MIAMI — The sixth edition of the World Baseball Classic began with talk about the greatest team the United States had ever fielded and how this group wanted it more than any U.S. side had before.
For two weeks, the tournament captivated the baseball world, from here to Tokyo and even Rome.
And near the end, a mighty swing from Bryce Harper infused drama into what had been a dud of a final.
But the fascinating fortnight ended the way the previous two WBC tournaments had: with the United States as runner-up.
Former Padre Luis Arraez’s leadoff walk led to a ninth-inning run, and Venezuela won its first WBC title in its first time to the final, beating the U.S. 3-2 on Tuesday night in front of another drum-beating, horn-blowing, flag-waving crowd partisan to the Latin American team.
America’s former national pastime is more and more the world’s game.
That is widely seen as a good thing for baseball as a whole (and for the business of baseball). But it means the country where the game was invented is no longer dominant.
Given the expectations placed on this group, the United States’ runner-up finish could even be called a disappointment.
Not that a Venezuela team full of major leaguers was all that much of an underdog.
There were 12 All-Stars between the two starting lineups, seven of them playing for the United States.
The U.S., with its six Silver Sluggers, managed two singles and as many walks but never got beyond first base before tying the game 2-2 in the eighth inning.
That is when Harper followed a walk by Bobby Witt Jr. with a 432-foot wallop over the wall in center field and then a 36-second fist-pumping, bicep-flexing saunter around the bases.
The night’s first audible “USA, USA” chants were heard.
Fans react after United States Bryce Harper scores on a two-run home run during the eighth inning in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic against Venezuela, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
The vuvuzelas were soon the dominant sound.
Arraez began the ninth inning by working a five-pitch walk against Garrett Whitlock and was replaced at first base by pinch-runner Javier Sanoja. Sanoja stole second base while Eugenio Suarez was up and then scored when Suarez lined a double to the gap in left-center field.
Venezuelan closer Daniel Palencia then retired Kyle Schwarber, Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony to end the game.
Palencia launched his glove into the air and was soon mobbed by teammates, as the majority of the 36,193 inside loanDepot park exulted.
Venezuela follows Japan as champion. The U.S. won the WBC in 2017, the Dominican Republic in 2013 and Japan the first two tournaments, in 2006 and 2009.
The United States was stymied by Eduardo Rodriguez and four of the five Venezuelan relievers.
Rodriguez is a 32-year-old lefty whose ERA was above 5.00 over the past two seasons. He allowed three runs in 2⅔ innings in his March 11 start against the Dominican Republic. He allowed a single and walked a batter in 4⅓ innings on Tuesday.
United States starter Nolan McLean, a 24-year-old right-hander who started eight games for the Mets last season and still maintains his rookie status in 2026, got through the first two innings in 18 pitches.
He took 19 pitches to get through the third, one of them a curveball that bounced behind in the left-handed batter’s box on a 1-2 pitch to right-handed Maikel Garcia.
Luis Arraez #2 of Team Venezuela leads teammates onto the field before the game against Team United States at loanDepot park on March 17, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
The ball bounced to the back wall as Salvador Perez, who led off the inning with a single hit off the end of his bat the other way down the right field line, ran to third base while Ronald Acuña Jr., who had walked with one out, got to second.
Garcia hit the next pitch to the gap in left-center field, where it was caught by Byron Buxton, who was helpless to prevent the runners from advancing again. Venezuela took the game’s first lead.
Brice Turang became the United States’ first baserunner on a one-out single in the bottom of the third, but he was left at first base.
Wilyer Abreu led off the top of the fifth by driving an 0-1 fastball 414 to center field, just over the wall, to double Venezuela’s lead.
Despite the home team failing, the WBC was an unquestionable success. It has grown in importance in the eyes of players and fans immensely, especially over the past two iterations.
There is talk around Major League Baseball of the tournament format changing dramatically, with the games in March perhaps serving as the pool play portion and the knockout stage (or perhaps the entire tournament) happening during a break in play during the MLB season.
The 2028 Olympics, when MLB players are expected to be allowed to play during an extended All-Star break, could serve as a test case for how such a midseason interruption works.
“We’d be dealing with way less restrictions and way less guidelines on the pitching if it was moved to midseason,” USA manager Mark DeRosa said. “… Certainly, if it was moved to the middle of the season, I don’t think you would have any ‘nos’ for competing in it.”
Team Venezuela players, including catcher Salvador Perez, center, celebrate after defeating Team USA, 3-2, in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday night in Miami. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
This year’s tournament served as a continuation of the momentum the WBC has built, highlighted by the star-heavy U.S. roster, Italy advancing to the semifinals for the first time, the Dominican Republic providing dozens of memeified moments with their celebrations and, finally, Venezuela’s ascendence.
Eugenio Suárez #7 of Team Venezuela reacts after hitting an RBI double against Team United States during the ninth inning at loanDepot park on March 17, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
It was the second consecutive WBC that brought attention to how the Padres have changed over the past six years.
The final three games in Miami were rife with Padres and players who were once Padres.
Closer Mason Miller was one of six players on the Padres roster to at least make the semifinals, along with Manny Machado, Wandy Peralta and Fernando Tatis Jr. of the Dominican Republic and Alek Jacob and Ron Marinaccio of Italy.
Arraez, a Padre in 2024 and ‘25, played first base for Venezuela. Center fielder Jakob Marsee, traded in ‘24 as part of the haul of prospects sent to the Marlins for Arraez, and reliever Dan Altavilla (2020-21) played for Italy. Juan Soto, an outfielder for the Padres in 2022 and ‘23, played for the Dominican. Relievers David Bednar (‘19-20) and Tim Hill (‘20-23) were Miller’s U.S. teammates.