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4 World Baseball Classic matchups to watch in pool play
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Photo credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Aidan Sinclair
Mar 6, 2026, 10:00 ESTUpdated: Mar 6, 2026, 07:06 EST
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The World Baseball Classic is officially here. 20 teams battling to be crowned World Champion.
Players cementing legacies as heroes of their home countries. The WBC is the pinnacle of entertainment in baseball, and in this article, we’re going to take a look at four key matchups during pool play, highlighting juggernauts going head-to-head in an attempt to qualify for the quarter-finals.  
Pool A: Canada vs Puerto Rico – March 10th, 7 pm EST 
The most notable headline this offseason related to the World Baseball Classic involved Puerto Rico’s roster and the insurance complications multiple star players faced, ultimately forcing them to miss the tournament. Carlos Correa and Francisco Lindor were all set to contribute to the middle part of the Puerto Rican lineup, though they were all denied coverage due to prior injury history. Javy Baez won’t be playing because of a violation during the 2023 tournament that carries over into this one.
This left a dent in what could have been one of the deeper lineups in the entire tournament. Nolan Arenado, Heliot Ramos, and Willi Castro now headline a weaker Puerto Rico lineup that will be heavily reliant upon its pitching to exit pool play. Seth Lugo, Edwin Diaz, Fernando Cruz, Jorge Lopez, and Jovani Moran create a formidable rotation-bullpen combination that is one of the strongest in Pool A. 
On the Canadian side, their roster is far improved from 2023, and the country is looking to advance past the group stage for the first time in its history. Recently announced captain Josh Naylor leads a deep lineup backed by Tyler O’Neil, Owen Caissie, Denzel Clarke, and Otto Lopez, amongst others, with incredibly defensive versatility. Clarke is already one of the premier defenders in MLB and will provide great range in center field. Canada’s rotation will likely dictate the team’s success, with Jameson Taillon and Michael Soroka taking the mound for games one and two. 
A likely pitching matchup between Canada and Puerto Rico would feature either Cal Quantrill or James Paxton against either Elmer Rodriguez or Eduardo Rivera.
Quantrill is a seven-year big leaguer who has had success in the past with the Cleveland Guardians, while Paxton will be returning to a big-league mound for the first time since 2024, where he last pitched with the Boston Red Sox. On Puerto Rico’s side, Rodriguez threw 61 1/3 innings with the Yankees’ Double-A affiliate to a 2.64 ERA, while Rivera tossed 42.1 innings for the Red Sox’s Double-A affiliate to the tune of a 3.40 ERA. Puerto Rico likely has the pitching advantage, whilst Canada possesses a deeper lineup, making this matchup a must-watch for Pool A. 
Pool B: USA vs Mexico – March 9th, 8 pm EST 
After losing the 2023 WBC to Japan, Team USA has come out firing in their two exhibition games against the Rockies and Giants, outscoring their opponents 29-5.
This is undoubtedly the most complete roster the United States has ever constructed for a WBC. The lineup is headlined by captain and three-time MVP winner Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Bobby Witt Jr, Alex Bregman, and Kyle Schwarber. Many MLB stars won’t see regular playing time due to the sheer depth and talent in the lineup, though this leaves Manager Mark DeRosa with options to implement defensive replacements late in games. Blue Jays super-utility infielder Ernie Clement will be representing the USA and could provide a spark to the bottom of the lineup when called upon. The rotation and bullpen are headlined by Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, Logan Webb, and Mason Miller. 
Mexico will be looking to undo the heartbreak from the last edition of the tournament, losing in walk-off fashion to the eventual champion Japan in their semi-final matchup. The lineup features multiple quality MLB hitters, including captain Alejandro Kirk, Randy Arozarena, Jarren Duran, and Jonathan Aranda. Arozarena went nuclear in 2023, hitting .450 for Mexico in the middle of the order, and will look to continue his success against a potent USA pitching staff. The Mexican rotation-bullpen features Javier Assad, Taijuan Walker, Victor Vodnik, and Andres Munoz to close out ballgames. 
Paul Skenes has been the confirmed starter for Team USA, whilst either Walker or Assad could be tasked with going up against one of the best lineups in the tournament.
If Mexico has any chance of beating the United States in this heavyweight matchup in Pool B, they will need some serious offensive contributions to supplement their weak pitching staff. 
Pool C: Japan vs Korea – March 7th, 5 am EST 
It is hard to imagine that anyone but the defending champion Japan will come out on top of Pool C.
Similar to the USA, they feature a star-studded lineup including four-time MVP winner Shohei Ohtani, Munetaka Murakami, Seiya Suzuki, and newly signed Blue Jay Kazuma Okamoto. This group of hitters alone would triumph over the rest of Pool C competition, and when paired with supplementary pieces such as Masataka Yoshida, Kensuke Kondo, and Teruaki Sato, it makes them nearly unbeatable. A pitching staff featuring Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Yusei Kikuchi, Hiromi Itoh, and Taisei Ota will make a matchup with Korea extremely difficult. 
Korea experienced a rather disappointing 2023 tournament, failing to exit the group stage. Since the WBC’s inception in 2006, Korea has seen a consistent fall-off in tournament success, failing to make it out of pool play after finishing runner-up in the 2009 tournament. They are no longer seen as a powerhouse that can compete with Japan, though their lineup, backed by Jung Hoo Lee, Hyeseong Kim, Hyun Min Ahn, and Jahmai Jones, could give Japan a run for their money. It is their pitching that will likely falter against their top pool opponent, with former Blue Jay Hyun Jin Ryu, Dane Dunning, and Woo-Suk Go headlining a rather weak Korean staff. 
Former Blue Jay Yusei Kikuchi is scheduled to start against Korea, with one of Ryu or Dunning likely tasked with the challenge of holding Japan’s lineup at bay. If Korea has any chance of defeating the reigning champion, they will need an offensive outburst, similar to the one they recently experienced against Czechia, putting up 11 runs against far worse pitching. 
Pool D: Dominican Republic vs Venezuela – March 11, 8 pm EST 
Pool D offers the most balanced heavyweight matchup for a group stage game, with the Dominican Republic and Venezuela arguably being part of the top four teams in tournament contention. The DR has brought forth a superstar lineup after being knocked out during pool play in 2023, with Blue Jay fan favourite Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at the center. Julio Rodriguez, Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, and Manny Machado headline one of the deepest lineups in the entire tournament, with Cy Young runner-up Cristopher Sanchez, Luis Severino, Brayan Bello, Abner Uribe, and Carlos Estevez leading the pitching staff. 
Venezuela is by no means a team that can be overlooked. The USA, DR, and Japan are seen as the top three teams in contention for the championship, with Venezuela having an argument to be number four, with an opportunity to upset given their star-studded roster. Ronald Acuna Jr., Jackson Chourio, Willson and William Contreras, Salvador Perez, and Blue Jay shortstop Andres Gimenez create a force of a lineup that will do damage against top-tier pitching. Luis Arraez, Gleyber Torres, Wilyer Abreu, and Maikel Garcia round out Venezuela’s lineup. Ranger Suarez, Eduardo Rodriguez, Keider Montero, Eduard Bazardo, and Daniel Palencia round out a solid pitching staff that will give Venezuela a real chance at exiting the group stage. 
The pitching matchup is likely to feature one of Sandy Alcantara or Brayan Bello for the Dominican Republic, with either Keider Montero or Antonio Senzatela taking the mound for Venezuela. Alcantara is a former Cy-Young award winner, and Bello has been a consistently solid starter for the Red Sox, whilst Montero and Senzatela are yet to find their footing in MLB, creating an advantage for the DR. Ultimately, this matchup will likely be the most entertaining in pool play, with two juggernaut lineups battling to take the top spot in Pool D.

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