A new World Baseball Classic champion will be crowned Tuesday night, as Team USA takes on Venezuela in the WBC final, with first pitch at 8 p.m. ET.
USA entered the World Baseball Classic as favorites to win thanks to a loaded roster, with the likes of pitcher Paul Skenes, Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Kyle Schwarber and Pete Crow-Armstrong, among others. However, after starting out 3-0 in Pool B, Team USA incurred a stunning upset from Italy that put them in danger of missing the quarterfinals.
Thanks to Italy's win over Mexico, the U.S. advanced, defeating Canada in the quarterfinals beforestunning the Dominican Republic on a controversial final strike call to secure a spot in the championship.
Mets 24-year-old righthander Nolan McLean will get the start, coming off a rookie campaign with a 2.06 ERA and a 5-1 record. He'll look to improve on his first start in the WBC after giving up two hits (both homers) and three earned runs against Italy.
Venezuela holds a 5-1 record through the WBC so far, advancing to the championship with ahuge three-run rally in the seventh inningto defeat Italy. MLB veteran Eduardo Rodriguez will get the nod for Venezuela, looking to improve on his first start against the Dominican Republic in pool play, when he gave up three runs over 2 2/3 innings.
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Bats Maikel Garcia (a tournament-best 10 hits) and Luis Arraez (eight hits, 10 RBI) will be among McLean's top challengers for Venezuela.
These two teams last met back in the 2023 World Baseball Classic quarterfinals, where the USA defeated Venezuela 9-7 on the back of a wild, eight-inning, go-ahead grand slam from Trea Turner. It marks Venezuela's first finals appearance in tournament history, while Team USA is seeking its second gold-medal win in the WBC.
How to watch USA vs. Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic final
Date:Tuesday, March 17Start time:8 p.m. ETTV channel:Fox
Follow along with Yahoo Sports as Team USA takes on Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic final on Tuesday night.