthony Domínguez (Dominican Republic)
Curtis Mead (Australia)
Munetaka Murakami (Japan)
Kyle Teel (Italy)

ANGELS (8)

Sam Aldegheri (Italy)
Gustavo Campero (Colombia)
Yusei Kikuchi (Japan)
Matthew Lugo (Puerto Rico)
Yoán Moncada (Cuba)
Samy Natera Jr. (Mexico)
Lucas Ramirez (Brazil)
Najer Victor (Great Britain)

ASTROS (3)

Zach Dezenzo (Italy)
Jeremy Peña (Dominican Republic)
Shay Whitcomb (Korea)

ATHLETICS (12)

Elvis Alvarado (Dominican Republic)
Brayan Buelvas (Colombia)
Denzel Clarke (Canada)
Carlos Cortes (Puerto Rico)
Max Durrington (Australia)
James Gonzalez (Panama)
Darell Hernaiz (Puerto Rico)
Wei-En Lin (Chinese Taipei)
Joey Meneses (Mexico)
Luis Severino (Dominican Republic)
Tzu-Chen Sha (Chinese Taipei)
Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang (Chinese Taipei)

MARINERS (16)

Randy Arozarena (Mexico)
Michael Arroyo (Colombia)
Eduard Bazardo (Venezuela)
Charlie Beilenson (Israel)
Dominic Canzone (Italy)
Pedro Da Costa Lemos (Brazil)
Dane Dunning (Korea)
Miles Mastrobuoni (Italy)
Abdiel Mendoza (Panama)
Andrés Muñoz (Mexico)
Josh Naylor (Canada)
Cal Raleigh (United States)
Julio Rodríguez (Dominican Republic)
Gabe Speier (United States)
Dylan Wilson (Netherlands)
Guillo Zuñiga (Colombia)

RANGERS (8)

Austin Bergner (Colombia)
Nabil Crismatt (Colombia)
Robert Garcia (Mexico)
Daniel Missaki (Brazil)
Alejandro Osuna (Mexico)
Cal Quantrill (Canada)
Blake Townsend (Australia)
Ricardo Velez (Puerto Rico)

BRAVES (5)

Ronald Acuña Jr. (Venezuela)
Ozzie Albies (Netherlands)
Javy Guerra (Panama)
Jurickson Profar (Netherlands)
Chadwick Tromp (Netherlands)

MARLINS (11)

Sandy Alcantara (Dominican Republic)
Owen Caissie (Canada)
Yiddi Cappe (Cuba)
Liam Hicks (Canada)
Ian Lewis (Great Britain)
Otto Lopez (Canada)
Jakob Marsee (Italy)
Michael Petersen (Great Britain)
Agustín Ramírez (Dominican Republic)
Javier Sanoja (Venezuela)
Jared Serna (Mexico)

METS (17)

Josh Blum (Israel)
Huascar Brazobán (Dominican Republic)
Alex Carrillo (Mexico)
Jamdrick Cornelia (Netherlands)
Daniel Duarte (Mexico)
Jordan Geber (Israel)
Carlos Guzman (Venezuela)
Clay Holmes (United States)
Daviel Hurtado (Cuba)
Nolan McLean (United States)
Nick Morabito (Italy)
Jose Ramos (Panama)
Benjamin Simon (Israel)
Juan Soto (Dominican Republic)
Robert Stock (Israel)
Mark Vientos (Nicaragua)
Jared Young (Canada)

NATIONALS (2)

Harry Ford (Great Britain)
Matt Mervis (Israel)

PHILLIES (15)

José Alvarado (Venezuela)
Gabriel Barbosa (Brazil)
Jaydenn Estanista (Netherlands)
Bryce Harper (United States)
Brad Keller (United States)
Max Lazar (Israel)
Mitch Neunborn (Australia)
Aaron Nola (Italy)
Dante Nori (Italy)
Johan Rojas (Dominican Republic)
Cristopher Sánchez (Dominican Republic)
Kyle Schwarber (United States)
Edmundo Sosa (Panama)
Garrett Stubbs (Israel)
Taijuan Walker (Mexico)

BREWERS (14)

Tyler Black (Canada)
Jackson Chourio (Venezuela)
William Contreras (Venezuela)
Stiven Cruz (Nicaragua)
Andrew Fischer (Italy)
Miles Langhorne (Great Britain)
Joey Ortiz (Mexico)
Carlos Rodriguez (Nicaragua)
Jack Seppings (Great Britain)
Brice Turang (United States)
Abner Uribe (Dominican Republic)
Freddy Zamora (Nicaragua)
Rob Zastryzny (Canada)
Angel Zerpa (Venezuela)

CARDINALS (10)

Leo Bernal (Panama)
Luis Gastelum (Mexico)
Gordon Graceffo (Italy)
Iván Herrera (Panama)
Matt Koperniak (Great Britain)
Zach Levenson (Israel)
Noah Mendlinger (Israel)
Riley O’Brien (Korea)
Thomas Saggese (Italy)
Bryan Torres (Puerto Rico)

CUBS (13)

Miguel Amaya (Panama)
Javier Assad (Mexico)
Christian Bethancourt (Panama)
Matthew Boyd (United States)
Alex Bregman (United States)
Pete Crow-Armstrong (United States)
Jonathon Long (Chinese Taipei)
BJ Murray (Great Britain)
Daniel Palencia (Venezuela)
Yacksel Ríos (Puerto Rico)
Erian Rodriguez (Panama)
Seiya Suzuki (Japan)
Jameson Taillon (Canada)

PIRATES (14)

Pietro Albanez (Brazil)
Emmanuel Chapman (Cuba)
Po-Yu Chen (Chinese Taipei)
Oneil Cruz (Dominican Republic)
Alessandro Ercolani (Italy)
Nick Gonzales (Mexico)
Spencer Horwitz (Israel)
Antwone Kelly (Netherlands)
Joe La Sorsa (Italy)
Oddanier Mosqueda (Venezuela)
Kyle Nicolas (Italy)
Dennis Santana (Dominican Republic)
Paul Skenes (United States)
Gregory Soto (Dominican Republic)

REDS (6)

Edwin Arroyo (Puerto Rico)
Ivan Johnson (Great Britain)
David Lorduy (Colombia)
Ryjeteri Merite (Netherlands)
Eugenio Suárez (Venezuela)
Alexander Vargas (Cuba)

DIAMONDBACKS (12)

Nolan Arenado (Puerto Rico)
Corbin Carroll (United States)
Indigo Diaz (Canada)
Druw Jones (Netherlands)
Jaitoine Kelly (Netherlands)
Yu-Min Lin (Chinese Taipei)
Ketel Marte (Dominican Republic)
Geraldo Perdomo (Dominican Republic)
Kristian Robinson (Great Britain)
Eduardo Rodriguez (Venezuela)
Michael Soroka (Canada)
Alek Thomas (Mexico)

DODGERS (8)

Edwin Díaz (Puerto Rico)
Jake Gelof (Israel)
Hyeseong Kim (Korea)
Antonio Knowles (Great Britain)
Shawndrick Oduber (Netherlands)
Shohei Ohtani (Japan)
Will Smith (United States)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Japan)

GIANTS (9)

Luis Arraez (Venezuela)
Harrison Bader (Israel)
Tristan Beck (Great Britain)
José Buttó (Venezuela)
Dayson Croes (Netherlands)
Jung Hoo Lee (Korea)
Heliot Ramos (Puerto Rico)
Reiver Sanmartin (Colombia)
Logan Webb (United States)

PADRES (11)

Xander Bogaerts (Netherlands)
Miguel Cienfuegos (Panama)
Alek Jacob (Italy)
Carter Loewen (Canada)
Manny Machado (Dominican Republic)
Josh Mallitz (Israel)
Ron Marinaccio (Italy)
Yuki Matsui (Japan)
Mason Miller (United States)
Wandy Peralta (Dominican Republic)
Fernando Tatis Jr. (Dominican Republic)

ROCKIES (10)

Brennan Bernardino (Mexico)
Cole Carrigg (Israel)
Willi Castro (Puerto Rico)
Antoine Jean (Canada)
Troy Johnston (Israel)
Edouard Julien (Canada)
Michael Lorenzen (Italy)
Antonio Senzatela (Venezuela)
Ezequiel Tovar (Venezuela)
Victor Vodnik (Mexico)

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Entering Tarik Skubal’s historic hearing on Wednesday, the record salary for an arbitration-eligible player was $31 million, the record salary for an arbitration-eligible pitcher was $19.75 million and the record salary awarded by an arbitration panel was $19.9 million. 

Now, all of those records belong to Skubal, who will be paid $32 million in 2026 after winning an unprecedented decision in the history of MLB’s arbitration system.

The way the system works, players with between three and six years of service time are eligible for arbitration. Those players and their team must come to an agreement on a one-year salary by a certain deadline. If they can’t, the player and club exchange salary figures for the upcoming season. They can still continue negotiating up until the date of a hearing, where an independent three-person panel considers arguments from both sides before picking either the player’s number or the team’s number. 

The Tigers wanted to pay Skubal, the 29-year-old back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner, $19 million entering his final season under team control in Detroit. Instead, Skubal, one of eight members on MLB’s executive subcommittee — a group that plays a key leadership role during collective bargaining — was thinking far bigger. A year ahead of what will likely be a hostile labor battle between MLB and the MLBPA, Skubal filed at $32 million, a number never before attained by any player — let alone any pitcher — in arbitration. 

Skubal beat Juan Soto’s 2024 highwater mark for an arbitration-eligible player by $1 million and obliterated the previous record for an arbitration-eligible pitcher set by David Price, who settled with the Tigers at $19.75 million in 2015.

Since then, one-year deals for position players have jumped considerably. For pitchers, however, little progress had been made over the last decade. Until now. 

What’s Next For Superstars and Arbitration 

Prior to Thursday’s decision, the record year-over-year jump in salary for a pitcher in arbitration belonged to Jacob deGrom, who was coming off his first Cy Young season and entering his second year of arbitration eligibility when he settled with the Mets at $17 million in January 2019. That deal gave him a $9.6 million raise from the previous season. 

Skubal’s raise more than doubled deGrom’s. 

– World Baseball Classic: Where Skubal Fits In Team USA’s Lineup

The Tigers ace will make $21.85 million more in 2026 ($32 million) than he did in 2025 ($10.15 million). His circumstances differed from deGrom’s. Not only had Skubal already won two Cy Young Awards at the time of his hearing, he was also entering his third and final year of arbitration eligibility — a vital part of winning his case. 

Players with at least five years of service time (as Skubal has) can compare their salary to any similar player, not just those in arbitration. That opened a door for Skubal, who leads all qualified starters in ERA and strikeouts over the past two seasons. He was still seeking a lower number than the average annual value of other star pitchers, including Zack Wheeler ($42 million), deGrom ($37 million) and Gerrit Cole ($36 million), and he only had to prove he was closer to being worth $32 million than he was to being worth $19 million. Had the Tigers filed at $22 million or $25 million, it’s possible that Skubal wouldn’t have set every record. 

All of these factors led to Skubal’s victory, but what does it mean for players to come? He’s in such a league of his own that it’s hard to say. There aren’t many pitchers who will accomplish what Skubal has before hitting free agency, but NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes — who is not even arbitration eligible yet — is certain watching. Maybe teams will think twice before undervaluing their stars.  Maybe pre-arb talents will think twice before signing team-friendly extensions. At the least, every star player entering his final year under team control now has a new number to shoot for, at least as long as the system exists.  

It’s possible this is the last year we see it in its current form, depending on what happens with the next CBA negotiations. 

What’s Next for Skubal 

More details will emerge, but at least initially, it doesn’t seem like Skubal was as insulted by the arbitration process as former Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes was when he went to his hearing with the Brewers in 2023. (It doesn’t hurt that Skubal, unlike Burnes, won his case and will be a much richer man in 2026.) 

Burnes was traded after the season. It remains to be seen if, or when, the same will happen with Skubal, who could beat Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s $325 million benchmark for a pitcher in free agency next winter if he continues on this trajectory. 

– World Baseball Classic: USA or Japan? Ranking All 20 Teams

Will the Tigers really be willing to go to those lengths to keep Skubal? If not, will they try to recoup as much value as they can right now by trading him before the season? Or will they wait until the deadline to make that call, when they’ll have a better idea of their ability to contend and when other suitors won’t have to pay Skubal’s full salary? (Suddenly, it’s no longer the bargain it could have been, which might scare some interested parties off.)

At the very least, the Tigers have now shown they’re capable of giving a pitcher a nine-figure deal. Just hours after arguing they shouldn’t have to pay Skubal $32 million, they gave Framber Valdez a three-year deal worth an average of $38.3 million per year (not accounting for deferrals). 

The timing is interesting. Did they sign Valdez, the best free-agent starter on the market, to acquire one of the best starting tandems in MLB for the rest of 2026? Or did they sign Valdez as Skubal’s replacement atop the rotation should they decide to trade him or move on after this year?

What’s Next for the Tigers 

After doing little for most of the winter to improve a group coming off a late-season collapse and second straight ALDS exit, the Tigers finally gave their fans reason for excitement. 

The addition of Valdez on a three-year, $115 million deal raises both the floor and ceiling of a Tigers’ rotation that ranked 22nd in innings pitched and 11th in ERA last season, even with Skubal pitching to a 2.21 ERA in 195.1 innings. 

Will there be more ahead, or will the results of Skubal’s hearing now stop them from adding? The Tigers are on track for the highest competitive-balance tax payroll in franchise history, a figure that’s only about $10 million away from the first luxury-tax threshold after Skubal won his case. They have uncertainty with their local TV deal, and they have already spent far more on their team than any competitor in their division, so they might be content to take this group into 2026.

Then again, the lineup looks largely the same after a year in which the Tigers scored the ninth-fewest runs in MLB after the All-Star break. If they don’t sign a free-agent position player, perhaps top prospects Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark will be able to create a spark at some point in 2026. 

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

There are good teams. There are great teams. And then there is the juggernaut that Team USA will be sending to the 2026 World Baseball Classic. 

Under manager Mark DeRosa, this is clear-cut the best roster that Team USA has ever compiled. That seemed to be a given when Aaron Judge, who is set to play in his first WBC, signed on to be the captain of the team. But it goes well beyond the reigning American League MVP. 

Twenty-two of the 30 players on USA’s roster have been MLB All-Stars, a total that, unsurprisingly, leads all teams in the tournament. (The Dominican Republic’s loaded roster ranks second with 16 former MLB All-Stars, followed by Venezuela with 12.) Just based on MLB production, using 2025 WAR as a guide, USA has concocted the best roster of any team in WBC history. 

WBC Rosters: Team-By-Team Squads

With newcomers in Judge, AL MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh, two-time MVP Bryce Harper, two-time All-Star and 2023 Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll, two-time All-Star Byron Buxton — joining 2023 holdovers such as Bobby Witt Jr., Kyle Schwarber and Will Smith – the USA’s lineup is even more stacked than it was three years ago. 

But it’s the pitching that really sets this team apart from previous star-studded groups.

WBC Power Rankings: Stacking Japan, USA and All 20 Squads

Attracting frontline arms can be an issue ahead of a long MLB season, but not this year. USA recruited both Cy Young Award winners in Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes to a rotation that also includes two-time All-Star Logan Webb, 2025 All-Stars Joe Ryan and Matthew Boyd and future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw, fresh off retirement. Keep in mind, WBC teams really only need four starters throughout the tournament. 

It’s an embarrassment of riches — and that’s before getting to the power arms at the back end of a bullpen that includes Mason Miller, David Bednar and Griffin Jax. 

All of that should lead to a USA team more than capable of avenging a 2023 WBC finals loss and reclaiming international glory after winning the tournament in 2017. But it also means some tough decisions ahead for DeRosa when constructing a lineup and figuring out how to deploy the pitching staff. 

Of course, he’ll be able to mix and match from game to game depending on the competition, but what would the optimal lineup look like? 

Here’s one take: 

Lineup

1. Bobby Witt Jr. (R)
2. Kyle Schwarber (L)
3. Aaron Judge (R)
4. Cal Raleigh (B)
5. Bryce Harper (L)
6. Alex Bregman (R)
7. Gunnar Henderson (L)
8. Byron Buxton (R)
9. Corbin Carroll (L)

So, how would that look defensively?

Outfield

LF: Corbin Carroll 
CF: Byron Buxton
RF: Aaron Judge

You could certainly make the case to get Pete Crow-Armstrong’s defense in center field — he  might end up platooning with Buxton — but I like the idea of having two strong defenders and potential base-stealers in PCA and Brice Turang off the bench to deploy as needed in the later innings. Judge is an obvious lock in right. Carroll had a 140 OPS+ in a 30-30 season in 2025. Buxton had a 137 OPS+ in 2024 and a nearly identical mark last year (136) in a 30-20 season and career year.

Infield

1B: Bryce Harper 
2B: Gunnar Henderson 
SS: Bobby Witt, Jr. 
3B: Alex Bregman 
C: Cal Raleigh 
DH: Kyle Schwarber 

After missing the 2023 competition coming off Tommy John surgery, Harper, who played for Team USA’s 16U and 18U teams, will cherish this opportunity. Sure, it might look a little wacky putting Henderson at second base. He hasn’t played the position since he came up as a rookie in 2022, and it’s probably more likely that Turang gets most of the opportunities there when the games begin. DeRosa could platoon the right-handed Witt and the left-handed Henderson at shortstop or Bregman and Henderson at third. But if it’s about fielding the best lineup, it’s hard to argue against finding a way to keep Witt, Henderson and Bregman all in the lineup. Raleigh and Schwarber need little explanation after leading the AL and NL, respectively, in home runs last year. Smith will be able to give Raleigh a spell behind the plate throughout the tournament. 

Rotation 

LHP Tarik Skubal
RHP Paul Skenes 
RHP Logan Webb
RHP Joe Ryan 

Swingmen/other options

LHP Matthew Boyd
RHP Nolan McLean
RHP Clay Holmes
RHP Michael Wacha
LHP Clayton Kershaw

There are far more options to start games than DeRosa will need — at the last tournament, USA used just four starters — so he’ll likely save Skubal and Skenes for the most important ones. It’ll be interesting to see which one gets the start in the final if USA makes it that far. There’s no wrong choice. 

Bullpen

RHP Mason Miller
RHP David Bednar 
RHP Griffin Jax
RHP Brad Keller
RHP Garrett Whitlock 
LHP Gabe Speier
LHP Garrett Cleavinger

Everyone wants to watch Miller blow 103 mph four-seamers past amateur athletes to finish off games, right? My guess is he earns the majority of save opportunities, but Bednar is another strong option, and lefties Speier and Cleavinger give DeRosa answers for any lineup he faces. Not bad!

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Shohei Ohtani was the star of the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

As Japan’s leading man, Ohtani hit .435/.606/.739 (1.345 OPS) with 10 hits, 4 doubles, 1 home run, and 8 RBIs. He also went 2–0 on the mound with a 1.86 ERA, 11 strikeouts in 9⅔ innings, and a save opposite of his former Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout in the ninth inning of the championship game against the United States. Ohtani’s outstanding performances earned him the tournament’s MVP award.

Will Ohtani join Japan as it attempts to repeat for the first time since it made history in 2006 and 2009, or will he stay home following his first full two-way season with the Los Angeles Dodgers? Here’s everything we know:

Is Shohei Ohtani playing in the 2026 World Baseball Classic?

Yes, Shohei Ohtani was named to Japan’s 30-man roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. This will mark Ohtani’s third time representing Japan at the World Baseball Classic, also doing so in 2017 and 2023.

Is Shohei Ohtani pitching in the 2026 World Baseball Classic?

No, the 31-year-old ace will not pitch in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed in January. Instead, Ohtani will only serve as Samurai Japan’s designated hitter. The decision was made by Ohtani, according to Roberts.

Who will pitch for Japan at the 2026 World Baseball Classic?

Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto is expected to star for Japan on the mound during the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Yamamoto pitched in two games for Japan at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, recording 12 strikeouts and allowing just two runs. Yamamoto returns to the World Baseball Classic as a bona fide superstar and a two-time World Series champion.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

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Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is right around the corner. Check out everything you need to know to tune in this March.

How to Watch the 2026 World Baseball Classic

FOX is your exclusive home to the WBC with games spread across the FOX family of networks. 

FOX is set to air seven games, including three Pool B games featuring the United States team, two Quarterfinals games and the World Baseball Classic Championship Game on Tuesday, March 17 from Miami’s loanDepot Park. The remaining matchups will air across FS1, FS2, the FOX Sports app, FOX One and Tubi. 

The U.S. is favored to win the tournament despite losing to Japan in the final in 2023.

How to Stream the 2026 World Baseball Classic

All 47 games will be available for streaming. Catch the action on the following streaming options:

• FOXSports.com and FOX Sports App
• FOX One
• Tubi

FOX Deportes will also carry 28 tournament games in Spanish, including all four Quarterfinals games, two Semifinals contests, and the Championship Game. Streaming services that carry FOX networks, like YouTube TV or Fubo, can be used to stream the tournament.

When is the 2026 World Baseball Classic

The tournament starts on March 4, 2026 at 10 p.m. ET with Chinese Taipei vs Australia and is capped off on Tuesday, March 17. 

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Team USA starts pool play on Friday, March 6 against Brazil.

View the full WBC schedule here.

Who is Playing in the 2026 World Baseball Classic?

20 teams will take to the diamond in this year’s tournament. Below are the pools, where they will play and teams.