Skenes vs. Sluggers: Get Ready for USA-Dominican Republic in WBC Semifinals

DAIKIN PARK (Houston) – As Team USA quashed a late charge from Canada on Friday night, Paul Skenes had already started the process of preparing for a seemingly indomitable machine. 

The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, the best hope the United States has of getting back to the World Baseball Classic final, took off early to get ready for his Sunday start in Miami where a juggernaut will be waiting. 

"I expect it to be, like, one of the best games of all time," USA manager Mark DeRosa said ahead of the star-studded semifinal matchup against the Dominican Republic. 

Despite fielding the most talented roster it has ever assembled, Team USA got to this point by surviving rather than thriving. The U.S. held on late against Mexico, lost to Italy and needed help to advance out of pool play, then held on for life again against its neighbors to the north. 

Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic has steamrolled its way through the competition, dancing and bat-flipping and swim-moving and soaring and soaking in every minute of a tournament that so outwardly and obviously means the world to its players. Julio Rodriguez even said it would mean more to win the World Baseball Classic than the World Series. 

"It’s exciting," Aaron Judge said of the Dominican style of play. "I know the fans definitely love it. But I try not to look at what other teams are doing, other people are doing. I’m focused on what we got here. We’ve got a special group of guys that love to play this game, they’re excited to be in this room, they’re all honored to be in this room, and they’re not taking it for granted."

The U.S. players say they’re having fun, too, even if it’s not as obvious, even if the wins aren’t as convincing and even if every game