Baseball is the BEST
We are up to 92 home runs this WBC
That’s the most in a single World Baseball Classic
Previously: 85 in 2023 and 2009
Most home runs in a single World Baseball Classic:
2009 MEX 14
2026 DOM 13
2009 VEN 13
2026 ITA 12
2023 USA 12
2009 USA 12
There have now been six games this WBC where a team hit 4+ home runs
That’s the most in a single tournament (previously 2009 (4))
The Dominican Republic is the first team to do it twice in a single WBC
The first three-home run game in WBC history!!!!! VINNIE PASQUANTINO
Most home runs in a single World Baseball Classic:
2009 MEX 14
2026 DOM 13
2009 VEN 13
2023 USA 12
2009 USA 12
Most home runs in first four games of a single World Baseball Classic:
2026 Dominican Republic: 12
2009 Mexico: 12
2026 Italy: 11
2009 Cuba: 11
h/t @EliasSports
Most for a single tournament: 14, 2009 Mexico
Most home runs in first four games of a single World Baseball Classic:
2009 Mexico: 12
2026 Dominican Republic: 11
2026 Italy: 11
2009 Cuba: 11
h/t @EliasSports
Most for a single tournament: 14, 2009 Mexico
There have now been 8 individual multi-homer games this WBC
That’s the most in a single WBC, prior record was 6 in 2009
Vinnie Pasquantino with the second multi-homer game for Italy at the World Baseball Classic, joining Dante Nori on 3/7/26
Juan Soto now has four career World Baseball Classic homers, tying Nelson Cruz and Adrian Beltre for most in Team Dominican Republic history
Both were around the cage when Soto took BP earlier
A FIRST FOR EUROPE: With three consecutive wins to open the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Team Italy has become the first European
nation to win three straight games in WBC play
h/t Jason Zillo of Italy PR
Daily Statcast leaders for Day 6 (March 10) of the World Baseball Classic:
Exit velocity
Distance
Pitch velocity
Swings & misses
🔥 💪 ⭐️
Reminder that Eduardo Rodríguez’s nickname has the most adorable origin (Bo Naylor vibes), via @bycarlosguillen.bsky.social :
The nickname of "el Gualo" comes from his childhood days in Venezuela, when his younger brother called him that while he was learning to speak
Eduardo — El Gualo 🥺
There have now been 7 individual multi-homer games this WBC
That’s the most in a single WBC, surpassing 2009
Pete Crow-Armstrong with the third multi-homer game for USA in the World Baseball Classic, joining:
3/19/23 Trea Turner
3/10/06 Ken Griffey Jr.
largest comebacks wins, WBC history:
3/11/17 VEN over ITA: trailed by 5 runs
3/11/17 DOM over USA: 5 runs
3/17/23 MEX over PUR: 4 runs
3/9/17 ITA over MEX: 4 runs
3/12/13 DOM over ITA: 4 runs
h/t @EliasSports
AND this outing comes 20 years to the day from his WBC debut, when he did not allow a hit in a run-rule shortened game
He was 19 years old, and held the mark for youngest WBC SP until his teammate Jaitoine Kelly surpassed it this year
Daily Statcast leaders for Day 5 (March 9) of the World Baseball Classic:
Exit velocity
Distance
Pitch velocity
Swings & misses
🔥 💪 ⭐️
Shairon Martis got an ovation from the Netherlands dugout upon entering the game, his first appearance this tournament
2026 is the fifth World Baseball Classic he’s appeared in a game in, tied for the record with Miguel Cabrera and Alfredo Despaigne
Baseball is the best!
Dusty Baker made his MLB debut as a 19-year-old in 1968, and played until he was 37 (1986), winning a WS in 1981 with LAD
He made his managerial debut as a 43-year-old with the Giants in 1993
In 2022 at 73, he was a World Series-winning manager
Now at 76, got to live the WBC
Fun note on tonight’s Netherlands SP Ryjeteri Merite, from @morsecode7.bsky.social:
His father’s favorite player was Derek Jeter and named him to include Jeter in his first name - Ry "Jeter" i
Highest-scoring innings, World Baseball Classic history:
3/6/26 Japan: 10 runs, 2nd inning
3/10/26 Japan: 9, 8th
3/13/23 USA: 9, 1st
3/12/09 Cuba: 9, 7th
There have already been 9 shutouts in this WBC
There were four all of the 2023 WBC
Most in a single tournament: 11 in 2009
This was Japan’s sixth World Baseball Classic shutout, tying Puerto Rico and Venezuela for the most by any team in the history of the event
There have now been 5 grand slams so far in this WBC
That breaks a tie with 2023 for the most in a single WBC
Most WBC grand slams:
Korea: 4 *
Chinese Taipei: 3 *
USA: 3
Japan: 3 **
Cuba: 2
*1 in 2026
**2 in 2026
Japan is the second team with two grand slams in a single World Baseball Classic, joining Korea in 2023
HR & OF assist in same World Baseball Classic game:
3/9/2026 MEX Jarren Duran (1st w/2 of either)
3/9/2026 USA Aaron Judge
3/8/2026 MEX Alek Thomas
3/20/2023 JPN Masataka Yoshida
3/13/2023 DOM Juan Soto
3/9/2023 CHN Pei Liang
3/9/2017 ITA John Andreoli
h/t @EliasSports
Reigning MVPs to play in the World Baseball Classic:
2026 Aaron Judge
2026 Shohei Ohtani
2023 Paul Goldschmidt
2013 Miguel Cabrera
2009 Dustin Pedroia
2006 Alex Rodriguez
2006 Albert Pujols
