World Baseball Classic: Quarterfinals Preview

The World Baseball Classic is down to its elite eight and every game from here on out is single elimination. (Mark DeRosa, do not bench any stars.) Also, 17 Mets (including minor leaguers) were on WBC rosters at the outset and now a lucky seven still have a chance for a ring.

Friday’s games

Korea vs. Dominican Republic at loanDepot park in Miami, 6:30 p.m. ET on FS2

Korea is the only team in the quarterfinals that lost twice, and it advanced by winning a three-way tiebreaker with Australia and Chinese Taipei. (Something seemed wrong to me at first about the runs allowed/outs recorded tiebreaker, but after some thought I like it.)

Korea is trying to make it to the semifinals for the first time since 2009, when it lost to Japan in the finals. It is facing a deep Dominican Republic team, looking for its second WBC title (2013, Robinson Canó was MVP).

Juan Soto is 5-for-15 with two home runs, four RBIs, five walks and a stolen base. He is one of five players on the team with two home runs (Junior Caminero, Oneil Cruz, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.). The DR outscored its opponents 41-10 while going 4-0 in pool play. Huascar Brazobán has thrown 2 2/3 innings of scoreless, hitless ball. He’s struck out four (including Nicaragua’s Mark Vientos) and walked one.

USA vs. Canada at Daikin Park in Houston, 8 p.m. ET on FOX

Team USA survived a scare, and now Nolan McLean (a shaky outing vs. Italy) might get to pitch again. McLean, before the tournament, was named the starter should the Americans make it to the final. Clay Holmes (three scoreless innings, six strikeouts vs. Great Britain) is returning to the Mets.  Pete Crow-Armstrong and Aaron Judge have hit two homers apiece.

The United States is trying to win its second WBC (2017, Marcus Stroman was MVP) and it will have to go through Canada and Marlins outfielder Owen Caissie (7-for-14, a home run, a 1.458 OPS). Jared Young is 1-for-5 with two strikeouts for Team Canada.

Saturday’s games

Puerto Rico vs. Italy at Daikin Park in Houston, 3 p.m. ET on FS1

Puerto Rico lost in this round in 2023 and in the finals in 2017 and 2013. In 2023, Edwin Díaz suffered a torn patellar tendon while celebrating a win over the Dominican Republic. He is back and has thrown two scoreless innings with five strikeouts and a save. Italy pulled off the upset of the tournament so far with its win over the United States. Vinnie Pasquantino became the first player to hit three homers in a WBC game against Mexico.

Mets prospect Nick Morabito, seeing action as a defensive replacement in the Team Italy outfield, is 0-for-1.

Venezuela vs. Japan at loanDepot park in Miami, 9 p.m. ET on FOX

Shohei Ohtani is 5-for-9 with two homers, a double and four walks for defending champion Japan, and Seiya Suzuki has a couple of homers as well. Japan has won three of the five Classics and advanced to the semifinals every time. This will be its first time playing Venezuela, which had its best showing when it advanced to the semifinals in 2009.

Ronald Acuña Jr. is 4-for-13 with a home run, a double, six walks, a tournament-leading eight runs scored and two stolen bases. Luis Arraez has two home runs and nine RBIs. RHP Carlos Guzman (3.12 ERA in 49 innings combined at Triple-A Syracuse and Double-A Binghamton in 2025), got into one game, recorded two outs and gave up a hit and a walk.

The winners of Friday’s games will play Sunday in Miami, and the winners of Saturday’s games will play there on Monday. The championship game is Tuesday in Miami at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

Predictions

Anything can happen in one baseball game. But I don’t like the vibes from Team USA. I think it survives Canada and loses to the immaculately-vibing DR in the semifinals. I’ll take Italy to keep its magic going, Venezuela in an upset over Japan and DR over Venezuela in the finals. Soto will edge Brazobán for MVP honors.

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