World Baseball Classic 2026 live updates: Venezuela defeats U.S. for first championship

The team USA fans have woken back up and are the loudest they’ve been all game, to no surprised. Fans were feeling deflated at the start of the inning but that has disappeared.

The United States’ bats have finally woken up!

Bryce Harper just launched a two-run homer into deep centerfield, tying the WBC final at 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth. With only four outs to spare, Harper finally gets the U.S. on the board.

Three up, three down for Venezuela in the top of the eighth, with Ronald Acuña Jr. and Maikel Garcia among those who were retired in the inning.

The pressure is mounting on the Venezuela bullpen to hold on to a 2-0 lead as we go to the bottom of the eighth.

Brice Turang will lead off for the U.S.

For the second straight inning, the United States brought the tying run to the plate. And for the second straight inning, the States were held scoreless.

Roman Anthony walked with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Will Smith fouled out soon after.

To the eighth we go, Venezuela still leads 2-0.

This game is being played on US soil but from inside LoanDepot Park, there’s no doubt the majority of the fans are supporting Team Venezuela. There was a monstrous applause earlier after Abreu's homer and chants echoing throughout the ballpark. 

Ezequiel Tovar singled for the second time tonight in the seventh, but he couldn’t score even after being moved to second on a groundout. It’s still 2-0 Venezuela, and the U.S. is running out of at bats.

The U.S. finally got its second hit in the bottom of the sixth — a Bryce Harper single — except Aaron Judge grounded out to third to end the inning. Judge is now 0-3 with two strikeouts, and the States remain scoreless headed to the seventh.

Two fly outs and a strike out sent Venezuela down in order in the top of the sixth. They cling to their 2-0 lead as we head to the bottom of the inning.

The US went down in order, 1-2-3 in the fifth inning. The Americans' only hit of the game is a ground-ball single from the No. 8 hitter Brice Turang.

Fortunately for Team USA, Venezuela removed Eduardo Rodriguez from the game in the fifth inning. Maybe the Americans will fare better against the Venezuelan bullpen.

Edurado Rodriguez’s night is done after a magnificent start. He pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and striking out four.

Venezuela will now look to its bullpen to silence the U.S. over the final 4 2/3 innings of the night.

This might be arguably the best outing of Rodriguez’s career. In 10 MLB seasons, he has a career 4.19 ERA and no All-Star appearances.

Brad Keller needed only two pitches to get Ronald Acuña Jr. to ground out, ending the top of the fifth. Venezuela leads 2-0 after the Wilyer Abreu home run.

Nolan McLean of Team U.S. Mary DeCicco / MLB Photos via Getty Images

The U.S. starter gave up two runs in 4 2/3 innings. McLean struck out four but also gave up four hits. Brad Keller is entering the game to face Ronald Acuña Jr.

Venezuela is now up 2-0 after a solo shot to center by Wilyer Abreu to lead off the fifth.

In his second at-bat, Aaron Judge struck out swinging on a changeup. He's 0-for-2 now with two strikeouts.

Team USA briefly showed some life in the fourth, though, as Kyle Schwarber drew a four-pitch walk. But Alex Bregman grounded into a force out to end the inning. Venezuela's Eduardo Rodriguez has thrown four scoreless innings on 51 pitches.

No baserunners for Venezuela in the top of the fourth, the first time tonight they didn’t get a hit off Nolan McLean. Venezuela still leads 1-0 as we head to the bottom of the inning.

After Venezeula's Eduardo Rodriguez retired the first seven batters, Brice Turang punched a single through the right side in the third inning, for Team USA's first hit of the game.

But Byron Buxton struck out and Bobby Witt Jr. flied out to center field to strand the runner. Through three innings: Venezuela 1, Team USA 0.

Team Venezuela celebrates after scoring during the World Baseball Classic championship game.  Mary DeCicco / MLB Photos via Getty Images

Venezuela got a hit for the third straight inning, and now finally has a run to show for it. They’ll take a one-run lead into the bottom of the third.

After a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position, Maikel Garcia hit a sacrafice fly to score the first run of the game.

Luis Arraez is up with two outs and a runner on third.

A leadoff single, a one-out walk and a wild pitch has runners on second and third for Maikel Garcia.

In the second inning, Eduardo Rodriguez struck out Kyle Schwarber on a foul tip, and then forced Alex Bregman and Roman Anthony to hit soft ground outs.

Rodriguez has retired six consecutive batters now through two innings, as the World Baseball Classic final remains scoreless.

Though it's the final, Mark DeRosa can’t manage recklessly tonight. DeRosa received instructions from multiple MLB teams before tonight’s game, receiving guidance from the likes of the Mariners and Cubs on when and how he can use certain relievers. With MLB season around the corner, DeRosa has to be mindful of his arms.

Venezuela got another hit in the top of the second — this time a two-out poke to right field by Ezequiel Tovar — but once again couldn’t do any damage. To the bottom of the second we go.

In the bottom of the first inning, Venezuela's starter Eduardo Rodriguez retired Team USA in order. Bobby Witt Jr. hit a fly out to center field, Bryce Harper popped out, and Aaron Judge struck out looking at a cutter.

"Finish him!" the Venezuelan fans chanted, before the 2-2 pitch, according to the Fox broadcast. After one inning, we're still scoreless.

Two pitches after the Acuña single, Maikel Garcia grounded out into a double play. Then Luis Arraez flew out to end a scoreless top half of the first for Venezuela.

A general view of loanDepot Park prior to the 2026 World Baseball Classic Championship game between Team Venezuela and Team USA. Scott Audette / MLB Photos via Getty Images

Members of Team USA take the field during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Championship.  Mary DeCicco / MLB Photos via Getty Images

Ronald Acuña Jr. smacked a single up the middle off the first pitch and the World Baseball Classic final is underway!

Trying to steal some good juju, the United States were gifted game-worn jerseys from the men’s Olympic team before tonight’s game. Maybe the gold-medal aura will wear off.

New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean will get the start for the United States in the final.

United States pitcher Nolan McLean (26) in Houston, TX. Ashley Landis / AP

The 24-year-old made only eight big-league starts before being selected for the WBC team. McLean went 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA for the Mets in 2025, and struck out 57 batters in only 48 innings pitched.

He was confident when selected for the national team.

“I’m built for this,” McLean told manager Mark DeRosa when he got the call, per MLB.com. “I’ve been waiting my whole life for something like this.”

The U.S. will play tonight against Venezuela for the World Baseball Classic, the third straight time they made the final. Here's how those matchups went:

2023: Japan defeated the U.S. 3-2

2017: U.S. defeats Puerto Rico 8-0

Former Marlins president David Samson discusses his experience attending the World Baseball Classic in Miami, previewing the final and detailing why he is "beaming" with pride watching baseball fans pack LoanDepot Park.

Despite entering the World Baseball Classic with a plethora of All-Star major leaguers, the United States’ bats haven’t always popped during the World Baseball Classic.

The U.S. enters the final tied for fourth in home runs, third in batting average and fifth in OPS during the tournament, an underwhelming return for a team whose strength was supposed to be its offense.

Eric Samulski breaks down Team USA's win over the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic semifinals, including which American players can translate their tournament success to the new MLB season.

Rookie star pitcher Nolan McLean of the New York Mets will take the mound in tonight's championship game.

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez will take the mound first for Venezuela in the WBC final.

Eduardo Rodriguez #52 of Team Venezuela in Miami, FL.  Kelly Gavin / MLB Photos via Getty Images

Rodriguez started 29 games for the Diamondbacks in 2025, going 9-9 with a 5.02 ERA. The 32-year-old has been in the majors since 2015, pitching for the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers before joining Arizona.

In his only WBC appearance so far in 2026, Rodriguez allowed 3 runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Dominican Republic.

Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning with a full count, Geraldo Perdomo took a pitch he — and many people watching at home — felt was low and a clear ball. He should have walked to first base to have runners at the corners. Instead the umpire called it a strike and the game ended.

Perdomo wasn't too happy about it after the game.

“He knew he was wrong,” Perdomo said. “I knew it was 100% wrong.”

U.S. outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong reluctantly agreed.

“It looked a little down. Yes, I’m glad we had no ABS," he seaid. "I’m happy that the human element was in full effect.”

With one out in the fourth inning against the Dominican Republic, U.S. outfielder Roman Anthony hit a solo home run to center field to provide a 2-1 lead that would not be relinquished.

Venezuela’s corner infield combo of third baseman Maikel Garcia and first baseman Luis Arraez has been on fire at the plate during the World Baseball Classic.

Garcia has a .435 batting average with a 1.110 OPS during the tournament so far. He’s also been scooting on the basepaths, stealing three bases.

Arraez, meanwhile, is batting .348. He has six extra-base hits in only 23 at bats, and his 1.168 OPS is fourth among players with at least 20 at-bats.

The New York Yankees star, who played in the 2024 World Series, said the WBC environment tops it.

“The World Series I was in, the crowd here, the crowd we had when we played against Mexico, it’s bigger and better than the World Series,” the U.S. captain said after a 2-1 semifinal win over the Dominican Republic. “The passion that these fans have, representing their country, representing some of their favorite players, there’s nothing like it.”

The U.S. advanced past the Dominican Republic thanks to two solo home runs by Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony in front of 36.337 people.

Judge said he got "chills standing there standing there on the line, hearing them announce all the names ... It was like an All-Star team they got over there.”