The 2026 World Baseball Classic is down to Day 7, which will end group play.
World No. 20 Canada defeated No. 10 Cuba in an elimination game at Hiram Bithorn Park in San Juan to advance to the quarterfinals as Group A’s first-place finishers.
Canada’s pitchers limited Cuba to five hits. Starter Cal Quantrill went five innings for the win. James Paxton added 2.2 solid innings. Abraham Toro dominated at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a home run and a double. No. 7 Puerto Rico qualified as Group A’s second-place team.
Behind a three-homer game from Vinnie Pasquantino, Italy defeated Mexico, 9–1, to clinch the top spot in Group B. The result sent USA through to the quarterfinals as runners-up, with Mexico finishing third.
No. 5 Venezuela take on No. 12 Dominican Republic at loanDepot Park in Miami. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals as Group D’s first-place team, with the loser qualifying in second place.
World Baseball Classic Day 7GROUP D GAME
Venezuela and Dominican Republic, both qualified for the next round, will face each other with the top spot in the group standings at stake.
Vinnie Pasquantino’s historic performance lifted Italy to first place in Group B and sent the Azzurri to the quarterfinals. Italy defeated Mexico, 9–1, a result that also sent USA through to the next round. Pasquantino delivered the first three-homer game in World Baseball Classic history. The Kansas City Royals first baseman went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a walk.
Pasquantino’s first homer travelled 342 feet over the right-field fence to give Italy a 1–0 lead in the second inning. His second blast, in the sixth, went 349 feet into the right-field bleachers. The third — his shortest at 337 feet — also cleared the right-field wall.
Jon Berti added a home run in the fourth, while Jakob Marsee contributed a two-run single during a three-run fifth inning.
Mexico’s lone run came in the seventh, when Alek Thomas drove in a run on a groundout.
Aaron Nola delivered a masterful start for Italy, pitching five scoreless innings while allowing four hits and one walk and striking out five to earn the win. Mexico’s Javier Assad was charged with the loss.
Solid pitching, with starter Cal Quantrill posting five masterful innings for the win, and a dominating effort at the plate by third baseman Abraham Toro led Canada over Cuba and to the 2026 World Baseball Classic quarterfinals.
Canada took the lead in the top of the third against Cuba’s ace Livan Moinelo. Tyler O’Neill and Abraham Toro reached on back-to-back singles and advanced on a passed ball. O’Neill scored the go-ahead run on Owen Cassie’s sacrifice fly.
Moinelo left with two outs in the fourth for Toronto Blue Jays reliever Yariel Rodriguez. The right-hander allowed Canada their second run on a solo homer by Abraham Toro.
Right-hander Cal Quantrill pitched five masterful innings for Canada, allowing an unearned run on two hits.
Canada took a 2-1 lead into the top of the sixth, when they broke the score open against Rodriguez. Matt Davidson reached on an error, advanced to second on the play and reached third on a wild pitch. Bo Naylor took him home with an RBI double.
Canada made the most of another defensive error with a two-RBI single by shortstop Otto Lopez, extending the lead to 5-1.
James Paxton, Canada’s fourth pitcher, dominated Cuba for 2.2 innings, allowing only one hit and a walk, while striking out six. Eric Cerantola got the final out.
Looking ahead to the Quarterfinals
Thursday, March 12, will be the only rest day in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Two quarterfinals are scheduled for Friday, March 13, in the American night.
No. 4 Korea will face the Group D winner at loanDepot Park in Miami at 23:30 GMT, while No. 7 Puerto Rico will play the Group B winner at Daikin Park in Houston at 1:00 GMT on Saturday, 14 March.
The other two quarterfinals are scheduled for Saturday, March 14, in the American time zones.
Daikin Park will host at 19:00 GMT the game between Group B second place and No. 20 Canada.
Group B’s second place finisher will fance No. 1 Japan at loanDepot Park at 2:00 GMT on Sunday, March 15.
LA 2028 Qualification Process
The 2026 World Baseball Classic also forms part of the qualification pathway to LA28. The baseball tournament at the Olympic Games will feature six teams, and while USA is already qualified as host, the two highest-placed teams from the Americas at the World Baseball Classic will also earn quota places at the Olympic tournament.
Cover Photo: WBCI/MLB Photos by Getty Images