Best pool play World Baseball Classic matchups as tournament starts

Before 2026 MLB With the season underway, the World Baseball Classic is back to determine the best national team in the world.

There will be 20 teams vying for the title, and pool games begin this week with the final group on March 17 at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida – the team’s home stadium. Miami Marlins.

The tournament will feature baseball powerhouses, including Team USA, which will feature the likes of Aaron Judge, Paul Skines, Cal Raleigh, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and many others leading the way to what the USA hopes will be more victories in 2026, especially after the Milan Cortina Games are over.

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Team USA’s Kyle Schwarber reacts after hitting a home run in the eighth inning during the 2023 World Baseball Classic between Team USA and Team Japan at Depot Park on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, in Miami, Florida. (Daniel Cherry/WBCI Images/MLB)

But other countries, such as Japan, the World Boxing Council champion, and the Dominican Republic, want to show off over the next three years until the tournament returns. Only two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the quarter-finals, and there are some amazing clashes already in place at this year’s tournament.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five best pool matchups that every baseball fan can’t miss, starting with Tokyo.

Japan vs. Korea – March 7, 5 a.m. ET

It’s time to set those alarms, because Shuhei Otani WBC winners Japan host Korea, and these two rivals have put on some epic matches in this tournament in the past.

In 2009, these two teams battled it out in an extra-round tournament, having been playing against each other since 1954. However, while Japan has cemented their position as the team to beat in this tournament, Korea has been unable to capture that glory from previous years, failing to make it out of the group stage since the WBC Championship in 2009.

Korea has some solid players on its roster, including a veteran of big-game scenarios in Hyun-Jin Ryu, the former Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays outfielder, who will find success at 38 years old. It also features top players like Hyeseong Kim, Jung Hoo Lee, Shay Whitcomb and Jahmai Jones.

But Japan is stacked once again, as Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Yusei Kikuchi and Tomoyuki Sugano are well-known names in the staff, while Munetaka Murakami, Seiya Suzuki and Masataka Yoshida join Ohtani in the line-up.

Dominican Republic vs. Netherlands – March 8, 12 noon ET

You may not look at this as a rivalry, but these teams certainly have animosity considering that many of the players are from Curaçao – an island nation made up within the kingdom. Think Kenley Jensen, Ozzie Albes, Xander Bogaerts (Aruba), Grekson Profar and Sedan Rafaela. Even Didi Gregorius, who was actually born in Amsterdam, will be on the field to face a packed Dominican side over the weekend.

Juan Soto of the Dominican Republic hits a home run in the third inning of a World Baseball Classic Pool D game against Puerto Rico at Loan Depot Park on March 15, 2023, in Miami, Florida. (Eric Espada/Getty Images)

Take one look at DR’s roster, and you’ll find all-star after all-star, from Manny Machado to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., to… Juan Sototo Fernando Tatis Jr., and the list goes on and on. It’s arguably the best lineup of the tournament given the star power there, and there’s no doubt that every one of them would like to get out of the group stage after not doing so last time out.

USA vs. Mexico – March 9, 8 p.m. ET

While Team USA absolutely owns the roster, Mexico is victorious in each of their last three meetings, and it wasn’t even that close in 2023 when El Tri took down the Stars and Stripes by a score of 11-5.

However, the United States won the title, but lost to Japan in the end. As a result, their roster is the best it has ever been, featuring a rotation that will include Tarik Skubal (who is only expected to play in a pool match against Great Britain), Skines, Nolan McLean, Logan Webb and others.

In the bullpen, Mason Miller is slated to close out games, while Garrett Whitlock, Griffin Jacks and others bring electric stuff in high-leverage situations.

And on the field, while the aforementioned Judge will lead Team USA, the likes of Gunnar Henderson, Bobby Witt Jr., Alex Bregman, Pete Crowe Armstrong and Byron Buxton make up a deep roster that manager Mark DeRosa can play with throughout the tournament.

WBC Team USA captain Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Team USA manager Mark DeRosa speak to the media during the game between the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Monday, April 14, 2025, in New York, New York. (Mary DiCicco/MLB Pictures)

But Mexico has a strong lineup again, with Jonathan Aranda, Randy Arozarena, Jarren Duran and Luis Urias as prominent strikers in the lineup. On the mound, Taj Bradley, Taijuan Walker and electric closer Andres Muñoz highlight the pitching staff.

Puerto Rico vs. Canada – March 10, 7 p.m. ET

For the first time since 2013, Puerto Rico is a host site for pool play in the WBC Championship, and San Juan is sure to be buzzing when its national team takes the field against a Canadian team loaded with talent as well.

Jameson Taillon, Cal Quantrill and Mike Soroka are in the rotation, while the Naylor brothers, Josh and Beau, will play together for their country. Slugger Tyler O’Neill also returns to the team, and Abraham Toro, Otto Lopez and Edouard Jullien are among the senior players in the squad.

But it’s hard not to expect Puerto Rico to take care of business in its capital, as it boasts a deep pitching staff, with closer Edwin Diaz hoping for redemption after his freak accident in 2023 that resulted in a season-ending injury while with the New York Mets. Seth Lugo, Fernando Cruz, Jorge Lopez, and Jose Espada provide intimidating depth, and the position players are household names.

However, the biggest of them all is Nolan Arenado, who helped the USA win gold in 2017 and silver in 2023. Although he grew up in a large Cuban family, his maternal grandmother is Puerto Rican, and he has indicated a desire to play for Puerto Rico in the past. This is his moment to do so, as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ newest starter Platinum Glove hopes to add some solid play there as he has done for the USA in the past.

Puerto Rico’s Edwin Diaz celebrates a home run during a 5-2 win over the Dominican Republic during a World Baseball Classic Pool D game at LoanDepot Park on March 15, 2023, in Miami, Florida. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

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Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela – March 11, 8 p.m. ET

This may be the best pool game of the first round of the entire WBC Championship, as the abundant star power will be on full display.

We’ve already mentioned what the DRC brings to the table, but Venezuela is also busy across the board. Salvador Perez will be back behind the plate, but William Contreras is also there to catch up alongside his brother Wilson. Luis Arraez, Eugenio Suarez, Andres Giménez and Gleyber Torres highlight the pitch, while Ronald Acuña Jr., Wiler Abreu and Jackson Chorio command the field for Venezuela.

There’s a chance these two teams could end up being the top two teams out of Group D. We might want to, considering this pool game could have a championship atmosphere when they take the court in Miami.

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