2026 World Baseball Classic: Buxton, Clement Join USA; Freeman Out For Canada

We all remember the epic championship game of the 2023 World Baseball Classic when Shohei Ohtani struck out Team USA slugger Mike Trout to give Team Japan its third title in five editions of the tournament. 

Now we are gearing up for the 2026 WBC, which will see Ohtani and Japan try to defend their title in the 20-team competition that includes a stacked USA squad seeking redemption. Among the players committed to Team USA include Yankees superstar Aaron Judge, Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber, and Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.

We are counting down until the opening pitch of the tournament and bringing you the latest news and updates as rosters get announced. 

The 2026 World Baseball Classic will be held from March 5–17. Twenty teams have been placed into four pools with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the quarterfinals. 

Pool A games will be played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Pool B games will be played at Daikin Park, home of the Houston Astros. Pool C games will be played at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. Pool D games will be played at LoanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins. 

Pool Play: March 5-11
Quarterfinals: March 13–14 (Daikin Park, Houston; LoanDepot Park, Miami)
Semifinals: March 15 (LoanDepot Park, Miami)
Final: March 17 (LoanDepot Park, Miami)

Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk has been named captain for Team Mexico for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Kirk will lead a MLB-heavy lineup that includes stars like Jarren Duran, Randy Arozarena and Jonathan Aranda. The 27-year-old backstop is coming off his second All-Star appearance and was a key part of the Blue Jays reaching the World Series. The Tijuana native slashed .282/.348/.421 with 15 home runs and 76 RBIs during the 2025 season.

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