Originally posted on
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Last updated Mar 15, 2026 10:22 AM ET
The Americans defeated Canada on Friday night in the World Baseball Classic. The Canadians put up a good fight (despite errors that cost them the game), and the team's pitchers—who have been excellent this year—kept Canada in the game.
But despite the controversies surrounding Mark DeRosa, it's the U.S. team that's advancing to the semifinals. It makes sense. And since the Dominicans beat the Koreans in the quarterfinals, we're in for a showdown between two powerhouses in the first semifinal: the United States versus the Dominican Republic. Right now, the U.S. has a slight edge.
The Dominicans, led by Albert Pujols (a former teammate of Mark DeRosa), are exciting. Defensively, offensively, and on the bases, nothing seems to stop them. It's a party every day in that locker room, and the energy is contagious. Austin Wells, who represents the Dominicans due to his mother's heritage, feels “more and more Dominican” following his game-winning home run on Friday.
Of course, the Americans shouldn't be taken lightly either. They have an excellent baseball team, even if their offense is a tad less dynamic than the Dominicans'.
But on the mound, the advantage goes to the U.S. And that will clearly be the case on Sunday, as Luis Severino will represent his country… and he'll face Paul Skenes for the Americans. The plan, right now, is to give Skenes between 75 and 80 pitches.
We all agree that the showdown between Skenes and the Dominican Republic's powerful hitters feels like a final before the final, right? It'll be a treat… just like when Shohei Ohtani faced Mike Trout in the 2023 final.
The American manager expects one of the best matchups of all time. And on Sunday (8 p.m.), if both teams play up to their potential, that's exactly what we'll get. What a show it will be.
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pic.twitter.com/740ByIkFrT— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) March 14, 2026
FOUR homers
pic.twitter.com/1IEtmtQWr6 — Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) March 14, 2026
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