As patriotic fervors following the Winter Olympic Games continue to simmer, baseball players worldwide, including many from Major League Baseball, will report to their respective national teams in preparation for the start of the World Baseball Classic.
Here's a breakdown of which Phillies will represent the 20 nations in the WBC, as well as how to tune into the action.
Each competing WBC nation will take part in pool play, round robin-style, to determine which two of the five teams in each pool will advance to the quarterfinals. Pool A will take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as Puerto Rico competes against Cuba, Canada, Panama, and Colombia. The United States will host Pool B, to be played in Houston, Texas, and will host Mexico, Italy, Great Britain, and Brazil. The victors of Pool A and Pool B will face off against the runner-up of the opposite Pool in the quarterfinals, hosted in Houston.
On the opposite side of the bracket is Pool C, hosted in Tokyo, Japan. Japan, Australia, Korea, Czechia, and Chinese Taipei will compete in Pool C. Meanwhile, in Miami, Florida, Pool D will consist of Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Netherlands, Israel, and Nicaragua. The victors and runners-up of Pools C and D will face off just like Pool A and B in Miami.
The semifinals and championship game will then take place in Miami at LoanDepot Park starting March 15 and ending on March 17.
José Alvarado was meant to compete in the WBC for Venezuela, but will be unable to as his insurance claim was denied. Here are the remaining 16 players the Phillies are sending:
Pool A: Panama: Edmundo Sosa
Pool B: Brazil: Gabriel Barbosa; Italy: Aaron Nola, Dante Nori; Mexico: Alan Rangel, Taijuan Walker; United States: Bryce Harper, Brad Keller, Kyle Schwarber
Pool C: Australia: Mitch Neunborn
Pool D: Dominican Republic: Johan Rojas, Cristopher Sánchez; Israel: Max Lazar, Garrett Stubbs; Netherlands: Jaydenn Estanista; Venezuela: Jesús Luzardo
Personally, I’m hoping to see Aaron Nola face Team USA and have to pitch against Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber.
All 47 games of the WBC will be available for viewing on networks owned by FOX Sports (FOX, FS1, FS2, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App, and Tubi).
Below is the full schedule for the World Baseball Classic (any teams with Phillies on the roster are bolded).
March 4, 10 p.m., Chinese Taipei vs. Australia, FS1
March 5, 5 a.m., Czechia vs. Korea, FS1; 10 p.m., Australia vs. Czechia, FS1
March 6, 5 a.m. Japan vs. Chinese Taipei, FS1; 11 a.m., Cuba vs. Panama, FS2; 12 p.m. Netherlands vs. Venezuela, Tubi; 1 p.m., Mexico vs. Great Britain, FS1; 6 p.m., Puerto Rico vs. Colombia, FS1; 7 p.m., Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic, FS2; 8 p.m., USA vs. Brazil, FOX; 10 p.m.: Chinese Taipei vs. Czechia, FS2
March 7, 5 a.m., Korea vs. Japan, FS1; 11 a.m., Colombia vs. Canada, FS2; 12 p.m., Nicaragua vs. Netherlands, Tubi; 1 p.m., Brazil vs. Italy, FOX Sports App; 6 p.m., Panama vs. Puerto Rico, FS1; 7 p.m., Israel vs. Venezuela, FS2; 8 p.m., Great Britain vs. USA, FOX; 10 p.m., Chinese Taipei vs. Korea, FS2
March 8, 6 a.m., Australia vs. Japan, FS1; 12 p.m., Colombia vs. Cuba, FS2; 12 p.m., Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic, FOX; 1 p.m., Great Britain vs. Italy, Tubi; 7 p.m., Nicaragua vs. Israel, Tubi; 7 p.m., Panama vs. Canada, FS2; 8 p.m., Brazil vs. Mexico, FS1
March 9, 6 a.m., Korea vs. Australia, FS1; 12 p.m., Dominican Republic vs. Israel, FS1; 12 p.m., Colombia vs. Panama, FS2; 1 p.m., Brazil vs. Great Britain, Tubi; 7 p.m., Cuba vs. Puerto Rico, FS1; 7 p.m., Venezuela vs. Nicaragua, FS2; 8 p.m., Mexico vs. USA, FOX
March 10, 6 a.m., Czechia vs. Japan, FS1; 7 p.m., Israel vs. Netherlands, FOX Sports App; 7 p.m., Canada vs. Puerto Rico, Tubi; 9 p.m., Italy vs. USA, FS1
March 11, 3 p.m., Canada vs. Cuba, FS2; 7 p.m., Italy vs. Mexico, Tubi; 8 p.m., Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela, FS1
March 12: No games scheduled
March 13: Classic Quarterfinals, 6:30 p.m., Quarterfinal 1, FS2; 8 p.m., Quarterfinal 2, FOX
March 14: Classic Quarterfinals 3 p.m., Quarterfinal 3, FS1; 9 p.m., Quarterfinal 4, FOX
March 15: Classic Semifinals 8 p.m., Semifinal 1, FS1
March 16: Classic Semifinals 8 p.m., Semifinal 2, FS1
March 17: Classic Final 8 p.m., Championship Game, FOX
Go team USA, let me know which nation you think will reign supreme on X/Twitter (@shaun_nestor).
