Category: Baseball

It took a little time for the United States’ lethal offense to wake up, a credit to the weapons on Great Britain’s pitching staff. But once Team USA finally got rolling, the second game of the World Baseball Classic looked a lot like the first.

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After throttling Brazil on Friday, USA again took care of business with ease in Saturday’s 9-1 win. Though the British boasted more MLB talent on the roster than Brazil, USA was unfazed knowing two-time American League Cy Young award winner, their ace Tarik Skubal, was on the hill. 

With an undefeated record, the United States is competing exactly how we expected. The team should be feeling plenty confident heading into the rest of pool play.

Here are my takeaways from Saturday’s WBC win:

1. Big-game Schwarber strikes again

The quickest hands in MLB. That familiar crack of the bat. Who else but Kyle Schwarber was at the plate with the best opportunity yet to give his team the lead? After struggling to get a run on the board through four innings, USA finally created traffic in the fifth on a throwing error from the Brits. Pete Crow-Armstrong doubled, then Ernie Clement scored on a wild pitch, setting the stage for Schwarber to set off the fireworks. Schwarber’s two-run home-run gave USA a 3-1 lead and broke the dam. The rest of the star-studded lineup woke up and put up a five-run rally in the fifth, and added three more runs in the sixth. 

For Schwarber, it was his first home run of the tournament. The Phillies slugger was a key power hitter for Team USA in the 2023 WBC, hitting a home run in the championship game against Japan. Schwarber is renowned for hitting legendary home runs. Whether it’s his four-homer game last season against the Braves, blasting rockets in the All-Star Game swing-off, or his 23 career postseason dingers, it was only a matter of time before an opposing team got Schwarber’ed in the WBC. Great Britain’s hopeful start quickly became a lopsided affair.

2. Eaton bests Skubal

Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton was a man with a plan. Leading off for the British, Eaton’s decision to sell out on USA starter Tarik Skubal’s first pitch was perfectly executed. Eaten got his A swing off and sent a first-pitch home run to left-center field, giving Great Britain an instant 1-0 lead. Skubal, who is scheduled to make just one start in the tournament, Saturday night’s matchup against Great Britain, stared off into the left-field seats in frustration. Skubal pounded the strike zone and delivered three terrific innings, Eaton’s home-run being his only blemish, before USA manager Mark DeRosa, beholden to pre-determined pitch counts, pulled him from the game after 41 pitches. 

Eaton, meanwhile, enjoyed a 3-for-3 day at the plate, collecting another single off Skubal in the third and a base hit to right off Clay Holmes in the sixth. He was the only Great Britain hitter to collect a hit against the USA. The rest of the lineup went 0-for-25 on Saturday in Houston.

3. Brits’ pitching and defense stall USA

Starting pitcher Tyler Viza, a Scottish right-hander playing in the Mexican League after spending nine seasons in the minors, threw three shutout innings against USA. Then Great Britain had another weapon in the bullpen. Who could’ve predicted that a 24-year-old reliever in the Angels’ minor league system would come out firing filthy offspeed pitches to further throw USA off balance? Right-hander Najer Victor, who’s entering his third professional season and has never thrown above High-A, struck out Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper and Will Smith in the bottom of the fourth inning. Judge, whose timing has been excellent this early into the tournament, whiffed on a nasty slider with a late downward break. Just from that performance alone, the Angels should give Victor the nod on Opening Day. 

The American heavyweight lineup, meanwhile, was hitting the ball hard. But in the early innings, Great Britain’s terrific defense prevented runs. No play shined more than Trace Thompson’s home-run robbery in the second inning. USA catcher Will Smith barreled a Viza fastball to the right-field seats when, out of nowhere, Thompson leaped and caught the ball. Thompson, brother of four-time NBA champion Klay, borrowed some vertical jump and took away what was otherwise a game-tying home run from Smith. 

That’s the thing about this USA dream team, though. Even incredible individual feats were not enough to stop them.

4. Gunnar’s electric WBC debut

USA has the choice to play Bobby Witt Jr., 2024’s American League MVP runner-up, or Gunnar Henderson, the 2023 A.L. Rookie of the Year and another top-10 talent in the sport, at shortstop every game. It’s legitimately impossible to go wrong. And after going with Witt against Brazil in the first game of the tournament on Friday, Henderson made his WBC debut on Saturday — and it was electric. The 24-year-old Baltimore Orioles shortstop went 4-for-5 with two RBI against Great Britain, providing more fuel for fans who were irate that Henderson was left on the bench in USA’s WBC opener. 

Henderson, one of the best all-around players in baseball, is projected to have a major bounce-back season this year. After his All-Star 2024 season, including a fourth-place finish in A.L. MVP voting, Henderson was hindered by a shoulder injury last year, which diminished his power at the plate. Now, FanGraphs is projecting the star shortstop to return to elite production with nearly 30 home runs and a .491 slugging percentage. If his WBC performance is any indication, Henderson is just warming up.

4 ½. What’s next for Team USA?

Following an off day on Sunday, USA will return to action on Monday with reigning National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes on the hill against Mexico. The two baseball heavyweights have built a rivalry in the WBC, with Mexico holding a 3-1 advantage in their four previous clashes. Monday will be the most anticipated matchup of Pool B. 

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

It took a little time for the United States’ lethal offense to wake up, a credit to the weapons on Great Britain’s pitching staff. But once Team USA finally got rolling, the second game of the World Baseball Classic looked a lot like the first.

After throttling Brazil on Friday, USA again took care of business with ease on Saturday, defeating Great Britain, 9-1. Though the British boasted more MLB talent on the roster than Brazil, USA was unfazed knowing two-time American League Cy Young award winner, their ace Tarik Skubal, was on the hill. With an undefeated record, the United States is competing exactly how we expected. The team should be feeling plenty confident heading into the rest of pool play.

Here are my takeaways from Saturday’s WBC win:

1. Big-game Schwarber strikes again

The quickest hands in MLB. That familiar crack of the bat. Who else but Kyle Schwarber was at the plate with the best opportunity yet to give his team the lead? After struggling to get a run on the board through four innings, USA finally created traffic in the fifth on a throwing error from the Brits. Pete Crow-Armstrong doubled, then Ernie Clement scored on a wild pitch, setting the stage for Schwarber to set off the fireworks. Schwarber’s two-run home-run gave USA a 3-1 lead and broke the dam. The rest of the star-studded lineup woke up and put up a five-run rally in the fifth, and added three more runs in the sixth. 

For Schwarber, it was his first home run of the tournament. The Phillies slugger was a key power hitter for Team USA in the 2023 WBC, hitting a home run in the championship game against Japan. Schwarber is renowned for hitting legendary home runs. Whether it’s his four-homer game last season against the Braves, blasting rockets in the All-Star Game swing-off, or his 23 career postseason dingers, it was only a matter of time before an opposing team got Schwarber’ed in the WBC. Great Britain’s hopeful start quickly became a lopsided affair.

2. Eaton bests Skubal

Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton was a man with a plan. Leading off for the British, Eaton’s decision to sell out on USA starter Tarik Skubal’s first pitch was perfectly executed. Eaten got his A swing off and sent a first-pitch home run to left-center field, giving Great Britain an instant 1-0 lead. Skubal, who is scheduled to make just one start in the tournament, Saturday night’s matchup against Great Britain, stared off into the left-field seats in frustration. Skubal pounded the strike zone and delivered three terrific innings, Eaton’s home-run being his only blemish, before USA manager Mark DeRosa, beholden to pre-determined pitch counts, pulled him from the game after 41 pitches. 

Eaton, meanwhile, enjoyed a 3-for-3 day at the plate, collecting another single off Skubal in the third and a base hit to right off Clay Holmes in the sixth. He was the only Great Britain hitter to collect a hit against the USA. The rest of the lineup went 0-for-25 on Saturday in Houston.

3. Brits’ pitching and defense stall USA

Starting pitcher Tyler Viza, a Scottish right-hander playing in the Mexican League after spending nine seasons in the minors, threw three shutout innings against USA. Then Great Britain had another weapon in the bullpen. Who could’ve predicted that a 24-year-old reliever in the Angels’ minor league system would come out firing filthy offspeed pitches to further throw USA off balance? Right-hander Najer Victor, who’s entering his third professional season and has never thrown above High-A, struck out Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper and Will Smith in the bottom of the fourth inning. Judge, whose timing has been excellent this early into the tournament, whiffed on a nasty slider with a late downward break. Just from that performance alone, the Angels should give Victor the nod on Opening Day. 

The American heavyweight lineup, meanwhile, was hitting the ball hard. But in the early innings, Great Britain’s terrific defense prevented runs. No play shined more than Trace Thompson’s home-run robbery in the second inning. USA catcher Will Smith barreled a Viza fastball to the right-field seats when, out of nowhere, Thompson leaped and caught the ball. Thompson, brother of four-time NBA champion Klay, borrowed some vertical jump and took away what was otherwise a game-tying home run from Smith. 

That’s the thing about this USA dream team, though. Even incredible individual feats were not enough to stop them.

4. Gunnar’s electric WBC debut

USA has the choice to play Bobby Witt Jr., 2024’s American League MVP runner-up, or Gunnar Henderson, the 2023 A.L. Rookie of the Year and another top-10 talent in the sport, at shortstop every game. It’s legitimately impossible to go wrong. And after going with Witt against Brazil in the first game of the tournament on Friday, Henderson made his WBC debut on Saturday — and it was electric. The 24-year-old Baltimore Orioles shortstop went 4-for-5 with two RBI against Great Britain, providing more fuel for fans who were irate that Henderson was left on the bench in USA’s WBC opener. 

Henderson, one of the best all-around players in baseball, is projected to have a major bounce-back season this year. After his All-Star 2024 season, including a fourth-place finish in A.L. MVP voting, Henderson was hindered by a shoulder injury last year, which diminished his power at the plate. Now, FanGraphs is projecting the star shortstop to return to elite production with nearly 30 home runs and a .491 slugging percentage. If his WBC performance is any indication, Henderson is just warming up.

4 ½. What’s next for Team USA?

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Following an off day on Sunday, USA will return to action on Monday with reigning National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes on the hill against Mexico. The two baseball heavyweights have built a rivalry in the WBC, with Mexico holding a 3-1 advantage in their four previous clashes. Monday will be the most anticipated matchup of Pool B. 

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

The Netherlands left it late against Nicaragua, but when Ozzie Albies stepped up in the bottom of the ninth, it more than made up for it.

The Atlanta Braves second baseman hit a game-winning three-run homer to lead the Netherlands over Nicaragua on Saturday in Miami.

It was the first walk-off home run ever in a World Baseball Classic game and the tenth walk-off win in the tournament’s history. The Dutch have a record four of those.

“Time to celebrate,” Albies said afterward. “The moment I hit it … I felt just like that. It hit the perfect spot on the bat, so I was really happy it happened at the right time.”

“I won’t ever forget that,” he added.

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The Netherlands began its two-out rally on Ceddanne Rafaela‘s single against reliever Angel Obando. Xander Bogaerts doubled, advancing Rafaela to third before Albies hit Obando’s first pitch over the wall in right.

It was a heartbreaker for Nicaragua and the squad’s manager, Dusty Baker, who has plenty of big-game experience as a longtime MLB manager and a 2022 World Series champion with the Houston Astros. Baker could have intentionally walked Albies but instead allowed Angel Obando to pitch to him. 

“That was bad luck for us,” Baker said about the ninth-inning rally. “They say it’s a game of inches; that ball just hit the third base bag and bounced over.”

The Netherlands stranded 14 baserunners and was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position before Albies’ homer.

The win evens the Netherlands’ record in Pool D at 1-1, with games remaining against the Dominican Republic on Sunday and Israel on Tuesday. Nicaragua falls to 0-2, leaving them in a precarious position with only two games left in pool play.

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Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Has Tarik Skubal thrown his last pitch for Team USA at the 2026 World Baseball Classic?

The Detroit Tigers ace went three full innings in the United States’ rout of Great Britain in pool play on Saturday at Daikin Park in Houston. He was retired after 41 pitches, five strikeouts, two hits allowed and one run earned.

Skubal’s start vs. Great Britain was supposed to be his lone appearance for Team USA at the World Baseball Classic, but he has left the door open on returning for a shift if the U.S. makes a deep run.

“That’s a tough question right now,” Skubal told FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. “I probably won’t answer that one right now.”

Skubal gave a more definitive answer about his World Baseball Classic status when asked about it in February.

“The reason I didn’t announce it (sooner) was I wanted to keep the momentum on the WBC, but I’m just making one start and then I’ll stick around for a few games,” Skubal told reporters. “I haven’t determined what games I’m going to watch.

“If they go to the finals, I think I’m going to try and lobby to just go watch and be with the guys. But yeah, I’m just making one start and getting back on track and getting back to here.”

Team USA will wrap up pool play on Tuesday, March 10 against Italy.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

All-Stars, MVPs, and Cy Young winners. Plenty of MLB’s best players will be taking the diamond and representing their countries at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. We’re following along with the top moments of each day.

Here was the recap of the action on Saturday, March 7:

JUMP TO: Shohei, Japan Get Tight Win | Ozzie With A Walk-Off | Italy Blanks Brazil | Naylor Bros. Boost Canada

Ohtani, Suzuki Lead Japan In Win Over Korea

Shohei Ohtani homered for the second straight day and Seiya Suzuki went deep twice and defending champion Japan beat Korea 8-6 on Saturday night at Tokyo and improved to 2-0 at the World Baseball Classic.

Suzuki drove in four runs and Masataka Yoshida homered and had three RBIs for the Samurai Warriors, who overcame a 3-0, first-inning deficit.

A day after hitting a grand slam in a 13-0 win over Taiwan, Ohtani hit a tying home run on a hanging curve from Young Pyo Ko in the third.

Suzuki hit a two-run homer in the second. Two batters after Ohtani’s drive, Suzuki chased Ko by homering for a 4-3 lead. Yoshida homered on reliever Byeong Hyeon Jo’s second pitch.

It’s A Walk-Off! Albies Lift Dutch In Historic Fashion

Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies hit a game-winning three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead the Netherlands over Nicaragua. It was the first walk-off home in WBC history and the 10th walk-off win in WBC history. It was also a record fourth by the Netherlands.

Jeter Downs hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth to put Nicaragua ahead 3-1. He drove a sinker from Netherlands reliever Lars Huijer over the wall in left-center.

The Netherlands began its two-out rally on Ceddanne Rafaela’s single against reliever Angel Obando. Xander Bogaerts doubled, advancing Rafaela to third before Albies hit Obando’s first pitch over the wall in right. 

 Huijer threw two innings of relief for the win.

Brazil Blanked As Italy Get Victory

Sam Aldegheri had a sterling outing on the mound for Italy in 8-0 win over Brazil.

Aldegheri is one of the few MLB players ever born in Italy, and the first Italian-born pitcher to reach the majors in nearly 80 years. The 24-year-old left-hander pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and collecting eight strikeouts.

Dante Nori homered twice late and Dominic Canzon added a three-run blast to help the Italians get the victory in Houston. 

Naylor Bros. Help Canada Past Colombia

Owen Caissie hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the second off emergency starter Austin Bergner as Canada downed Colombia 8-2 in a game that included a run-saving defensive play by brothers Josh and Bo Naylor.

Colombia’s Michael Arroyo led off the game with a single off Michael Soroka, stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Reynaldo Rodriguez grounded to first baseman Josh Naylor, who threw to brother Bo at the plate for the tag.

Phillippe Aumont, who last pitched in the major leagues in 2015, struck out Tito Polo for the final out.

Fairchild’s Grand Slam Powers Chinese Taipei Over Czechia

Stuart Fairchild, whose mother is from Chinese Taipei, hit a second-inning grand slam off Jan Novak for a quick six-run lead to help the team beat Czechia 13-0.

Taiwan set a WBC record with seven steals and improved to 1-2 in a game cut to seven innings by a mercy rule. The slam was the third of the tournament, one shy of the WBC record. The Czechs dropped to 0-3 in their second WBC and are 1-6 in two tournaments, with a win over China in 2023.

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