WBC Daily Recap: Japan Clinches, Israel Finishes Strong, Canada Pushes Puerto Rico, and Team USA Is Suddenly in Trouble

The World Baseball Classic gave us exactly what this tournament always gives us: one powerhouse flexing its depth, one eliminated team going down swinging, one pool game turning tense late, and one absolute headache for Team USA.

And yes, that last part is the story.

But before getting to the Americans, let’s start with everything else that happened around the tournament today.

Japan closes Pool C the way Japan always seems to

Japan finished pool play undefeated, beating Czechia 9-0 at the Tokyo Dome to move to 4-0, while Czechia finished 0-4. But for most of the morning, this didn’t look like a blowout at all. Czech starter Ondrej Satoria—an electrician by trade and one of the better stories in the tournament—held Japan scoreless for 4 2/3 innings, and the game stayed deadlocked until the eighth. Then Japan did what Japan does: the lineup avalanche hit all at once. Yugo Wakatsuki broke the tie with an RBI double, Ukyo Shuto followed with a three-run homer, and Munetaka Murakami capped the inning with a grand slam as Japan scored nine runs in the eighth. Reuters noted that Japan stretched its WBC winning streak to 11 games and advanced to Miami looking every bit like the tournament favorite again.

Where Pool C stands

• Japan: 4-0

• Korea: 2-2

• Australia: 2-2

• Chinese Taipei: 2-2

• Czechia: 0-4 

Israel beats the Netherlands and at least leaves Miami with something

In the Miami early game, Israel beat the Netherlands 6-2 to finish 2-2, while the Dutch fell to 1-3. This was not a home-run derby kind of win; it was more like death by pressure. Israel outhit the Netherlands 8-3, got three RBIs from Jake Gelof, two RBIs from Matt Mervis, and got a huge bullpen effort, including five strikeouts in two innings from Harrison Cohen. The Netherlands stranded nine runners, never really found a big swing, and watched its tournament end with a flat offensive night. For Israel, it doesn’t change the bracket picture—Pool D was already locked up by Venezuela and the Dominican Republic—but it does matter that they didn’t leave empty-handed.

Where Pool D stands

• Venezuela: 3-0

• Dominican Republic: 3-0

• Israel: 2-2

• Netherlands: 1-3

• Nicaragua: 0-4 

Canada stuns Puerto Rico

Where Pool A stands right now

• Puerto Rico: 3-1

• Cuba: 2-1

• Canada: 2-1

• Colombia: 1-3

• Panama: 1-3 

And now the part Team USA does not want anyone talking about

At 10:51 PM EST, Team USA is in the bottom of the seventh inning and getting handled by Italy, trailing 8-1 in Houston. Italy came in undefeated in pool play and immediately treated this game like it belonged to them. Kyle Teel got the scoring started with a solo homer in the second, Sam Antonacci followed with a two-run shot later in the same inning, and Jac Caglianone added a two-run homer in the fourth. Then the sixth inning turned ugly for the Americans: Italy scored three more, helped by a wild pitch and two U.S. errors, and suddenly this wasn’t just a bad night—it was a dangerous one. Team USA’s only run has come on a Gunnar Henderson solo homer. A U.S. loss here could create a three-way tie scenario with Italy and Mexico, depending on what happens Wednesday in Pool B. That is not where the Americans expected to be.

And that’s really the story of the night.

If the Americans don’t come back, this tournament gets very uncomfortable very quickly. A team that came into the WBC looking like one of the favorites to win the whole thing is now staring at the possibility of not even making it out of pool play.

That’s the beauty of the WBC when it’s not happening to you.

And that’s the nightmare when it is.

And just when you think they're out, they suck you right back in. After a Goldschmidt single, Turang double, Pete Crow-Armstrong with 2 strikes hits a bomb to right to make it a 8-4 game. Do not call it a come back.

I really just want to go to sleep and forget this pathetic performance, meanwhile I just had to endure Yankees pitcher, David Bendar, pitch in and out of trouble. Time is running out for Team USA. Either win, or lose by 1.

We have life here in the bottom of the 8th, 2 on 2 out and Roman Anthony delivers a base hit over shortstop to score Schwarber and Bryce Harper is heading to the plate to pinch hit in hopes to tie the game with runners on first and third.....and he hits a weak fly ball to left to end the inning. I am now breaking out the Sour Patch Watermelon in hopes for a 4 run 9th inning walk off.

Mason Miller shuts them down 1-2-3 in the top of the 9th, I am almost out of Sour Patch Watermelons and just found out Mark DeRosa (Manager of Team USA) thought they already qualified to advance to the knockout round. Let's win a god damn baseball game because my tummy hurts.

PCA goes deep again, my stomach is in shambles, I may need to go get the Sour Patch Kids, as USA is down 2 with the top of the order coming up.

And thats the ball game. Witt singled, and then back to back strikeouts from Henderson and Judge. Felt the Judge strikeout coming as a Yankee fan, just used to this pain. I believe Italy has a +13 run differential compared to +18 of USA. So USA is still alive to advance but if they do they need to figure this shit out. Cant live and die with the long ball.