The Canadian outfielder lashed a liner to right off Toronto Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman to score Derek Hill from second in the 10th inning on Friday, giving the White Sox a 5-4 win in Chicago’s home opener.

A 26-year-old native of Winkler, Man., Peters finally got a major-league shot last year when he played four games in August with the Tampa Bay Rays, going 0-for-12.

The White Sox acquired Peters for cash or a player to be named later in December.

“I mean, this has got to be at the top,’’ he said afterward, per the Chicago Sun-Times. “This is just one of the coolest things. I mean I’ve been playing every day so far since Opening Day, which has been great. I mean, just getting my at-bats, seeing pitching at the big-league level, it’s awesome. I’m just trying to be consistent.’’

Peters was a seventh-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2021 out of Southern Illinois University, but spent all but those four games with Tampa over the next four years in the minors, as well as one summer with the travelling Savannah Bananas.

Peters is off to a nice start this year with seven hits in 20 at-bats. He has struck out eight times and walked twice.

The Manitoban slashed 270/.333/.514 at spring training, with two doubles, two triples and a homer to earn a spot on Chicago’s roster.

“It’s meant so much,” Peters said of his shot with Chicago. “It’s truly an honour to be here.”

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After going hitless on opening day for the first time in the Yankees’ shutout win two days earlier, Judge connected on a 405-foot drive to left with an exit velocity of 109.1 mph that broke up a scoreless game and marked his fourth career home run off Robbie Ray (0-1).

The ball bounced off a staircase just inside the foul pole.

It was the seventh pitch he saw from Ray, and fifth after the slugger challenged a strike call — an 86.1 mph slider — from plate umpire Chad Fairchild and had it overturned to a ball by the so-called robot umpire.

The Giants, who had just one hit, are the first team to be shut out with five or fewer combined hits over the first two games of a season.

Judge was booed again by the sellout home crowd of 40,273 after he chose to stay with New York as a free agent in December 2022 on a $360 million, nine-year contract rather than return home to his native California and join San Francisco.

Giancarlo Stanton homered two batters later to greet Giants reliever José Buttó to back right-hander Cam Schlittler (1-0).

Tony Vitello will have to try again Saturday for his first managerial victory after losing his debut Wednesday, when the Yankees opened the MLB schedule by blanking San Francisco 7-0 despite Judge’s 0-for-5 day featuring four strikeouts.

Heliot Ramos doubled in the second for San Francisco’s only hit after the Giants managed just three hits Wednesday.

David Bednar finished for his first save.

The 18 consecutive innings without scoring to start the season are the longest for the Giants since going 17 straight in 2019. The longest for the franchise since 1901 is 20 straight innings without a run to start was in 1909, according to Sportradar.

Up next

RHP Will Warren takes the mound for the Yankees in the series finale Saturday opposite Giants RHP Tyler Mahle in his San Francisco debut.

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One is an intrasquad game Monday afternoon, when Eric Lauer is slated to throw five innings against triple-A Buffalo. While the other is far more dramatic – finalizing the opening day roster, a task that inched forward when Yariel Rodriguez, Jorge Alcala and Rule 5 pick Angel Bastardo were informed they did not make the club. 

That seems to leave righty Chase Lee, Rule 5 pick Spencer Miles and lefty Adam Macko among the internal candidates still in play for the final spot in the bullpen, one destined for a reliever capable of throwing multiple innings. An external candidate, perhaps even Connor Seabold, who impressed in camp before being granted his release Saturday, is possible, too, as names shake loose with other teams also making roster calls.

The Blue Jays must also decide what to do with Leo Jimenez, who is out of options and needs to clear waivers if he does not make the club, each call coming down to the wire as both short- and medium-term seasonal asset management are factored into the mix.

“Definitely part of it,” said manager John Schneider. “There are some ins and outs to it … and it’s not just for Opening Day, but throughout the course of the year, so seeing how everything fits together and not just the individual skill-set of one person. Yeah, we are trying to field the best team, for sure, and trying to win every single game that we can. 

“But how does each decision affect someone else? How does it affect the depth of your organization and your 40-man roster?”

As things stand, the Blue Jays bullpen is set to include Jeff Hoffman, Tyler Rogers, Louis Varland, Brendon Little, Braydon Fisher, Mason Fluharty and Tommy Nance. 

The role has the potential to be short-term while Yimi Garcia, who is said to be regaining his usual velocity after elbow surgery last summer, builds up. Injured starters Trey Yesavage, due to start a minor-league game Wednesday, Jose Berrios and Shane Bieber will also, eventually, be on the horizon.

With Lauer in the rotation out of the gate, there’s no length option in the bullpen, and an optionable arm that can be subbed in and out as needed would give the Blue Jays more flexibility to manage usage needs. 

“It helps,” said Schneider. “We’ve spent the last few days trying to put ourselves in our own shoes a week or two weeks from now, when it is a short start, and there are some innings covered by the bullpen, what does that look like for the following day, even? Who can do that? Who can do that both performance-wise, who could do that contractually, as well, too, and keep you covered going forward.”

Lee and Macko both have options, while Miles, as a Rule 5 pick who topped out at 98.1 m.p.h. during a clean inning Sunday, must remain on the roster all season or be offered back to the San Francisco Giants.

Both Miles and Bastardo, plucked from the Boston Red Sox, have shown big-league stuff, but both are raw, which makes carrying them on a win-now team a challenge. The Blue Jays can try to trade them to other clubs or attempt to make a deal with their original clubs to retain their rights, too.

Cease ready to go: Dylan Cease checked the usual boxes over five shutout innings Sunday, sitting 97.3 m.p.h. and topping out at 98.8 as he held the Rays to three hits and two walks with six strikeouts on 83 pitches. More notable is the way he also effectively worked in 12 sinkers, eight sweepers and eight curveballs, a successful application of his attempts to diversify his repertoire this spring.

“Honestly, I’m in a better spot than I was even really expecting,” said Cease. “I like where I’m at mechanically, mixing in changeups, and I’m throwing a bunch of different pitches for strikes for the most part. I like where I’m at.”

So does John Schneider, who said a focus this spring has been on ways for him to use his pitches “a little bit differently” and “be a little bit less predictable.” Cease’s dominant weapons are his fastball and slider, and they were again Sunday, when the “plan was to use the changeup, get the curveball in early for strikes … and not be so reliant” on his primary offerings.

“Those are the things we’re talking about,” Schneider added. “The stuff is the stuff, but how to use it and try to have a few more weapons to get a little bit deeper into games.”

Vladdy ready: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit the first of three two-run homers in the first inning off Rays starter Nick Martinez, throttled for 11 runs over 3.2 innings while re-entering a miserable outing three times. 

Guerrero added a single in the second inning and a walk in the fourth, noting afterwards that “I feel good right now, but there are still a couple of days to get better,” before Friday’s opening day.

Already this spring, Guerrero’s been in high gear, batting .444/.476/.944 in five games for the Dominican Republic at the World Baseball Classic, a run that followed his monster 29-hit, 15-RBI post-season.

Carrying that into 2026 is his goal.

“I’m trying to stay where I was at the end of the year and October, but I don’t want to think about it much because it’s in the past,” Guerrero said through interpreter Hector Lebron. “I don’t want to keep thinking about that. I want to keep doing what I did when I was there.”

To that end, he shoehorned his off-season training plan into a shorter winter and likes where he’s at physically, for both the regular season and beyond.

“I did everything that I could,” he said, “and I feel like I prepared myself very well to play the extra month this year.”

Quotable: “Definitely like last year, we’re all together, we’re playing together, everybody knows what to do. And when you have that on the team, good things happen.” – Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on how the Blue Jays shaped out over the course of the spring

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After the Guerrero and the Dominican Republic had their World Baseball Classic dreams crushed by a strike call that ended the semifinal game against the U.S, the Toronto Blue Jays superstar questioned why ABS wasn’t available.

“It’s baseball. I’ll say this — if we’re going to use (ABS) this year in the regular season, why wouldn’t we use it at the WBC? Everybody knew. (The umpire) thought it was a strike, he’s human. But everybody that saw it knew what really happened,” Guerrero Jr. told Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling.

The controversial at-bat came in the bottom of the ninth with Geraldo Perdomo facing Mason Miller. The short stop had worked himself into a full count and let the eighth pitch of the at-bat fly by, deeming it a ball. However, the umpire called the slider that missed the zone a strike and ended the game. The Dominican Republic had the tying run on third.

2026 will mark the first time ABS has been used during the MLB regular season. Each team will have two challenges per game, with an additional challenge allocated for each extra inning played if necessary. Extra-inning challenges are not eligible to be carried over between innings.

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Drama. Emotion. National pride. Electric crowds, particularly at loanDepot park. High stakes. Big names. Bigger moments. All in March, no less, a gift amid the dullest days of spring training, when everyone is biding time until Opening Day. Sure, there are lingering, somewhat unsolvable issues in terms of club restrictions, prohibitive pitching rules and, to a new degree this time, insurance troubles, but really, the main problem with the WBC right now is that there isn’t going to be another one until 2029 or 2030, depending on a number of factors.

A tremendous final, won 3-2 by first-time champion Venezuela over the United States on Eugenio Suarez’s RBI double in the ninth, right after Bryce Harper’s two-run homer in the eighth tied it up, capped 2½ weeks of baseball that showcased the best of what the sport has to offer. 

“It’s hard to explain right now,” Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Andres Gimenez said of winning for his country. “I just want to cry because I’ve got so many memories. I’m so happy right now.”

Surrounded by a strong majority of the 36,190 who turned loanDepot park into an extended party Tuesday night, he was far from the only one. Venezuelan fans sang and danced and partied in the stands long after the medals were handed out and the players posed for pictures on the WBC-shaped dais.

Even after they cleared out, the Venezuelans continued to celebrate on the first-base side of the field while the American players and their families milled about on the third-base side, taking in their own moments.

Like Canada in international hockey, the United States enters each Classic expected to win, and after being accused of not taking early editions of the event seriously enough, they’ve gone to three straight finals, beating Puerto Rico in 2017 before falling to Japan in 2023 by the same 3-2 score as against Venezuela.

Harper’s two-run drive in the eighth, following Bobby Witt Jr.’s two-out walk off Andres Machado, briefly raised American hopes. But they were dashed almost immediately as Luis Arraez opened the top of the ninth versus Garrett Whitlock with a walk, pinch-runner Javier Sanoja stole second by a hair and Suarez doubled him home, an advantage Daniel Palencia, the fourth Venezuelan reliever pitching on back-to-back days, closed it out.

The way the Venezuelans locked down both Monday’s 4-2 semifinal win over Italy and the final over the Americans will be closely watched, too, as Angel Zerpa (13 and 15 pitches), Eduard Bazardo (nine and 12), Andres Machado (nine and 18) and Daniel Palencia (15 and 11) combined for 3.2 innings twice on consecutive days.

Given the caution around pitching in the tournament, it’s no surprise that manager Omar Lopez awoke Wednesday morning to three text messages from big-league clubs asking not to have their relievers pitch on back-to-back days. But “one of my strengths is talk and I send my text back fighting for my guys and then set a phone call with everybody,” he said. “When you talk and you get an agreement, you negotiate it, everything is going to go well.”

In contrast, American counterpart Mark DeRosa said he didn’t turn to Mason Miller in the ninth because he was “honouring” the wishes of the San Diego Padres that the right-hander only be used in a save situation. The U.S. team also agreed with the Boston Red Sox that Whitlock would get the ball in a tie game, underlying how complicated decision-making can be.

“For them to battle (Tuesday) night against Italy, for them to use their entire bullpen, and those guys to come back out on no rest was pretty special to watch,” said DeRosa.

No doubt, and combined with 4.1 shutout innings from starter Eduardo Rodriguez, the Arizona Diamondbacks lefty coming off a middling season after a shoulder injury marred his 2024, they’re a big reason why Venezuela holds the reins.

Until when isn’t clear.

The timing for the next Classic is up in the air, in part because baseball’s labour deal expires after the season and the players will have a say, in part because Major League Baseball could take part in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and there’s debate over whether it makes sense for the Classic to follow the next spring, or wait until 2030 instead.

Regardless, that the Americans only reached this point thanks to an Italian victory over Mexico to cap off opening-round play in Pool B highlights the volatility that exists in tournament play. Under the right circumstances, a Mexico win over Italy would have eliminated the U.S. before the quarterfinals, where they just squeaked by a Canadian team felled by a couple of defensive mistakes in a 5-3 final.

In the semis, they met a stacked Dominican Republic team that beat all its opposition, Venezuela included, until a 2-1 loss to the Americans.

“You’re either hot or not in a seven-game blast like this,” said DeRosa.

The Venezuelans, like the Dominicans, were hot and their outward joy — exemplified by their pre-game dugout dances — is one of the tournament’s signatures. So too are the grace of the Italians, with their espresso shots after homers; the passion of the Puerto Ricans and their post-game prayer circle; and the tenacity of the hockey-jersey-clad Canadians, all part of what makes this event so endearing. 

Outside the strict confines of Major League Baseball culture, each national team brings its people together and does baseball the way it’s done back home, instead of conforming to American norms. With their countrymen, they are not the others they are in the majors, so each game, each victory, especially the ultimate one, hits a little differently.

“The World Series is the most important championship in the major leagues, but when you fight for your country, that goes beyond,” said catcher Salvador Perez, who singled and scored on Maikel Garcia’s sacrifice fly in the third to open the scoring. “That feeling, the country where you were born and raised, the sacrifices made by our parents, those people that helped us, that’s why this means a lot to me and to Venezuela.”

The United States players, in contrast, are more reflective of a big-league vibe and it makes sense because the big leagues are the standard they not only grew up with but also helped set. Everyone else comes to America — they actually are America.

“I credit the Latin American countries, I credit Japan, I credit the other countries for kind of forcing the United States’ hand to kind of get in on this,” said DeRosa, who also played for the U.S. in 2009. “To see it grow has been incredible.”

In that way, growth is a product of what happens when everyone shows up in a global sandbox and differences aren’t tamped down but celebrated. The power of that experience is why the calibre of talent at each tournament keeps rising, as players keep seeing how much fun others are having and don’t want to miss out. 

Now, it’s back to reality, as both the Venezuelans and Americans rejoin their teams and refocus on the season ahead, with Opening Day a week-and-a-half away.

“Obviously it gives me a lot of motivation, especially because last year we felt like we could have won and unfortunately it didn’t come our way,” Gimenez said of platforming off a WBC title. “A lot of motivation, and I know with the Blue Jays we’ve got a really big chance to get it done.”

This World Baseball Classic did get it done, and maybe it will turn the conversation on the next one, too.

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Other players from the Americans’ $320 million roster stood frozen for several minutes before receiving their silver medals. Bryce Harper, who hit a tying homer in the eighth inning, went over to shake hands with Team Venezuela players before leaving the field.

“In those moments, it’s like the Olympics or anywhere else,” Harper said. “I’m really happy for them. Obviously, I want to win no matter what. That’s what I play for, is to win a championship and a goal medal. But in that moment it’s not about me, it’s about us and our game.”

Team USA brought its most loaded roster ever to baseball’s premier international event, but the Americans lost their second straight WBC final after winning the championship in 2017.

“Obviously disappointed,” Judge said. “All of us put on this uniform to go out there and win a gold medal. We fell short of that.”

The U.S. produced just three hits Tuesday night and four runs over the final two games of the WBC — well short of offensive expectations for a roster of players who combined for 382 home runs and 1,111 RBIs last MLB season.

Three years after losing to Shohei Ohtani and Japan in 2023, the Americans were again disappointed, this time by an energetic Venezuelan team led by All-Stars Ronald Acuña Jr., Maikel Garcia and Luis Arraez.

Left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez mowed down the Americans’ fearsome lineup with measured ease on Tuesday, leaving the colourful celebration to his teammates who met him with claps as he stoically exited the mound in the fifth.

Rodríguez fanned Judge — the U.S. captain went 0 for 4 — twice among four strikeouts and held the Americans to just one hit over 4 1/3 innings.

“I’m not going to make any excuses for us,” said United States manager Mark DeRosa. “I think at the end of the day … it’s early in spring training. Guys are getting ready for the season. Eventually I think the tournament gets moved and I think the guys are in better form pitching-wise.

“But ultimately it’s who gets hot at the right time, who gets a big swing.”

The Americans have won just one title in six iterations of the tournament. DeRosa indicated that the U.S., which has received more buy-in from marquee MLB position players over the years, is still lacking the same commitments from star pitchers.

Reigning two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal participated this year but made just one start in pool play in order to stick with his ramp-up schedule for the regular season with the Detroit Tigers.

“I think every position player wants to play in it,” DeRosa said. “I think from a pitching standpoint, everybody’s at different stages in their career. You’ve got to get buy-in from the team. You’ve got to get buy-in from the player. You’ve got to get buy-in from the agent. I think everybody in their heart … wants to do it. It’s just, what’s the timing of where they are at in their career?”

Venezuela’s bullpen gave up only two hits, including Harper’s two-run homer over the centre-field fence against Andrés Machado in the eighth.

Arraez walked against Garrett Whitlock starting the ninth and pinch-runner Javier Sanoja stole second just ahead of catcher Will Smith’s throw, then came home on Eugenio Suárez double. Suárez spread his arms wide and pointed to the sky at second base while teammates streamed from the dugout to greet Sanoja at the plate.

It signaled another brutal finish could be coming for the U.S., which lost the 2023 WBC title game when Ohtani struck out Mike Trout to win it for Japan.

The American roster was made up of players who have combined for more than 2,300 home runs and 419 saves, and nine of them have played in a World Series.

But they never quite displayed the full extent of their offensive firepower. They hit .250 over seven games with 44 runs, 10 homers and 40 RBIs.

DeRosa said he was surprised by the lack of offense “because of the names at the back of the jersey, but not surprised because of where they’re at in spring training.”

“That’s my answer,” he added. “I really don’t have a rhyme or reason to why. I just think you’re either hot or not in a seven-game blast like this.”

After the U.S. beat the Dominican Republic 2-1 in the semifinals, DeRosa said he was still waiting for his team to break loose at the plate.

That will have to wait another three years.

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Garcia was named the WBC MVP on Tuesday night after helping Venezuela to a tournament title with a 3-2 victory over the United States. In the clinching win, the 26-year-old from La Sabana opened the scoring for the Venezuelans, bringing home Salvador Perez with a sacrifice fly in the third inning.

It built on what was already an exceptional tournament for the third baseman, as Garcia slashed .385/.393/.577 with two doubles, one home run, seven RBIs and three stolen bases over Venezuela’s seven games.

“I’m proud to be part of this group of players and coaching staff, and I’m proud of what we did,” Garcia told Fox’s Tom Verducci in Spanish after the game as his teammates chanted “M-V-P” in the background. “I’m proud to be representing 30 million Venezuelans back in my country.”

Perhaps making the title even sweeter for Garcia was being able to win it alongside his cousin, Ronald Acuña Jr., who was the face of this Venezuelan team throughout the WBC.

Garcia was coming off a breakout season in MLB with the Kansas City Royals in 2025, where he earned his first career all-star nod and won the American League Gold Glove at third base. He ended the year with an .800 OPS, 16 homers, 39 doubles and 23 stolen bases in 160 games.

His strong showing earned him a five-year, $57.5-million extension from the Royals in December.

Garcia now joins an exclusive list of players to be named WBC MVP. Japan’s Daisuke Matsuzaka won in 2006 and 2009, the Dominican Republic’s Robinson Canó won in 2013, the USA’s Marcus Stroman won in 2017 and Japan’s Shohei Ohtani won in 2023.

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Venezuela defeated the United States 3-2 in the championship game Tuesday night to claim its first WBC title.

Venezuela had led the game 2-0 before Bryce Harper’s eighth-inning home run tied the score. But Eugenio Suraez led his team to victory with an RBI double in the ninth to secure the win.

After the final pitch, baseball fans took to social media to celebrate Venezuela’s victory and the overall awesomeness of the WBC.

Here are some of the many reactions.

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Back home, people were singing their praises, too.

Venezuela won the World Baseball Classic for the first time Tuesday night, beating the United States 3-2 in the championship game on Suárez’s tiebreaking double in the top of the ninth inning.

“They were with us here in our hearts,” Venezuela captain Salvador Perez said of his countrymen. “The World Series, as you all know, is one of the most important championships in the major leagues, but when you fight for your country, that goes beyond. That feeling, the country where you were born and raised, the sacrifices made by our parents, those people that helped us, that’s why this means a lot to me and to Venezuela.”

Bryce Harper’s two-run homer for Team USA with two outs in the eighth tied the score, but Suárez hit a go-ahead double in the ninth and Daniel Palencia pitched a perfect bottom half.

“Baseball wanted us to fail, to fall down,” Venezuela manager Omar López said. “You put aside your individuality and you are going to achieve those results.”

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared Wednesday a National Day of Joy and made it a non-working holiday except for essential workers.

“My country needs that championship,” star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. said, wiping tears from his eyes. “I just want to make my people proud. That’s what I did today.”

In the capital of Caracas, thousands also sang the anthem as they gathered in the Plaza de la Juventud (Plaza of Youth) to the racket of honking horns from cars and motorcycles.

“I’m overjoyed. It’s too much for me!” high school student Yorleiny Mestra said. “The United States is a superpower, and the fact that we beat them makes me very proud of Venezuela.”

Maikel Garcia’s third-inning sacrifice fly and Wilyer Abreu’s fifth-inning homer off rookie Nolan McLean built a 2-0 lead before a roaring pro-Latin America sellout crowd of 36,190 at loanDepot park. Left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez and lights-out relievers limited the Americans to two hits through the seventh.

Bobby Witt Jr. walked with two outs in the eighth and Harper drove the second straight changeup from Andrés Machado over the center-field fence.

“We’re warriors,” Abreu said. “We’re going to fight for that game to win it.”

Boston’s Garrett Whitlock started the ninth instead of San Diego’s Mason Miller, perhaps baseball’s best reliever, because U.S. manager Mark DeRosa promised the Padres he would use Miller only in a save situation.

Luis Arraez walked, and pinch-runner Javier Sanoja stole second just ahead of catcher Will Smith’s one-hop throw. Sanoja came home when Suárez doubled to the left-center gap on a full-count changeup. Suárez spread his arms wide and pointed to the sky at second base while teammates streamed from the dugout to greet Sanoja at the plate.

Palencia struck out two to finish a three-hitter for his third save of the WBC, ending the game by getting Roman Anthony to swing under a 99.7 mph fastball. As Venezuelans ran onto the infield to celebrate, the dismayed Americans stared while leaning on their dugout railing.

“Nobody believed in Venezuela but now we win the championship,” Suárez said. “This is a celebration for all the Venezuelan country.”

Garcia was selected the tournament MVP after hitting .385 with a WBC-high 10 hits and seven RBIs.

“We showed the people who Venezuela is,” Garcia said. “The next time they make a ranking, Venezuela is the No. 1.”

Despite a heralded roster of stars led by Aaron Judge, Harper and Paul Skenes, the U.S. remained without a title since 2017. DeRosa also led the 2023 American team that lost the final 3-2 to Japan and would come back for 2029 if offered another chance.

“Ultimately, it’s who gets hot at the right time, who gets a big swing,” he said. “It just seemed like we couldn’t get the offence going the entire tournament.”

Rodríguez (4 1/3 innings) was followed by Eduard Bazardo (two outs), José Buttó (three), Angel Zerpa (two), Machado (four) and Palencia.

Judge was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and hit .222 with five RBIs in the tournament, while Harper improved to .214 with three RBIs with two hits against Venezuela. Alex Bregman batted .143 with four RBIs. The U.S. scored nine runs in the three knockout-round games while batting .188.

After the final out, Harper walked over to some Venezuelan players to shake their hands.

“I understand what it takes to win games,” Harper said. “They had a great tournament, and I just wanted to let them know: congratulations. They’re the best team in the world.”

Ahead of a matchup with political overtones, players and coaches avoided discussing the government turmoil between the nations, heightened when the U.S. military captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January.

Venezuela became the second Latin American nation to win the WBC, after the Dominican Republic in 2013. The U.S. has just one title, in 2017.

Repeatedly during the tournament, Venezuelan players described the team as a family, and brothers Willson and William Contreras went on the podium together to receive their medals and sing the Venezuelan anthem, “Gloria al Bravo Pueblo (Glory to the Brave People).”

“We play with passion, with love, because we feel the jersey,” Suárez said.

While the U.S., Japan and the Dominican Republic got much of the attention ahead of the sixth edition of the 20-nation event, Venezuela’s success was not that surprising. Sixty-three players born in Venezuela appeared on Major League Baseball opening-day rosters last year, second-most from outside the U.S. behind the Dominican Republic’s 100.

U.S. players had arrived at loanDepot park in game-worn U.S. Olympic hockey jerseys coordinated by outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Jack Hughes, who scored the gold medal-winning goal against Canada last month.

In a darkened ballpark filled by fans wearing wristbands with festive blinking lights, Judge and Arraez led the teams down the foul lines for the introductions while carrying their nation’s flags.

After the game, many American players mingled with their families on the field while Venezuelans celebrated in their clubhouse.

“Disappointed,” Judge said. “We came here, all of us put on this uniform, signed up to go out there and get a gold medal.”

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Well, lo and behold, when the final arrived, with the U.S. and Japan locked in a one-run game in the ninth, it was none other than Trout who came to the plate with two outs to face Ohtani.

Ohtani ultimately prevailed, getting Trout to swing through a sweeper to clinch Japan’s third WBC championship.

It was the kind of moment the Classic had never seen, and one that changed the tenor of the WBC heading into this 2026 tournament.

Fast forward three years, and we arrive back at the final. This time, Team USA faces an uber-talented Venezuelan squad chasing its Classic title (8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+).

There may not be another Trout versus Ohtani showdown looming on Tuesday, but there’s no shortage of compelling head-to-head battles. Whether it be MVPs squaring off or MLB teammates turned WBC rivals, there are storylines aplenty at loanDepot Park.

So, in the spirit of 2023’s epic finale, here are six individual matchups that could decide the 2026 WBC champion.

Bryce Harper vs. Ronald Acuña Jr.

Starting with a pair of former MVPs and real-life NL East rivals, Harper and Acuña are having very different Classics up to this point.

For Venezuela, Acuña has been his country’s spark plug over six games. He’s reaching base at a .414 clip, has smashed two big flies and scored 10 runs — one shy of the single-tournament WBC record.

He also changed Monday’s win over Italy, beating out an RBI infield single to keep a two-out rally alive ahead of Maikel Garcia’s go-ahead knock.

On the American side, Harper hasn’t been able to get much going. The two-time MVP has just four hits in 24 at-bats with eight strikeouts while batting second for the U.S.

That, of course, can all change with one swing.

With both Acuña and Harper seemingly locked in near the top of their teams’ orders, perhaps we’re due for the kind of fireworks we’ve seen from the Braves and Phillies in recent years.

Roman Anthony vs. Jackson Chourio

If you’re looking for future MVPs in this game, Anthony and Chourio might just fit the bill.

Both are 2004-born outfielders who have already shown flashes of MLB stardom and are poised to lead their respective franchises for the foreseeable future.

But with this WBC under their belts, don’t be surprised if they step into leading roles for their countries at future iterations of the event.

Anthony has already been a major contributor to the Americans’ success in 2026, boasting a 1.014 OPS with seven RBIs and two home runs, including the game-winning blast in the semifinal against the Dominican Republic.

Chourio hasn’t quite found his footing for Venezuela, with just three hits in 12 at-bats. But the 22-year-old, owner of a career 1.044 OPS in the MLB post-season, has shown a penchant for elevating his play in big games, so he’ll be a bat to watch at the bottom of Venezuela’s order.

Bobby Witt Jr. vs. Maikel Garcia

Life has been good at this WBC for Kansas City Royals fans, thanks to their star duo on the left side of the infield.

Witt didn’t need a strong showing for Team USA to boost his stock heading into 2026. But the 25-year-old MVP candidate has been a staple at shortstop for the U.S., picking up six hits in five games while making several highlight-reel plays up the middle.

But it’s been his Royals teammate, Garcia, who has been one of the breakout stars of the tournament for Venezuela, building on his all-star and Gold Glove 2025 campaign.

Garcia has 10 hits and a 1.110 OPS for Team Venezuela, opening some eyes to the possibility that the best shortstop and third-base duo may reside in Kansas City.

So, no matter what happens in the final, the Royals are sure to come out winners.

Jeff Hoffman or Tyler Rogers vs. Andrés Giménez

Sticking with teammates turned foes, how about a little bit of Toronto Blue Jays flavour in this WBC final?

The Blue Jays saw both right-handers leave camp to join Team USA during the knockout rounds. Rogers, however, is the only one to see action thus far, inducing a key double-play ball off the bat of Juan Soto to escape a jam against the Dominican Republic.

As for a potential showdown against Giménez, it would require a specific set of circumstances, as Toronto’s shortstop came off the bench late in Venezuela’s wins over Japan and Italy.

Giménez did get to the plate in the eighth inning against Italy, so we could see a similar strategy from manager Omar López that sets up an all-Blue Jays clash.

Mason Miller vs. Luis Arraez

It’s worth noting that Miller’s availability is murky heading into first pitch. The U.S. closer said following Sunday’s win that he “would do everything in (his) power to pitch.” Still, his status remains up in the air as the U.S. and San Diego Padres work out a decision.

Should Miller be able to go against Venezuela, no hitter could test him quite like Arraez.

In four appearances at this WBC, Miller has 10 strikeouts and has yet to allow a hit. All the more impressive considering he didn’t allow a hit after Sep. 6 in 2025.

Arraez, meanwhile, has gone 8-for-23 with four doubles, two homers and 10 RBIs while striking out just twice, which would make for a fascinating at-bat against Miller.

Since Arraez’s debut in 2019, no qualified hitter has a lower strikeout rate (6.1 per cent), and since Miller’s debut in 2023, no reliever has a higher mark (42.0 per cent).

So, we might get an answer to what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object if they square off.

Aaron Judge vs. Daniel Palencia

Like Miller, Palencia’s status is worth monitoring.

However, skipper López made it seem like the Venezuela closer would be available after Monday’s win, saying “even (pitching coach) Johan Santana is going to pitch” when asked about his bullpen options for Tuesday.

As far as power-on-power goes, there may not be a better matchup than Palencia against Judge.

The right-hander averaged 99.6 m.p.h. with his fastball in 2025, throwing it 71 per cent of the time. Palencia isn’t hiding what he’s trying to do, and as we saw during his save against Italy, when he’s on, it’s absolutely electric.

But facing Judge is a whole different animal.

Yes, the U.S. captain’s production has slowed over the past few games of the WBC, but there’s no more intimidating presence in the batter’s box than the three-time MVP, who slugged 1.100 against pitches 99 m.p.h. or faster in 2025 and still boasts a .979 OPS for Team USA.

Should Venezuela hold a slim lead entering the ninth inning of the final, a Judge-Palencia battle would be a fitting encore to that of Ohtani and Trout in 2023.

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“We are no longer the Cinderella,” the Italy manager said after the Azzurri were eliminated with a 4-2 semifinal loss to Venezuela on Monday night. “In three years they are going to take us seriously. We have a group of young players that are going to participate in the next classic. What they experienced today, they are going to take it away for the rest of their lives.”

The Azzurri stunned with a 5-0 start to reach their first WBC semifinal, putting a spotlight on a soccer-crazed country where baseball is less popular than in many other participating WBC nations. Players spoke of providing an exciting foundation for future growth and success.

“To play in front of all these crowds and just how loud they were in these games,” said centre fielder Jakob Marsee, “no one thought we could win, and being able to do it with all the guys was a lot of fun.” 

Italy blew a 2-1 seventh-inning lead Monday when Michael Lorenzen allowed consecutive run-scoring singles with two outs to Ronald Acuña Jr., Maikel Garcia and Luis Arraez.

Italy players remained draped over the dugout railing after the final out, watching Acuña and the other Venezuelan stars celebrate on the field in front of them while the pro-Venezuela sellout crowd at loanDepot park roared. They stayed there for about 10 minutes, exchanging hugs and saluting some fans behind their dugout.

“We just wanted to make sure we waved and thanked, one, the Venezuelan fans who were here tonight,” captain Vinnie Pasquantino said, “and the Italian fans that were here, because that atmosphere was incredible.”

Cervelli addressed the team after that.

“I just told the guys that they are the champions of this tournament,” he said. “No one expected what they did. They are champions. … They revolutionized Italy. They put another sport on the map, which is good.”

The expectation is certainly that this young roster made up of only a handful of major leaguers and many players from the minors will be back and more experienced in future WBCs.

By then they’re hoping baseball in Italy will have skyrocketed in popularity.

“We were told that … 7 million people watched this game tonight in Italy,” Pasquantino said of a broadcast that started just after 1 a.m. Tuesday in Italy. “That’s incredible. That’s why we’re doing this tournament, in my opinion. To have that sort of impact once every few years is incredible. And the goal of this team — we’ve talked about it a lot — is to impact Italy, and we have. 

“So for us, we weren’t successful on the field tonight, but we were successful in Italy. And that’s what this is all about.”

The Azzurri became the surprise of the tournament, handing the United States a surprising 8-6 loss in pool play and following that with a 9-1 defeat of Mexico when Pasquantino had the WBC’s first three-homer game. The Italians then beat Puerto Rico 8-6 to reach Monday night’s semifinal.

“Really happy to be here with these guys and represent my family,” said Marsee, who is entering his second season with the Miami Marlins and played in front of a crowd Monday that he’s unaccustomed to seeing. “Going forward this season, all I want to do is bring this back to Miami and be able to do this in October.”

The Italians’ celebrations throughout the tournament were endearing to many and garnered widespread attention. They followed each of their 12 home runs with celebratory shots of espresso and brought in bottles of wine — each batch grew more pricey — after every win.

They didn’t pay much attention to the outside critiques they received. Some criticized the roster mostly comprised of Italian-Americans, many of whom have never been to Italy. 

Pasquantino said he hopes that will change.

“And for the kids in Italy, just know that we’re doing this for you guys,” he said. “We want in 20 years for the World Baseball Classic Italian team to be full of Italians, like Italian speakers from Italy. That’s the goal of this. To be an ambassador of that is extremely humbling for me, and I hope that we get to see this through one day.”

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