The World Baseball Classic championship final was scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at loanDepot Park in Miami Gardens, Florida.[1]
A Fox News Digital report claimed Venezuela defeated the United States 3-2 in the final, marking the country's first WBC title. The article described a late two-run home run by U.S. first baseman Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies to tie the game, followed by a go-ahead double from Venezuela third baseman Eugenio Suarez of the Arizona Diamondbacks, with pitcher Daniel Palencia of the Milwaukee Brewers closing the victory by striking out U.S. outfield prospect Roman Anthony of the Boston Red Sox organization.[2]
Venezuela, managed by Omar López, has participated in all five prior WBC tournaments, reaching the semifinals in 2017 but never advancing to the final. Notable players include Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez, a three-time WBC participant and Venezuela captain, and shortstop Maikel Garcia, named tournament MVP in the report.[3]
The U.S. entered as defending runners-up from the 2023 tournament, where they lost 3-2 to Japan in the final at the same venue.[1] Harper, a two-time National League MVP, was a key figure for Team USA.
The 2026 WBC featured pool play across multiple sites, with the championship round at loanDepot Park, capacity 36,742, home of the Miami Marlins.[1]
No official boxscore, match report, or confirmation from World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) or Major League Baseball (MLB) was available to verify the reported result or details such as viewership figures averaging 10.2 million on FOX networks.
Sources
- MLB.com
2026 World Baseball Classic schedule, venues announced
September 17, 2024
https://www.mlb.com/news/2026-world-baseball-classic-schedule-venues-announced - Fox News Digital
Input draft by Scott Thompson (unverified breaking claim)
N/A (draft provided)
N/A - Wikipedia
World Baseball Classic
Accessed October 2024
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Baseball_Classic
