World Baseball Classic Final: USA Meets Venezuela After 4-2 Semifinal Results

Venezuela enters the World Baseball Classic final following a 4-2 victory over Italy, while Team USA advanced by defeating the Dominican Republic.

The 2026 World Baseball Classic final is set for Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET in Miami, featuring a championship showdown between the United States and Venezuela. Team USA reached its third consecutive title game after defeating the Dominican Republic in Sunday's semifinal, while Venezuela secured its spot by overcoming Italy with a 4-2 score on Monday. The Venezuelan victory was fueled by a seventh-inning rally and a bullpen that provided 7.2 scoreless innings of relief following Keider Montero's exit. Jackson Chourio, the 22-year-old batting ninth, sparked the decisive surge with a two-out single that initiated a sequence of four consecutive base hits.

Nolan McLean is scheduled to start for the United States, though he enters the World Baseball Classic final with a 70-pitch limit. The right-hander, who has eight career major league starts, looks to rebound from a pool play appearance against Italy where he surrendered two home runs in three innings of work. Venezuela will counter with Eduardo Rodriguez, who is expected to provide four to five innings of length. Manager Omar Lopez must navigate a bullpen where five of the six relievers used on Monday threw fewer than 30 pitches, potentially making them available for the finale depending on club restrictions.

Team USA Offensive and Defensive Metrics

Aaron Judge enters the championship game as the U.S. captain, boasting a .979 OPS with two home runs and six walks throughout the tournament. In the semifinal against the Dominican Republic, Judge recorded a critical defensive play by throwing out Fernando Tatis Jr. at third base to conclude the third inning. Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. has contributed three stolen bases and multiple walks while maintaining a high defensive standard, though he has yet to hit a home run in the competition. Bryce Harper, hitting second between Witt and Judge, has struggled with a 4-for-24 record that includes one extra-base hit and eight strikeouts.

Mark DeRosa’s lineup has produced inconsistent scoring totals of six, five, five, and two runs over the last four contests. Despite these offensive fluctuations, the pitching staff has remained resilient. In the semifinal victory over the Dominican Republic, the trio of Tyler Rogers, David Bednar, and Mason Miller successfully navigated middle and late-inning pressure. However, Miller, considered the tournament's premier closer, may be unavailable for the final as he would be pitching for the fourth time in an eight-day window.

Venezuela’s Path to the Championship

Venezuela’s success is anchored by Luis Arraez, the No. 3 hitter who has amassed eight hits, 10 RBIs, and two walks in 25 plate appearances. Ronald Acuna Jr. has also been a primary catalyst, having hit a leadoff home run against Japan in the quarterfinals and beating out a two-out RBI infield single during the 4-2 win over Italy. The bottom half of the order features Gleyber Torres, Jackson Chourio, Wilyer Abreu, and catcher Salvador Perez, a group tasked with creating opportunities for the top of the lineup including Maikel Garcia.

Defensively, Venezuela has played nearly flawless baseball, committing zero errors in the field through six games. Their only recorded miscue was a catcher’s interference call against William Contreras in the sixth inning of their tournament opener. This defensive stability complements a bullpen strategy that effectively silenced Italy's bats for the majority of the semifinal. Jackson Chourio’s tactical contributions included a sacrifice bunt on Monday, a rarity for a player who has only recorded two such bunts in two full major league seasons.

Tactical Keys and Pitching Restrictions

Expert analysis from Alden Gonzalez, Jeff Passan, and Jorge Castillo highlights the bullpen as the primary factor for a U.S. victory. With McLean’s limited experience, the American relief corps must cover significant innings against a deep Venezuelan lineup. Passan notes that the U.S. must leverage its surfeit of arms to offset potential limitations in bullpen usage. Tactical advantages may lean toward the United States due to having a more rested roster compared to Venezuela’s quick turnaround from Monday’s semifinal.

Predictions from ESPN experts favor Team USA to secure its second WBC title, avenging the 2023 loss to Japan. The Americans aim to utilize their depth and matchup advantages to overcome a Venezuelan squad that has relied on clean defensive play and timely hitting from Arraez and Acuna. As the game begins in Miami, the focus remains on whether Rodriguez can suppress the American stars early or if the U.S. bullpen can once again weave out of trouble to clinch the international trophy.