Sunday night in Miami is not just another baseball game. What looms at loanDepot Park is an incredible collection of All-Stars, with national pride and a finals berth on the line. Team USA and the Dominican Republic square off in the 2026 World Baseball Classic semifinals, and the stakes could not be higher — a spot in Tuesday’s championship game is everything.
The U.S. advanced to the final four with a 5-3 win over Canada, while the Dominican Republic mercy ruled Korea with a dominant 10-0 romp in seven innings. Two paths, two very different vibes — and that contrast is exactly what makes Sunday’s showdown so compelling. One team has rolled through the competition without breaking a sweat. The other has survived by the skin of its teeth.
The Dominican Republic Is a Wrecking Machine
There is no sugarcoating it. The Dominican Republic has outscored opponents 51-10 across a perfect 5-0 record in this WBC, and their offense has been nothing short of historic. The lineup reads like a fantasy baseball dream sheet — Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Junior Caminero, who has yet to strike out once in the entire tournament.
The squad has already tied a WBC record with 14 home runs, with eight different players going deep. Manager Albert Pujols has barely had to break a sweat with this kind of firepower behind him. Every game has felt like a statement, and Sunday will be no different.
The best combined roster from both squads would look something like this
- C Cal Raleigh, USA
- 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., DR
- 2B Brice Turang, USA
- SS Bobby Witt Jr., USA
- 3B Manny Machado, DR
- LF Juan Soto, DR
- CF Pete Crow-Armstrong, USA
- RF Aaron Judge, USA
- DH Kyle Schwarber, USA
- SP Paul Skenes, USA
- CL Mason Miller, USA
- MGR Albert Pujols, DR
Team USA Survives, But Needs More
Team USA got to this point by surviving rather than thriving. The Americans lost to Italy in pool play, needed help to advance out of group stages, and then held on late against Canada in the quarterfinals. The vaunted lineup has looked less than dominant against every pitching staff with major league talent, and the offensive rhythm has never quite clicked the way most expected heading into the tournament.
The hottest bats have come from unexpected places. Pete Crow-Armstrong is 5-for-13 with three extra-base hits, while Brice Turang is 7-for-15 with four doubles — one of the most consistent performers in the entire tournament. Bobby Witt Jr. has been electric on both sides of the ball but has been stranded on base repeatedly, reaching base 10 times in the WBC while scoring only two runs. If Team USA wants to win Sunday, that has to change.
Aaron Judge, Kyle Schwarber and Cal Raleigh bring the kind of power that can flip a game in a single swing. The lineup is loaded — it just needs to perform when the lights are brightest.
Skenes vs. The Dominican Sluggers
The marquee matchup of Sunday’s game is straightforward. Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes is expected to take the mound against the Dominican Republic. Skenes is the best right-handed pitcher on the planet right now, and the WBC’s 95-pitch limit in the semifinals means he can be pushed deep into the game. The Dominican Republic lineup is deep and dangerous, but Skenes has the stuff and the mentality to handle the moment.
Luis Severino gets the ball for the Dominican Republic. He is coming off a difficult 2025 season, but Pujols is expected to give him a quick hook and deploy the bullpen aggressively. If Team USA can get into that relief corps early, there is an opening. If Severino settles in, it could be a long night for the Americans.
If Team USA carries a lead late, Mason Miller — arguably the best closer in baseball right now — will be the last line of defense. Few hitters in the world want to see him in a high-leverage spot.
What to Watch Sunday Night
The game kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 15, at loanDepot Park in Miami, airing on FS1 and Fox Deportes. Odds have Team USA as slight favorites, but the Dominican Republic’s unblemished record and historic offensive output make this anything but a foregone conclusion. The winner advances to Tuesday’s championship game. The loser goes home. There is no margin for error and no room for spring training energy — only the sharpest version of each team walks away with a chance at the title.
Source: CBS Sports
