MIAMI. – Imagining Juan Soto defending the colors of Venezuela or Ronald Acuña Jr. wearing the Dominican uniform sounds impossible. However, something similar could happen —at least for a moment— in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
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Everything stems from a friendly bet between both stars before the expected match between the Dominican Republic (Baseball Team) and Venezuela (Baseball Team), which will be played at loanDepot park.
The agreement between the players is simple: whoever loses the match must arrive at their team’s next commitment wearing the rival team’s uniform.
Soto explained that the idea was born spontaneously between the two of them, as part of the friendship they have developed off the field.
“We’ve had that bet for a while. We wanted to do something fun and dynamic for the competition. It came up naturally among us,” commented the Dominican gardener.
For his part, Acuña confirmed the challenge with laughter after Venezuela’s victory over Nicaragua, reiterating that the loser must comply with the agreement.
The game also comes with both teams in great form within the tournament. Dominicana has shown offensive power, while Soto records a .273 average with a home run, two RBIs and an OPS of 1.012.
Acuña has also shined with the Venezuelan selection. The outfielder is batting .400 with a home run, two RBIs and an OPS of 1.371, being one of the team’s figures.
Beyond the game, the bet adds an extra ingredient to a rivalry that has generated great expectation among baseball fans worldwide.
Acuña himself acknowledged that the atmosphere in the stadium will be intense, with thousands of fans supporting both teams.
“There will be a lot of excitement and a full stadium. It’s an important rivalry, but the most important thing is to go out and win,” he said.
In the end, regardless of who loses the bet, the protagonists will once again wear the colors of their countries when the quarter-finals of the tournament begin.
