World Baseball Classic (2026)

Every true sports fan knows a hard truth. Sometimes the outcome has nothing to do with hard work, discipline, and preparation. Sometimes the best team doesn’t win! We Canadians have recent, bitter, experience with this after watching our men’s hockey team lose to team USA in the Winter Olympic final after outshooting them to the tune of 42 to 28! Well, we’re back there again.

Now that the World Baseball Classic is over, we would like to salute team Canada who made it through to the quarter finals for the first time ever, racking up wins over Colombia (8-2), Cuba (7-2), and Puerto Rico (3-2)! Sadly, they fell to team USA in the quarter finals 5-3. But we were also rooting for the team that was clearly the best in the tournament. No, not Venezuela, but the team who beat them 7-5 in pool play, The Dominican Republic. How great was team DR? Well, after beating Israel 10 to 1, Nicaragua 12 to 3, The Netherlands 12 to 1, and Venezuela  7 to 5, they were so relentless against South Korea in the quarter finals that the mercy rule kicked in the bottom of the seventh inning after Austin Wells smashed a three-run walk-off home run! The final score was 10 to 0. That it was Venezuela (second in the pool with DR) that went on to win the classic by defeating the USA 3 to 2 was a gut punch for DR fans.

 

As the commentators stated repeatedly, there was simply no man to “pitch around” on the DR squad that was filled with superstars who were, on their MLB teams, routinely the go-to fourth batter. But still, they played selflessly for each other and their nation, each man willing to take a walk, attempt a bunt, or hit just to get on base, rather than be the home run guy. But hit homers they did, racking up a record setting 15 in the tournament. Our own Toronto Blue Jay, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Vladdy), was fired up and fierce with his daring base running and batting (hitting 8-18 for an average of .444). So, it was heart-breaking  – no-devastating – to see them fall 2 to 1 to team USA in the semi-finals.

Vlady’s acrobatic base running

 

For those who moan that Vladdy, born in Montreal, should have played for team Canada, get real! Compared to team DR’s energy, the Canadian men (as good as they are) made us want to take a nap. Part of the joy of watching the DR play is how much joy they obviously take in playing and being together. (The machete arm swing, selfie-pose, and celebratory home run necklace and jacket, say it all!)

Team DR’s Home Run Jacket

 

The MLB minor league team recruitment system in the DR means that most of the men on their national team have “come up” together and known each other for years. Their friendship and comradery are unmatched, and the spectacle of their brotherhood is a part of the reason they are so magnetic to watch. But for now, we’ll just have to settle for watching them shine on their respective MLB teams, that is until 2030!

Team DR’s Selfie Pose