Team USA will face Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic championship game on Tuesday night at loanDepot park in Miami. The United States advanced with a 2-1 win over the Dominican Republic, while Venezuela defeated Italy 4-2 in the semifinals. Nolan McLean starts for the U.S. against Eduardo Rodriguez for Venezuela.
The championship game is set for 8 p.m. ET at loanDepot park in Miami, airing live on FOX. Team USA earned home-field advantage via coin flip after both teams finished 5-1. The U.S. seeks a second WBC title, having won in 2017 against Puerto Rico, while Venezuela reaches its first final in tournament history. The teams have met five times previously in WBC play, with the U.S. holding a 3-2 edge and outscoring Venezuela 37-30 overall, including a 9-7 quarterfinal win in 2023 on Trea Turner's grand slam and a 15-6 blowout in 2009 pool play. Their last encounter before this was that 2023 game. Venezuela has shown resilience with comebacks, including against Japan in the quarterfinals and Italy in the semis, where Ronald Acuña Jr. tied the game with an RBI infield single and Maikel Garcia added a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh. Venezuela's bullpen then threw 7 2/3 scoreless innings. Team USA's semifinal win featured solo home runs by Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony, with Paul Skenes pitching 4 2/3 innings, allowing one run on six hits. USA manager Mark DeRosa praised starter Nolan McLean, the 24-year-old Mets right-hander: 'Watching him pitch in the second half of the season, his stuff is explosive... he's built for this.' McLean had a 2.06 ERA in 48 innings last season and allowed three earned runs in three innings against Italy in pool play. Venezuela's Eduardo Rodriguez allowed three runs, including home runs to Juan Soto and Ketel Marte, in 2 2/3 innings against the Dominican Republic. Starting lineups: United States: 1. Bobby Witt Jr. SS, 2. Bryce Harper 1B, 3. Aaron Judge RF, 4. Kyle Schwarber DH, 5. Alex Bregman 3B, 6. Roman Anthony LF, 7. Will Smith C, 8. Brice Turang 2B, 9. Byron Buxton CF. Venezuela: 1. Ronald Acuña Jr. RF, 2. Maikel Garcia 3B, 3. Luis Arraez 1B, 4. Eugenio Suárez DH, 5. Gleyber Torres 2B, 6. Ezequiel Tovar SS, 7. Wilyer Abreu LF, 8. Salvador Perez C, 9. Jackson Chourio CF. Bullpen workloads may factor in, with pitch limits for starters (95 for McLean) and concerns over recent usage for relievers like Mason Miller, Garrett Whitlock, and David Bednar for USA, and Eduard Bazardo, Andrés Machado, and Daniel Palencia for Venezuela.
