Safely out of pool play with no need to put its thinking cap on, the United States enters the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals staring at a of potential matchups that would either be finals firsts or rematches from past WBCs that have not been played in some time.

All this hinges on whether Team USA can beat a Canadian team that needed to win back-to-back matchups to make it out of pool play. It’s by far the best team that Canada has fielded in the 20-year history of the WBC.

If the U.S. does win its matchup tonight, then this is what the rest of its WBC tournament could look like, plus what the other federations need to do to make it happen:

Dominican Republic vs. United States (semifinals)

Baseball supremacy will be on the line, provided the U.S. outlasts Canada and the D.R. handles business against a weak Korea team. The two countries did not face each other in 2023, as the Dominicans did not make it out of pool play.

The last time these federations squared off was in 2017, when the two were stuck in Pool C, alongside Canada and Colombia.

In their first go-around, the Dominican Republic completed a five-run comeback in front of a pro-Dominican crowd in Miami to win the pool and catapult into the quarterfinals. The lasting image from that game was Nelson Cruz’s three-run home run off Andrew Miller, then the game’s most-feared reliever, to put the D.R. up for good.

Seriously, just listen to that crowd explode the minute bat meets ball.

The two squads eventually met again in the quarterfinals, and the U.S. got its win back, 6-3, to advance to the next round, where the Americans eventually beat Puerto Rico to win the WBC championship.

United States vs. Korea (semifinals)

If Korea, behind crafty lefty Hyun Jin Ryu, were to upset the Dominican Republic in the WBC’s first quarterfinals matchup, then it would be the first time these countries face off since 2006.

Korea did not make it out of pool play in 2023, 2017 or 2013. When the country made it to the finals in 2009, it did so on the opposite side of the bracket. When the two met in 2006, it was a 7-3 Korea win. Ken Griffey Jr. was in the U.S. lineup. Now, he’s the photographer.

United States vs. Italy (championship)

A lot has to happen for the U.S. to have a shot at avenging arguably its most embarrassing loss in WBC history. First, Italy will need to beat a young, undeterred Puerto Rican team. Then, Italy would need to beat either Samurai Japan or Venezuela to advance to the championship.

It sounds impossible, but just one federation (the Dominican Republic) has had a more explosive offense than Team Italy. Where things could doom Team Italy is in its bullpen, which has not been as surefire as other teams.

United States vs. Japan (championship)

All tournament, things have been angled for the possibility of a rematch of the 2023 championship, the one that turned the WBC into the must-see and must-play event it’s now become.

Should we get a rematch, things will look remarkably different. For one, Shohei Ohtani won’t be warming up in the bullpen. The United States will enter with a lineup heavier on star power and a more robust pitching staff. Japan, under its new manager Hirokazu Ibata, has placed a greater emphasis on Japanese MLB talent in constructing the lineup.

Before we can dream of a rematch, Japan has to handle business against Venezuela, then against either Puerto Rico or Italy.

United States vs. Puerto Rico (championship)

In a rematch of the 2017 finals, the U.S. would face off against a Puerto Rico squad that’s seen some of its lineup stalwarts transition into executive positions. Yadier Molina is now Team Rubio’s manager, and the roster was assembled by Carlos Beltrán.

The trio of Javier Báez, Carlos Correa and Francisco Lindor, who were all youngsters during the 2017 finals, are not on this roster. In their place is a group of young position players and pitchers flanked by some of the island’s greatest veterans.

Puerto Rico would need to beat Italy, then Japan or Venezuela.

United States vs. Venezuela (finals)

The last time these two faced off, the U.S. needed some late heroics from Trea Turner to overcome a stacked Venezuela lineup in 2023.

Time is a flat circle, and Venezuela once again returns with a powerful lineup. To get this matchup, Team Venezuela will have to beat Japan in its quarterfinals matchup, the result of the D.R. winning the pool play finale and securing a far more favorable matchup against Korea.