MIAMI, FLORIDA.– The grand final of the 2026 World Baseball Classic will be played this Tuesday with the match between United States and Venezuela, in a duel that will define the new champion of world baseball.
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The game is scheduled for 8:00 PM (Eastern Time) at
loanDepot Park, with live broadcast on FOX and FOX Deportes.
Pitching Duel
The United States will send right-handed pitcher
Nolan McLean, who will seek a better performance after his previous exit against Italy. For its part, Venezuela will rely on left-handed pitcher
Eduardo Rodríguez, who already faced the Dominican Republic in the group stage.
Confirmed Lineups
United States
- Bobby Witt Jr., SS
- Bryce Harper, 1B
- Aaron Judge, RF
- Kyle Schwarber, DH
- Alex Bregman, 3B
- Roman Anthony, LF
- Will Smith, C
- Brice Turang, 2B
- Byron Buxton, CF
Venezuela
- Ronald Acuña Jr., RF
- Maikel García, 3B
- Luis Arráez, 1B
- Eugenio Suárez, BD
- Gleyber Torres, 2B
- Ezequiel Tovar, SS
- Wilyer Abreu, LF
- Salvador Pérez, C
- Jackson Chourio, CF
Road to the final
The United States advanced after defeating the Dominican Republic 2-1 in the semifinals, supported by the pitching of “Paul Skenes” and a dominant bullpen that stopped the Quisqueyan offense.
On the other hand, Venezuela arrives motivated after coming back against Italy 4-2, thanks to a decisive rally in the seventh inning led by Acuña Jr. and Maikel García.
Both selections finished the previous phase with a 5-1 record, so the home advantage was decided by a draw, favoring the United States.
What’s at stake
The United States will seek its second title in the history of the tournament, after conquering the 2017 edition, while Venezuela will play its first final, with the opportunity to be crowned for the first time.
The confrontation also has recent history, with a 3-2 advantage for the Americans in previous Classic matches, including the remembered duel of 2023.
