MIAMI – In an entertaining edition of the World Baseball Classic, only four teams remain as they try to punch their tickets to the championship game early this week.
- Watch the World Baseball Classic on FuboTV (7-Day Free Trial)
United States v. Cuba
- When: Sunday, March 19
- time: 19:00 ET
- where: LoanDepot Park (Miami, Florida)
- channel: FOX Sports 1
- Stream: FuboTV (free trial), DirecTV Stream
It was not the easiest for the “defenders” of the WBC title to get to Sunday. They fell to Mexico in pool play, but finished second in Group C with a 3-1 record. Then, in the quarterfinals against Venezuela, the Americans needed Trea Turner’s grand slam to go ahead, giving the USA a 9-7 win. While their bats have been excellent, the Americans will need their pitching to step up if they are to make the championship game for just the second time in the event’s history.
Cuba made it all the way back in 2006, but have struggled to get deep into the tournament since then, not making it this far since. Still, a mix of timely hitting and solid pitching helped Cuba take first place in a wild Pool A. They held off Australia in the quarterfinals to punch their ticket to the semifinals. Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada was one of the team’s top hitters, batting .421 with a homer and five RBIs.
- Watch the World Baseball Classic on FuboTV (7-Day Free Trial)
Mexico vs. Japan
- When: Monday, March 20
- time: 19:00 ET
- where: LoanDepot Park (Miami, Florida)
- channel: FOX Sports 1
- Stream: FuboTV (free trial), DirecTV Stream
Mexico became WBC favourites, recovering from an early loss to Colombia to win Pool C, beating the likes of USA and Canada to advance to the quarters. There, they rallied from an early four-run deficit against Puerto Rico to send the country to its first semifinal appearance in the tournament. Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena came through in the clutch, hitting .471 with six extra base hits and nine RBI.
Japan’s early dominance of the tournament appears to be a distant memory. After winning the first two editions of the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009, they failed to reach the final four. Still, the superhuman Shohei Ohtani led Japan to a run of dominating victories, clinching Group B and thrashing Italy in the quarter-finals, putting the international powerhouse within one win of the championship game.
Check out the WBC schedule here
