World Baseball Classic Final: Venezuela are the new Baseball World Champions!
Venezuela were crowned World Champions on Tuesday, defeating USA, 3–2, in the final of the 2026 World Baseball Classic in front of 36,190 spectators at a sold-out Loan Depot Park in Miami.
It's the fourth time the world No. 5 have been declared baseball world champions after titles in 1945, 1944 - when the Baseball World Cup was held in Caracas - and in 1941 on Cuban soil in Havana. It's also their seventh baseball/softball world champion crown across all age groups having become softball world champions as well last year - drawing level with Korea in seventh spot.
Eugenio Suarez was the hero, delivering a historic RBI double in the top of the ninth to give the Vinotinto their first World Baseball Classic title.
Maikel Garcia was named MVP of the tournament.
Venezuela’s pitching staff carried the team, allowing just three hits to a star-studded USA lineup. Eduardo Rodríguez delivered a dominant outing, pitching 4.1 innings of one-hit ball with four strikeouts.
The bullpen was equally outstanding, with Eduard Bazardo, José Buttó, Ángel Zerpa and Daniel Palencia keeping USA in check. Andrés Machado allowed the only two runs of the game, giving up Bryce Harper’s game-tying homer in the eighth. Paradoxically, he was credited with the win.
In the third inning, Salvador Pérez scored on a sacrifice fly by García, and Wilyer Abreu added a solo homer in the fifth to give Venezuela a 2–0 lead.
Later in the game, Bryce Harper tied it with a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth.
Venezuela had reached the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic in 2009 and again in 2017, but this was their first appearance in the championship game. And this time, they won it all.
The South Americans arrived in the 2026 World Baseball Classic final through a very difficult path in the single-elimination bracket.
Entering the knockout stage as the Group D runners-up, Venezuela immediately faced a major test against Group C winner Japan in the quarterfinals. In one of the tournament’s most notable results, Venezuela edged Japan 8–5, eliminating a traditionally dominant contender.
That victory set up a semifinal clash with Italy, the Group B winner that had just knocked out Puerto Rico. Venezuela continued their strong form, securing a 4–2 win to book their place in the final. Back-to-back victories over group winners underlined the strength of their campaign and suggest a team peaking at the right moment.
- Day 1 recap
- Day 2 recap
- Day 3 recap
- Day 4 recap
- Day 5 recap
- Day 6 recap
- Day 7 recap
- Day 8 recap
- Day 9 recap
- Day 10 recap
- Day 11 recap
World Baseball Classic Day 12
| Venezuela-USA | 3-2 | BOX SCORE |
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Venezuela-USA 3-2
After reaching base in both the first and second innings, Venezuela finally broke through in the third. Salvador Perez singled to right field and moved to second on a walk by Ronald Acuña Jr. Both advanced on a wild pitch, and Perez scored on a sacrifice fly by Maikel García.
On the defensive side, Eduardo Rodríguez opened with three scoreless innings, retiring the first seven batters he faced. Brice Turang singled in the bottom of the third with one out but was left stranded, as the left-hander struck out Byron Buxton and induced a flyout to centre field from Bobby Witt Jr.
Venezuela extended their lead in the fifth inning. USA starter Nolan McLean left a 96-mph fastball over the middle of the plate, and Wilyer Abreu drove it into the batter’s eye for a 414-foot home run to give Venezuela a 2–0 lead. It was Abreu's second homer of the tournament.
McLean retired the next two batters before being pulled by manager Mark DeRosa. He allowed two runs on four hits while striking out four over 4.2 innings. Brad Keller came on in relief.
With one out in the fifth, Venezuela manager Omar López went to the bullpen, pulling Rodríguez after a stellar outing. The left-hander allowed one hit over 4.1 scoreless innings before Eduard Bazardo took over.
After a perfect fifth inning, Jose Butto took the mound for Venezuela. The San Francisco Giants reliever retired the first two batters he faced, then allowed a single to Bryce Harper, bringing the potential tying run to the plate. However, he induced a groundout to third from Aaron Judge to end the inning.
Ángel Zerpa followed with 0.2 scoreless innings before Andrés Machado took over. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Machado walked Bobby Witt Jr. on four pitches, and Harper then tied the game with a 432-foot no-doubt homer, making it 2–2.
For USA, Will Vest and Griffin Jax combined to keep Venezuela scoreless in the seventh and eighth, keeping the world No. 3 within reach.
In the top of the ninth, DeRosa turned to Garrett Whitlock, who walked Luis Arraez to lead off the inning. Omar López sent Javier Sanoja in as a pinch-runner, and he stole second base. He then scored easily on a clutch RBI double by Eugenio Suárez, giving Venezuela the lead once again.
Daniel Palencia pitched a perfect ninth inning to close the game and give Venezuela their first World Baseball Classic title.
In spite of giving up Harper's home run, Machado was the winning pitcher for Venezuela. Withlock was charged with the loss for USA.
Preview
The pitching matchup features an intriguing contrast between experience and recent form, as Venezuela’s Eduardo Rodríguez is set to face USA’s Nolan McLean. Both pitchers have shown vulnerability in limited outings during the tournament.
Rodríguez, a seasoned left-hander, brings a wealth of experience to the mound. In his only start of the 2026 Classic, Rodríguez allowed three runs on three hits over three innings, striking out five and issuing one walk, resulting in a 10.13 ERA.
On the other side, McLean has also showed some issues for USA. In his lone appearance, he allowed three runs on two hits across three innings, striking out four and walking two, for a 9.00 ERA.
Final Standings
- Venezuela
- USA
- Dominican Republic
- Italy
- Japan
- Canada
- Puerto Rico
- Korea
- Australia
- Cuba
- Mexico
- Israel
- Chinese Taipei
- Colombia
- Great Britain
- Netherlands
- Panama
- Nicaragua
- Czechia
- Brazil
LA 2028 Qualification Process
The 2026 World Baseball Classic also forms part of the qualification pathway to LA28. Three of the six participants in the baseball tournament at the Olympic Games competed in the VI World Baseball Classic. The USA qualified as the host nation of the LA28 Games.
The Dominican Republic and Venezuela qualified as the two highest-placed teams from the Americas.
The LA 28 qualification process will resume in November 2027 with the WBSC Premier12, which will qualify the top finisher among the Asian Teams and the top finisher among the teams from Europe and Ocenia.
A six-team final qualifier, including two teams from Asia, two teams from Europe, one from Oceania and one from Africa, will award the last spot in early 2028.
Cover Photo: WBCI/MLB Photos by Getty Images
Categories: Baseball , Men's Baseball , Olympic Baseball , Olympics , World Baseball Classic
