As the 2023 World Baseball Classic unfolded, the United States and Japan felt destined to collide. Then-MLB teammates Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout stood at the centre of it all, with the baseball world clamouring for a showdown between the two with a title on the line.
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+).
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
