Venezuela wins WBC
Venezuela beat the United States 3-2 to claim the 2026 World Baseball Classic — Maikel García was named the Classic MVP. U.S. TV smashed records with an average audience of about 10.2 million and peaks north of 12 million, a roughly 128% jump over the 2023 U.S.–Japan final. (sportingnews.com) (foxnews.com)
The championship was staged at Miami’s loanDepot Park before a sellout crowd of 36,190, a figure listed in multiple postgame reports. (forbes.com) Eugenio Suárez produced the decisive blow with an RBI double in the top of the ninth off Garrett Whitlock that put Venezuela back in front. (espn.com) Venezuela’s starter, left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez, worked 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out four to set the tone for the bullpen. (espn.com) Reliever Andrés Machado was credited with the win and 20-year-old Daniel Palencia closed with a save, while Garrett Whitlock took the loss for Team USA. (espn.com) Venezuela reached the final after an 8-5 quarterfinal upset of defending champion Japan and a 4-2 semifinal win over Italy at the Miami knockout site. (mlb.com) By advancing through the WBC semifinals, Venezuela also secured one of the Americas’ qualification spots for baseball at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. (wbsc.org) Maikel García finished the tournament with 10 hits in 26 at-bats and seven RBIs across seven games, the most hits of any player in the Classic. (cbssports.com) Venezuela’s title makes it the fourth nation to win the World Baseball Classic — joining Japan, the Dominican Republic and the United States — and the country’s first WBC championship. (cbssports.com)
