WBC Game Chat: USA, Dominican Republic Begin Pool Play

Though the World Baseball Classic officially began earlier this week with Australia’s shutout 3-0 victory over Chinese Taipei at the Tokyo Dome, Friday marked the first full slate of the event this year.

Japan opened the day with a 13-0 win over Chinese Taipei that was highlighted by a grand slam from Shohei Ohtani in Pool C, while Cuba, Venezuela and Mexico notched victories over Panama, the Netherlands and Great Britain, respectively.

There’s four more games set to commence tonight, including a Pool C matchup between both 0-2 teams up to this point in Czechia and Chinese Taipei.

Furthermore, two of the favorites to win the whole event in the United States and the Dominican Republic will head into their first contests of pool play against Brazil and Nicaragua, respectively, while Puerto Rico and Colombia are set to square off against one another.

With that, let’s take a closer look at those games before first pitch.

USA vs. Brazil (8:00 p.m. EST, FOX)

After losing in the 2023 WBC title game to Japan, the United States is looking to bounce back and win it all after doing so for the first time in 2017.

San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb will start for Team USA against Brazil at Daikin Park in Houston.

Mets right-hander Nolan McLean is currently set to toe the rubber for the United States against Italy on March 10. He was late joining the team due to vertigo-like symptoms, though the 24-year-old threw four innings in a sim game on Wednesday and should be good to go moving forward.

Brazil does not have any active major league players on its roster and last appeared in the WBC in 2013, going 0-3. Bo Bichette was originally set to represent the country, though he withdrew upon signing a three-year deal worth $126 million with the Mets in January.

Both the United States and Brazil will be back in action against Great Britain and Italy, respectively, on Saturday.

 

Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic (7:00 p.m. EST, FS2)

Managed by Albert Pujols, Juan Soto and the Dominican Republic are looking for revenge after failing to make it out of pool play with a 2-2 record in 2023.

In a star-studded lineup that includes the likes of Fernando Tatis Jr., Ketel Marte, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Manny Machado, among others, Soto will bat third against Nicaragua.

Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez will start for the Dominican Republic and face off against Mets infielder Mark Vientos, who will hit cleanup for Nicaragua at loanDepot Park in Miami.

Nicaragua’s lone prior WBC appearance came in 2023, and they went 0-4 in pool play.

The Dominican Republic, who last won the event in 2013, will next play the Netherlands on Sunday while Nicaragua will face the Netherlands on Saturday.

Two Former Mets Starters Face Off

A pair of former Mets starting pitchers in Seth Lugo and Jose Quintana will go to battle against one another for Puerto Rico and Colombia, respectively, tonight at 6:00 p.m. EST from Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Lugo last played for Puerto Rico in the 2017 WBC and posted a 4.20 ERA over three starts totaling 15 innings. That stretch included a four-inning, four-run outing in an 8-0 loss to the United States in the championship game.

Quintana, meanwhile, is Colombia’s team captain this year after not pitching for the country in the 2023 WBC due to a rib injury he suffered after signing with the Mets that same offseason. He gave up a single earned run over 5 2/3 innings in his lone start of the 2017 WBC, which came against the United States.

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