Category: Baseball

After the Dominican Republic and the US both punched their tickets to the WBC semifinals on Friday night, Saturday saw the following matchups: Puerto Rico vs. Italy, and Venezuela vs. Japan. Here’s how the games played out.

Quarterfinals Game 3: Italy 8, Puerto Rico 6

Even though Puerto Rico’s 2026 WBC campaign was marred by insurance issues before it had even started, they nevertheless earned their spot in the quarterfinals with an impressive 3-1 record in a very competitive Pool A. Their spunk was on full display Friday night against Italy as they nearly overcame a six-run deficit. However, their comeback attempt fell just short, and it’s hard not to wonder how things might have played out differently if Francisco Lindor and/or Carlos Correa had been in the lineup.

It’s also important to give credit where credit is due. Italy’s lineup put up a hitting clinic, generating constant traffic on the bases by drawing walks and capitalizing on seemingly every RISP situation. Meanwhile, manager Francisco Cervelli’s proactive managing paid dividends, as the bullpen shut the Puerto Ricans down in the middle innings after an early hook for starter Sam Aldegheri. Although it got dicey towards the end, a gutsy performance from erstwhile Yankee Greg Weissert got Team Italy over the finish line.

Puerto Rico drew first blood with a Willi Castro leadoff homer, nearly tearing off the roof of Daikin Park. Seriously, the hype generated from these WBC crowds is nothing short of spine-tingling.

However, Italy came right back and then some in the bottom of the first. After Sam Antonacci and Jakob Marsee reached via walks, Vinnie Pasquantino continued his recent tear with an RBI single to knot things at 1-1.

Dominic Canzone and Jac Caglianone chipped in with singles of their own, each driving in a run. With two men on base, an Andrew Fischer walk loaded the bases for Best Name in the WBC contender J.J. D’Orazio, who lifted a sacrifice fly to right to make the score 4-1 Italy.

It seemed like it might be smooth sailing for Italy, but starter Sam Aldegheri could not deliver. After starting off the top of the second by getting Emmanuel Rivera to pop out, the Angels prospect allowed back-to-back walks to Heliot Ramos and Eddie Rosario before hitting Matthew Lugo to load the bases. Cervelli called on Alek Jacob to put out the fire, but his very first pitch connected with Martín Maldonado’s thigh, netting Puerto Rico their second run of the game. However, Jacob then retired Willi Castro and Darell Hernaiz to preserve Italy’s lead.

The score would stay 4-2 Italy until the bottom of the fourth. Despite starting the inning with two strikeouts from Thomas Saggese and Jakob Marsee, Italy refused to let the frame end. Pasquantino, Canzone, and Caglianone drew three straight walks to fill up the bases, setting the stage for Andrew Fischer. The Brewers’ 2025 first-round pick drove a ball to right field which looked like a bases-clearing double off the wall, but before it could fulfill its destiny, an overzealous fan in the bleachers reached down and snagged it.

Friends, if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, just keep your hands to yourself. It’s the best thing to do for everyone involved.

The umpires ruled that two runs were to score, potentially costing Team Italy a run and souring the vibes of what should have been an exciting moment. Fortunately for them (and for the aforementioned fan), J.J. D’Orazio washed the bad feeling away like a refreshing digestivo, hammering an automatic double to right field to make it 8-2 Italy.

The score would remain unchanged for the next three innings, thanks largely to a heroic relief performance from Italy right-hander Dylan DeLucia. Having entered the game in the third, DeLucia blanked Puerto Rico for four, count ‘em, four innings, allowing just two hits and walking no one while striking out three. He was relieved by Dan Altavilla in the seventh, who pitched around a leadoff walk and a Pasquantino error to post a scoreless frame.

Matt Festa came on for the eighth inning, seeking to continue the trend; however, Puerto Rico greeted him with a gutsy rally. Carlos Cortes led off with a single, and Emmanuel Rivera and Heliot Ramos each drew walks, loading the bases. Having failed to record a single out, Festa exited the game, and Joe La Sorsa was summoned to defuse the situation. La Sorsa managed to induce a groundball from Eddie Rosario, which scored a run but also allowed Italy to get a force out to second base. But he then proceeded to plunk Bryan Torres and throw a wild pitch to Christian Vázquez, allowing Puerto Rico’s fourth run of the game and putting runners on second and third.

Vázquez proceeded to poke a grounder into right field, continuing Puerto Rico’s unlikely comeback and sending their faithful into a frenzy.

However, that would be it for Puerto Rico’s rally. Greg Weissert entered the game for Italy and stemmed the tide, escaping the frame with a two-run lead. With the score now 8-6 Italy, Edwin Díaz came on for Puerto Rico to ensure that the game stayed within reach. Although a HBP to Sam Antonacci and a walk to Pasquantino made things dicey, ultimately Díaz was up to the task, striking out Canzone to end the frame.

Weissert stayed on for the ninth, and although Cortes led off the inning with a single, Weissert retired the next three batters in order to seal the deal for Italy. The teammate-kissing, espresso-swigging squad’s magical run continues, and I’m excited to see what they can pull off next.

Quarterfinals Game 4: Venezuela 8, Japan 5

In what was arguably the most evenly matched showdown of the quarterfinals, Venezuela flexed their muscles en route to a 8-5 victory over the defending champions Japan, overcoming a shaky start from Ranger Suarez to make their way into the semifinals and clearing the path for a tremendous final.

Many predicted this game to be one of the best games of the tournament, and it wasted no time in living up to its promise. On just the second pitch of the night, the always electric Ronald Acuña Jr. tattooed an uncharacteristic meatball from 2025 World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, sending it into the right-field stands for Venezuela’s first run. You’ll want to hear the crowd reaction for this one:

However, not to be outdone, Shohei Ohtani responded in typical fashion, stroking a 2-1 hanging slider from Ranger Suarez 427 feet to right field to even the score.

If you’re not following the WBC, you’re missing out on some pretty compelling baseball, folks.

Venezuela continued to showcase their dangerous lineup in the second, earning a 2-1 lead via consecutive doubles from Ezequiel Tovar and Gleyber Torres. Wilyer Abreu kept the line going with a walk, but Yamamoto dug deep and denied Venezuela any further damage, retiring the next three batters to end the inning.

Yamamoto clearly did not have his best stuff or his usual pristine command, but he battled hard, working around a leadoff double from Maikel Garcia to post a scoreless top of the third. Japan’s lineup would reward him handsomely in their half of the inning. After Sosuke Genda led off with a walk, manager Hirokazu Ibata made sabermetricians around the globe wince by electing to have Kenya Wakatsuki lay down a sacrifice bunt, which he successfully did. With first base now open, Puerto Rico skipper Yadier Molina had Suarez intentionally walk Ohtani, choosing to roll the dice with Teruaki Sato instead.

Sato, who led the Central League in homers and RBI last year with the Hanshin Tigers, showed exactly why he’s one of the most feared hitters in NPB, scorching a grounder down the right-field line for a double, scoring Genda. Japan had evened the score yet again, 2-2.

Enter Shota Morishita, fellow Hanshin Tiger, who started the game on the bench but came in to replace Seiya Suzuki, who injured his knee on a stolen base attempt in the third. Morishita nearly dropped to one knee swinging at a 2-2 changeup in the bottom of the zone, but he managed to get the barrel on it, sending it flying into the left field stands for a three-run dinger. Just like that, it was 5-2, Japan.

It seemed like a crushing blow for Venezuela, but they did not take it sitting down. Although Yamamoto set them down in order in the fourth, they would not let Japan’s bullpen enjoy the same success. Chihiro Sumida entered in the fifth and promptly walked the normally free-swinging Jackson Chourio on five pitches. Acuña struck out, but Maikel Garcia cashed in, clobbering a two-run homer to left field to make it 5-4 Japan.

Venezuela would deliver another haymaker in the sixth. Facing Hiromi Itoh, recipient of the 2025 Eiji Sawamura Award (Japan’s Cy Young), Tovar and Torres began the frame with back-to-back singles. Abreu then unloaded on a 91-mph middle-middle meatball, parking it into the second deck in right field. Venezuela had turned the game on its head, now leading 7-5 on the strength of the Red Sox outfielder.

On the other side of the ball, Venezuela’s bullpen, considered by many to be their weakest link, stifled the Japanese offense. From the fourth inning onward, relievers Emmanuel De Jesus, José Buttó, Angel Zerpa, Andrés Machado, and Daniel Palencia were unhittable, holding Japan to just three knocks and a walk, while striking out a combined eight batters. Slowly but surely, they recorded out after out, denying the Japanese fans any hope of a comeback. By the time that Venezuela was gifted an eighth run due to a botched pickoff attempt from Atsuki Taneichi in the top of the eighth, the game felt all but over.

In the previous WBC, Team Japan’s run ended with Ohtani on the mound, throwing a perfect 3-2 sweeper to induce a championship-clinching whiff from Mike Trout. As fate would have it, Ohtani was the last batter up for the 2026 squad. However, as great as he is, Ohtani can’t score three runs all by himself. Palencia gave him the pitch he wanted—a 2-1 fastball middle-in, right in his wheelhouse—but he just got under the Cubs closer’s offering, and the resulting pop fly was secured by Ezequiel Tovar.

Venezuela faced a tall task in facing Japan, but they passed the test with flying colors, led by an absolutely electric offensive performance and clutch pitching from their bullpen. If they keep this up, I really can’t see why they shouldn’t win the whole darn thing. Though Japan’s loss certainly stings, I’ll be following this Venezuela squad with great interest for the rest of the WBC.

Next up tonight? Paul Skenes and Team USA against old friend Luis Severino and the Dominican Republic, both with loaded lineups behind them and a WBC Championship Game appearance on the line. Buckle up for 8pm ET on FS1.

Wait, what? That’s me whenever I see a list of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball that doesn’t include the Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the top three — or not until No. 7, like MLB Network’s did.

It’s hard to believe there are professional ball-watchers who want us to believe there are a handful of pitchers better than the Dodgers’ righty who's steadily filling the fingers on his hand with championship rings.

Respectfully, the Philadelphia Phillies’ Zack Wheeler and Atlanta Braves’ Chris Sale are great. So are the Philadelphia Phillies’ Christopher Sánchez and Boston Red Sox’s Garrett Crochet.

But they’re not greater than Yamamoto.

I’m not saying criminally underrating someone like Yamamoto should be prosecutable, I’m just wondering why anyone would?

“It could have something to do with him not throwing 100 like some other guys,” Dodgers pitcher Ben Casparius said. “But just in terms of pure pitching and what he’s able to do and where he’s able to locate certain pitches and how he’s able to read the hitters?”

Read more:Blake Snell throws first bullpen session of spring training, taking key step forward

Elite.

“In our eyes, I would for sure say Yamamoto is very underrated,” catcher Dalton Rushing said. “I think what goes into your role as a player is your willingness to win, whatever you'll do to win. I don’t have to go back to the World Series and bring anything up, everyone watched those games, everyone saw what he did.”

Maybe it was a power outage at some folks’ homes during the World Series? Or a subtle form of protest against the Dodgers, champions of capitalism? Maybe Yamamoto’s unassuming everyman act is just that good?

We’ve all marveled at Shohei Ohtani’s Superman quick change, how he’ll go from dynamite pitcher to fearsome hitter in a few bats of an eye. But the truly superheroic character on the Dodgers’ roster is their 5-foot-10, 176-pound ace, Yamamoto.

His Clark Kent-esque transformation, from unimposing nice guy — “the nicest guy in the entire world,” Casparius said — to smirking menace whenever the day needs saving is the stuff of comic book legends.

In last season’s World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays that went the distance and beyond, Yamamoto earned MVP and three of the Dodgers’ four wins.

He had a 1.02 ERA. Got the Dodgers squared away with nine innings of one-run baseball in Game 2. Staved off elimination in Game 6, giving up just one run in six innings. And closed the deal in Game 7 when he pitched 2 ⅔ innings of scoreless relief in the Dodgers’ 5-4, 11-inning victory.

Oh, and of course Yamamoto was warming in the bullpen when Freddie Freeman hit his walk-off home run to end the 18-inning Game 3 epic at Dodger Stadium.

And Yamamoto showed up for Japan in the World Baseball Classic. He tossed 2 ⅔ scoreless innings in one pool-play start and was scheduled to start again against Venezuela on Saturday evening in Japan’s first knockout round game.

“Part of being a gamer and being a great competitor in big moments is the preparation,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “And when you prepare the right way, that eliminates a lot of doubt and fear. And that, for me, that’s the core of who Yoshinobu is.”

Hyper-competitive and exceptionally nimble, Yamamoto is also super strong — in body and mind.

Bruce Wayne had Alfred Pennyworth; Yamamoto has Yada Sensei, personal trainer Osamu Yada, a 60-something Japanese judo therapist whose unique training regimen has helped turn his star pupil into a world-beater.

So while the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Paul Skenes and Detroit Tigers’ Tarik Skubal are baseball’s kings of the hill, if you had to pick one arm to decide the fate of the universe, whose would it be?

Cue the Yoshinobu Yamamoto anthem.

“He's probably the best pitcher I've ever seen live,” Casparius said. “He’s definitely the guy I'm taking in a must-win game.”

Read more:'Bigger than baseball.' Why being in Puerto Rico for WBC meant so much to Kiké Hernández

Said pitcher River Ryan: “Yoshi, he is just a natural freak athlete” with a “routine that’s incredible to watch.”

And it isn’t merely the pitcher’s willingness to go to bat for his team and country, all the metrics make his case, too.

Last season, Yamamoto had the fourth-best ERA in the big leagues (2.49) and gave up two or fewer runs in 20 of his 30 starts. He was also tied for first in barrel rate (5.7%), fifth in strikeout rate (29.4%) and seventh in FIP (2.94).

Pick a category, and it paints the picture almost as well as Yamamoto does corners.

I’m not asking people to put some respect on Yamamoto’s name, I’m asking them to put mad respect on it.

“I would say yes, I don't think he's fully appreciated for what he's done,” third baseman Max Muncy said. “Not just yet. He will.”

Eventually even people around Clark Kent have to catch on: This guy might not walk around like he’s a superhero, but he is one.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Hello, friends.

There are now 11 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day. Another eight exhibition games remain to be played in Florida, plus the home-and-home with the Nationals next Sunday and Monday. That includes a 6:05 game against the Yankees here tonight, the first night game of the spring schedule so far. The game will be broadcast on MASN as well as on the flagship radio stations of 98 Rock and WBAL 1090AM in Baltimore.

In yesterday’s game, the Orioles dropped an 8-6 result to the Pirates, with a late three-run home run surrendered by Yaramil Hiraldo making a big difference in the game. On the plus side for the Orioles, Adley Rutschman hit his second homer of spring training in the game and Dylan Beavers hit his first. The team is 8-11 in Grapefruit League action with two ties. We are at the point where I would like to start seeing some better results from the players who are definitely going to be on the Opening Day roster. Many players have been delivering through the spring schedule, so there’s not too much reason to panic… well, sorta.

I remain curious about when some more things will be revealed about the contours of the roster, particularly how pitchers will line up in the remainder of the rotation. When will Craig Albernaz make the decision public about whether the team goes with a five- or six-man rotation? Maybe he never will! Maybe we’ll just know from the roster cuts that they make. If Zach Eflin gets put on the injured list so that he can keep building up innings to start the season, then we’ll know. If Dean Kremer gets optioned to the minors, we’ll know that too.

In a typical season, the final, substantial cuts are made before the team heads north from Florida. That could be different this year since there is the presence of the two exhibitions in the District and in Baltimore. The team might hold off until after that game. And it is always possible to have a waiver claim or trade throwing off everyone’s predicted roster between the end of the exhibition games and the roster being set on Opening Day.

Mike Elias has been a big fan of this kind of move in his tenure as Orioles GM. We’ll see what the run-up to the 2026 season brings.

Orioles stuff you might have missed

Trevor Rogers likes leading ‘most underrated rotation in all of baseball’ (The Baltimore Sun)
I hope subsequent developments this season make this look like a fun prediction rather than a depressing one.

Albernaz on choosing Rogers Opening Day starter (School of Roch)
Lots of words that don’t really say much other than that Rogers pitched well last year. Which is unquestionably true.

Dylan Beavers likely bound for Opening Day roster – but he’s taking nothing for granted (Orioles.com)
Let’s all say it together: BEAVERS!

Hitting coach Dustin Lind brings unusual perspective to new job (Baltimore Baseball)
The hitting coach saying “Putting the ball in play is step one in being a hitter” is going to make many people happen.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

Nothing of particular note is recorded for this day in Orioles history. This is not likely to change today unless there’s really bad news.

There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2025 outfielder Greg Allen, 2008 infielder Freddie Bynum, 1993 infielder Mike Pagliarulo, and Maryland-born Baseball Hall of Famer/1993-95 and 1997-2000 designated hitter Harold Baines. Today is Baines’s 67th birthday, so an extra happy birthday to him.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: 7th president Andrew Jackson (1767), musician Sly Stone (1943), Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi (1967), and actress Eva Longoria (1975).

On this day in history…

In 44 BC, famously on the Ides of March, the Roman emperor Julius Caesar was assassinated by several senators.

In 1820 AD, the state of Maine was admitted to the union, becoming the 20th of the United States.

In 1848, a revolution began in Hungary, providing short-lived independence from the Habsburgs to the Hungarians. Ultimately, however, the Russian Empire came to the aid of Austria and the Hungarian revolution was stamped out about 18 months later.

In 1917, a later Russian emperor, Nicholas II, abdicated the throne, bringing an end to the Russian monarchy.

A random Orioles trivia question

I received a random book of Orioles trivia questions for Christmas. I’ll ask a question each time it’s my turn in this space until I run out of questions or forget. Though the book has multiple choice answers, I’m not giving you those because that would make it too easy. Here’s today’s question:

Who did the Orioles trade to the Cubs for Sammy Sosa?

**

And that’s the way it is in Birdland on March 15. Have a safe Sunday.

In a WBC littered with big home runs from Red Sox players, Wilyer Abreu now owns the most dramatic moment of the entire tournament.

After falling behind Team Japan 5-2 in the third inning and nearly burying themselves even further in the fourth, Venezuela began to fight their way back into the game in the fifth and sixth. The rally culminated when Wilyer Abreu came to the plate and did this:

Here’s an even better angle of the bat flip:

I was fortunate enough to be in the stands for this game, and let me tell you, my ears are still ringing from the decibels reached. There was dancing, chanting, hugging, screaming, and singing, but most of all, there was pure unadulterated joy.

Here’s one last look at that infectious joy from the players side of things:

Here’s Abreu after the game:

In addition to the enormous ramifications of taking down Team Japan and now finding themselves just one win away from the WBC final, there’s also Red Sox ramifications. Most notably, Abreu looks awesome, and continues to underscore why he’s a guy you can trust at the plate with the game on the line.

What an awesome night for him, the sport of baseball, the WBC, and the entire country of Venezuela!

Our World Baseball Classic Final Four is set. Team USA will square off tonight at 8pm ET on FS1 with the Dominican Republic in a dynamic matchup of Paul Skenes vs. the formidable Dominican lineup to see who will advance to the WBC Championship Game In tomorrow’s game, Italy will try to continue their dream run all the way to a finals berth, but will have to pull off another big upset against a dangerous Venezuela club that knocked out Shohei Ohtani and defending champion Japan last night in a thriller.

Today on the site, Kento will discuss how we got to this point in the WBC by recapping yesterday’s action. Estevão will preview the Reds—who really did make the playoffs last year, we promise—Nick will celebrate an awesome 1980s Yankee’s birthday, and John will run the weekly social media spotlight. Then we have some doubleheader action! Estevão and Peter will have you covered with separate game threads and recaps.

Today’s Matchup

New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers

Time: 1:05 p.m. EST

Video: YES Network, Gotham Sports App, Detroit SportsNet

Venue: George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, FL

New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles

Time: 6:05 p.m. EST

Video: MASN, MLB.tv

Venue: Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota, FL

Questions/Prompts:

1. Who’s winning tonight: the Dominican Republic or Team USA? Who gets the biggest hit?

2. Did you watch any college basketball conference tournament play this weekend, or have you mostly stuck to baseball?

To prepare for its quarterfinal game Friday, Team USA brought in guest speaker Robert J. O’Neill, a former SEAL Team Six member who was part of the unit that killed Osama bin Laden. 

Among the Team Dominican Republic celebratory props is a dumbbell that is wrapped with plantains, which is often lifted following home runs that turn ballparks into nightclubs. 

One team is serious. One team is, well, silly. One team is singularly focused on winning. One team wants to win but is determined to have fun along the way. 

It will be a clash not just of stars but of cultures when the Americans and Dominicans face off Sunday night in Florida for a World Baseball Classic semifinal. 

“I know the fans definitely love [the Dominican flair], but I try not to look at what other teams are doing, what other people are doing,” Aaron Judge, captain of Team USA and the Yankees and a superstar who plays with more professionalism than joy, told reporters Friday night. “I’ll focus on what we got here. We got a special group of guys that love to play this game. They’re excited to be in this room. I know how they’re all honored to be in this room. They’re not taking it for granted. 

“So it’s exciting seeing what the D.R. is doing, and it’s been fun watching those games and seeing what’s going on. I think everybody in [the clubhouse] is excited to get there and be a part of it.” 

“There” is Miami, which is located in the United States but merely technically. South Florida might not pay much attention to the Marlins or MLB, but it does love baseball and the Dominican Republic. A country on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with a population the size of Ohio and the physical size of West Virginia routinely produces many of the best baseball players in the world. 

The Americans, who played their group-stage and quarterfinal games with the fans in their corner in Houston, will be entering enemy territory. 

“I expect to be the away team, for sure, but that’s what we’re looking forward to,” Pete Crow-Armstrong told Fox Sports after knocking off Canada. “We want the electricity, the energy in the crowd. That’s why we’re throwing Mr. Skenes out there.” 

Paul Skenes might be the greatest pitcher in the world, a 6-foot-6 specimen with a triple-digit fastball and calling-card splinker — the velocity of a sinker with the drop of a splitter — that helped him become the NL Cy Young Award winner last season. Like Judge and like much of Team USA, he performs more as a surgeon than celebrity. Formerly a two-way star at the Air Force Academy, Skenes operates with discipline and a calmness. 

The hitters he will face do not. 

Against Venezuela, Juan Soto admired a home run that just kept traveling, turned to his dugout and beat his chest before beginning his trot, which finished at home plate, where his team greeted him. Fernando Tatis Jr. did not quite finish his follow-through on his swing, launching his bat down the third-base line immediately after launching the pitch. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remained at home plate until the ball cleared the left-field wall, then spiked his bat to the dirt and began gesturing to the dugout long before he broke out into a jog. Ketel Marte knew his shot would land in the seats upon impact, twirling his bat and pumping up his teammates rather than running or watching the trajectory. 

Consider an American controversy during the WBC: Cal Raleigh declining to shake hands with Mariners teammate Randy Arozarena apparently because the catcher did not want to break focus or pal around with the competition. 

The styles are poles apart. The talent level is similar. 

Each roster features nine — nine! — players who received MVP votes last season. Team USA has the AL MVP (Judge) and runner-up (Raleigh). Team D.R. has No. 3 and No. 4 (Soto and Geraldo Perdomo) in the NL. (Perdomo, by the way, batted ninth in the quarterfinal game.) 

The American lineup has yet to unleash its power and potential, but maybe a familiar opponent in Luis Severino, the Dominican starter, will help the group click. 

The Dominican lineup has played five games and scored 51 runs, a total that would be higher if not for the tournament’s mercy rules. 

The matchup — the United Staids against Plátano Power — will be fascinating.

TAMPA — Carlos Rodón does not understand it.

But as he continues his buildup from elbow surgery and experiments with a newfound range of motion in his left arm, he is finding that his velocity is ticking up when he stops trying to throw as hard.

Such was the case Saturday during his second live batting practice session of the spring, as he increased his workload to two innings and 27 pitches.

“I backed off and threw harder,” Rodón said. “I was like, ‘OK, that makes no sense.’ But it made it easier to command. It’s just little ins and outs of pitching, trying to find the stroke again, knowing how much effort in this pitch and the line of this pitch. It takes a little time.”

Rodón said he got up to 95 mph in the live session on a backfield, but was mainly sitting 93-94 mph.

The Yankees are hoping that one of the benefits of the surgery, which shaved down a bone spur and removed loose bodies in his left elbow, will be an uptick in velocity after Rodón lost some last season while pitching through it.

His four-seam fastball averaged 94.1 mph in 2025 — still effective enough to put together his best year as a Yankee but down from 95.6 mph in 2024 and the lowest it had been since 2020.

While Rodón still has plenty of buildup to go before he could join the Yankees in late April or early May, there is some curiosity as to where he ends up velocity-wise once he is pitching in real games.

“I’m just trying to tick up a little [before] I get there so I can close the gap of a big discrepancy in velocity,” Rodón said. “So just slowly building to get the velocity up so when I get in a game, it’s a lot more natural than just going from 90 mph to 98 mph. We’ll see what it does.”

Of course, the increased velocity would be of little use if Rodón cannot properly command it, which remains a work in progress that he hopes to straighten out the more he faces hitters.

But he should have a chance to do that every five days now as his buildup kicks into gear.

“Excited where he’s at,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s really probably not that far behind. He’s responded well to everything. We haven’t rushed anything with him. There were a lot of bullpens in there as he was kind of working through the kinks and stuff like that before we got him to lives. But he’s trending in a good way.”

Jake Bird, fighting for a bullpen spot, came into Saturday’s game with one out and a man on first in the sixth inning and promptly walked the first batter he faced on four pitches. But he rebounded to get out of the jam and toss 1 ¹/₃ scoreless innings. … Ben Rice delivered a left-on-left ground-rule double against Phillies reliever Kyle Backhus.

The Yankees made another round of cuts Saturday morning, reassigning RHP Michael Arias, LHP Kyle Carr, RHP Dylan Coleman and RHP Dom Hamel to minor league camp.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Freddy Peralta is ready.

The new Mets ace is set to start Opening Day and looked crisp Saturday over four innings, allowing just one run against the Astros.

He has one more outing remaining before the regular season begins.

The right-hander’s swing-and-miss stuff was evident in an 8-2 loss to Houston at Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.

And even if his velocity was a tick down from normal — about 1 mph down on most of his pitches, Peralta was unconcerned.

“Everything is getting where I want it to be,’’ Peralta said. “I don’t check my speed. I know myself. I know how I work when I get into the season and the intensity of the game is when I am who I really am. I know what to do.”

That’s true, he said, whether he’s pitching every five or six days, as the Mets could use a six-man rotation.

Manager Carlos Mendoza previously stated Peralta would be the one starter not impacted by that schedule but said that could change, depending on the team’s needs.

Peralta added Saturday he would be fine with pitching with added rest, as long as it was communicated early.

“It’s no problem,” Peralta said. “I’ve been in that situation before — for years. I know I can manage.”

Peralta is passing that veteran attitude and pitching IQ on to the other Mets starters, including Christian Scott.

The 26-year-old, returning from Tommy John surgery, made his second appearance of the spring Tuesday as he works back into major league form.

With the rotation likely filled by Peralta, Clay Holmes, Kodai Senga, Nolan McLean, Sean Manaea and David Peterson, Scott is trying to pick up as much as he can from Peralta while they’re in camp together.

He’s not alone in that attempt, as Peralta came from the Brewers highly respected, as well as successful and willing to impart his wisdom.

And Scott believes he’s uniquely qualified to be a student of Peralta’s.

“I want to pick his brain throughout the season for whatever I can learn,’’ Scott said.

“I know he strikes out a lot of guys,” Scott said. “That’s his calling card. For me, as a pitcher, that’s what I strive to do: Strike out guys at a high level. I watch outings and his delivery is a little more funky than other guys, but to be able to go out there and do it and make every start every year and be able to stay healthy, it’s mind-blowing. I’m trying to be the same way.”

Scott has only nine major league starts to his name, but struck out eight batters in six innings in his second start with the Mets in 2024.

Peralta, as Scott noted, has shown an ability to be productive and dependable.

Over the previous three seasons, the 29-year-old has made at least 30 starts, had 200-plus strikeouts and made a pair of All-Star teams.

And Scott knows it’s not simply because of talent, which is why he’s kept a close eye on Peralta all spring, even between starts, to see what he can learn.

“The first thing is that he’s the same guy every day at the field,” Scott said. “You know what you’re gonna get from him. I feel that’s underrated, especially over the course of the season. I’ve already seen how high the highs can be and how low the lows are. He’s been through it all for a bunch of seasons and been an All-Star. It’s cool to be able to see a guy like that, who stays consistent on a day-to-day basis.”

And Scott is also getting to know the work it takes to make that possible.

“His catch-play with his throwing program is very consistent,’’ Scott said. “It’s like he hits the glove with every single throw, every time he’s out there. I’ll go by and say ‘That’s beautiful’ and he laughs, but mine isn’t as good.”

He’s working on it.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — What the Mets like about Carson Benge — his bat-to-ball ability, solid defense in multiple outfield positions, and overall athleticism— was on display again Saturday, as the young prospect got his second start of the spring in center field and added a hard-hit, opposite-field single in an 8-2 loss to the Astros at Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.

He’s looking to win a spot on the Opening Day roster and prior to the game, manager Carlos Mendoza said he’s hoping to have to make “some tough decisions because we’ve got a lot of guys playing well and healthy.”

Benge is doing what he can to make a case for himself.

“He continues to go out there, give good at-bats, play good defense, run the bases, [hit] left-on-left,’’ Mendoza said. “He’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing on his end.”

And his makeup has also impressed the manager.

“He’s quiet,’’ Mendoza said. “He’s a baseball guy. He doesn’t get too high or too low. I don’t think the moment is going to be too big for him, which is good for [him]. He goes about his business, plays baseball, goes home, comes back the next day [and] does it again. That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned.”

Mets pitching depth took a blow when Justin Hagenman was placed on the 60-day injured list with a fractured rib Saturday.

The right-hander suffered the injury during his most recent Grapefruit League outing on March 5, although Mendoza said the team wasn’t sure how, exactly, it occurred.

“After his last outing, he came in and complained about soreness in that area,’’ Mendoza said. “It continued to get worse, we decided to image it and it’s a fracture, unfortunately.”

Mendoza called it “a pretty significant injury. He’s gonna be down for a while. I don’t know the timetable, but he’ll miss some time.”

Hagenman, 29, appeared in nine games for the Mets a year ago and made one start.

With the six-man rotation healthy, Tobias Myers stretched out, and prospects Jonah Tong and Christian Scott waiting in the minors, Mendoza remains comfortable with the team’s depth, though he noted the Mets will miss Hagenman’s versatility.

“You can never have enough pitching,’’ the manager said. “It hurts, losing a guy like [Hagenman] who not only can start, but pitch multiple innings out of the pen. … We’ll miss him.”

Francisco Lindor took live batting practice for a second straight day Saturday, Mendoza said, as the shortstop works his way back from undergoing left hamate bone surgery last month.

All has gone according to plan for Lindor to be able to make it back by Opening Day, although president of baseball operations David Stearns has said he’ll likely have to play in Grapefruit League games in order to be cleared.

Asked if Lindor could potentially take that step in the coming days, Mendoza said, “We’ll see.”

“He continues to feel good,’’ the manager said.

Richard Lovelady, the lefty who’s spent the offseason bouncing between the Mets and Nationals, is back with the Mets, who claimed him off waivers Saturday.

The 30-year-old made 10 appearances in the majors last season, split with the Mets and Blue Jays.

MIAMI — Shohei Ohtani is only one player.

Samurai Japan’s 8-5 loss to Venezuela on Saturday night in the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic was a reminder of this reality.

Ohtani produced another moment of magic, blasting a leadoff homer in the first that countered Ronald Acuña’s in the top of the first inning, but it wasn’t enough.

It wasn’t enough to overcome his team’s terror-inducing bullpen and it wasn’t enough to overcome Venezuela’s offensive firepower.

Ohtani flied out for the final out of the game, but the at-bat was ultimately inconsequential. The bases were empty.

Samurai Japan’s dream of a third consecutive WBC championship was over. Venezuela, not Japan, advanced to a semifinal matchup with Italy on Monday.

The game started with Acuna sending a 96.5 mph fastball by Yoshinobu Yamamoto over the right field wall. The former National League MVP screamed as he rounded the bases, and so did the fans.

The response was swift, as Ohtani golfed a breaking ball at the bottom of the zone for a leadoff home run of his own. Ohtani discarded his bat and turned to the Samurai Japan bench, pushing his palms down as if to tell his team to calm down.

Nevertheless, the inning ended disastrously for Samurai Japan. Caught stealing second base for the third out, Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki injured his right knee on the slide.

Japan’s second-best hitter was removed from the game.

The situation was about to become worse, as Yamamoto resembled a rocket launcher more than he did a World Series hero. The Dodgers right-hander gave up back-to-back doubles to Ezequiel Tovar and Gleyber Torres that produced another run for Venezuela.

The game flipped again in the third inning. With one out and a runner on second base, Ohtani was walked intentionally. That brought up outfielder Teruaki Sato, who struck out 163 times last season with the Hanshin Tigers of the Japanese league and struck out again in the first inning of this game. Sato managed to get his bat on the ball this time, lining a ball down the right-field line for a run-scoring double that leveled the game at 2-2.

The next batter was Sato’s teammate on the Tigers, Shota Morishita, who entered the contest as Suzuki’s replacement. Morishita reached out for a changeup by Venezuela starter Ranger Suarez and redirected the pitch into the seats behind Samurai Japan bullpen in left field.

Suarez was knocked out of the game, and Japan was leading 5-2. The two-time defending tournament champions were on their way.

The dynamic of the game shifted when Yamamoto came out of the game. Some of the pitchers who followed him out of the bullpen were as small as he was physically, only they didn’t have his ability.

Standing only 5-foot-9, left-hander Chihiro Sumida served up a two-run homer to Maikel Garcia in the fifth inning that reduced Japan’s lead to 5-4. What remained of that lead vanished entirely in the next inning when another 5-foot-9 pitcher, right-hander Hiromi Itoh, gave up a three-run blast to Wilyer Abreu.

Suddenly, Samurai Japan was down, 7-5.

Venezuela’s lead extended to 8-5 in the seventh inning when 6-foot right-hander Atsuki Taneichi tried to pick off Tovar at second base and tossed the ball into center field. Tovar scored on the error.

In a World Baseball Classic already filled with cinematic moments, with epic home run celebrations and moments capturing the magnitude of these games on the international stage, Wilyer Abreu just added another one to the list.

Abreu, a Red Sox outfielder playing for Venezuela, took a 2-1 pitch from Japan pitcher Hiromi Itoh and crushed it 409 feet over the right-field fence in the sixth inning, giving Venezuela the lead for good with a three-run blast during its eventual 8-5 upset in the quarterfinals on Saturday night loanDepot Park in Miami.

After Abreu swung, he watched his ball’s flight trajectory for a moment.

Then, another moment.

He turned toward the Venezuela dugout, already erupting with cheers, and pumped his bat once before launching it high in the air and beginning to shuffle down the first base line.

“That was an exciting moment,” Abreu said in a postgame television interview. “I tried to at least tie the game with a sac fly. He gave me a really good pitch to hit. I made good contact. I’m very excited for this win. Now in the semifinals I hope I can do the same thing I did today.”

It was a stunning moment, one that meant Japan — and Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani — failed to defend their WBC title after winning it in 2023.

Abreu, 26, was hitting seventh in a batting order that already includes Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. — who homered in the first inning off Yoshinobu Yamamoto — and Royals star Maikel Garcia, whose two-run homer in the fifth inning trimmed Japan’s lead to one.

Then, Abreu uncorked the swing for the ages.

Ezequiel Tovar added another homer in the eighth inning that extended Venezuela’s lead, while former Yankee Gleyber Torres also flew out to the wall in that same frame.

Venezuela will now face Italy in the semifinals on Monday.

The United States and the Dominican Republic will square off in the other semifinal on Sunday night.

— with AP

For the first time in the history of the World Baseball Classic, Japan won’t be in the semifinals. They were out-slugged by Venezuela 8-5 on Saturday night at loanDepot Park in Miami. Venezuela is into the semifinals of the WBC for the first time since 2009, and with the win clinched a berth into the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Maikel Garcia hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, and Wilyer Abreu hit the go-ahead three-run shot in the sixth to give Venezuela the lead for good. Of the 17 total hits in the game, 10 were for extra bases, including five home runs.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto struggled at the start, needing 57 pitches to record his first nine outs. Ronald Acuña Jr. hit the second pitch of the night out for a leadoff home run, but Shohei Ohtani answered the call in the bottom of the frame with a leadoff blast of his own.

Sarah Langs at MLB.com noted that no major league game has ever featured two former league MVPs each hitting a leadoff home run, which made this WBC quarterfinal quite the rarity.

Venezuela hit consecutive doubles for another run in the second inning, driven in by Ezequiel Tovar, who has Yamamoto’s number at this point. The Rockies shortstop has eight hits in 12 at-bats against Yamamoto, with two home runs and two doubles. But lukily for Yamamoto, one of those outs was a strikeout to end the third inning, when Venezuela stranded a leadoff double.

With three doubles and a home run on Saturday, Yamamoto allowed four extra-base hits in a start for just the second time in 60 starts since joining the Dodgers prior to the 2024 season. The other time came last June 13 against the Giants at Dodger Stadium.

But after Japan scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning, including a three-run home run by Shota Morishita for a 5-2 lead, Yamamoto remained in and pitched a perfect fourth inning, retiring his final six batters faced. Yamamoto allowed those two early runs but nothing else in his four innings, with five strikeouts and a walk in his 69-pitch effort.

Japan did not score after the third inning, at one point held hitless for 13 straight at-bats by Emmanuel De Jesus, José Buttó, Angel Zerpa, and Andrés Machado, including two strikeouts of Ohtani. Those were the only times Ohtani struck out in five games in this tournament. In all, he had six hits, including three home runs and a double, in 12 at-bats plus five walks, three of them intentional, hitting .500/.647/1.333 with six runs scored and seven RBI.

Japan reached the semifinal round in the first five World Baseball Classics, including tournament wins in 2006, 2009, and 2023.

Earlier in Saturday quarterfinals action in Houston, Italy remained undefeated, this time holding on to beat Puerto Rico 8-6.

Edwin Díaz hit a batter, walked another, and threw a wild pitch, but pitched a scoreless ninth inning, with two strikeouts. In three appearances during the WBC, the Dodgers right-hander pitched three scoreless innings with one hit, one walk, one hit batter, and allowed two steals, but also struck out seven of his 12 batters faced.

Catcher Will Smith is the only Dodgers player still active in the World Baseball Classic.

Remaining WBC schedule

• Sunday semifinal: USA vs. Dominican Republic, 5 p.m. PT (FS1)
• Monday semifinal: Italy vs. Venezuela, 5 p.m. (FS1)
• Tuesday championship game, 5 p.m. (Fox)

NJ.com | Randy Miller: The Yankees reassigned four pitchers from spring training camp Saturday morning. The four non-roster invitees — Michael Arias, Kyle Carr, Dylan Coleman, and Dom Hamel — will continue to ramp up at the team’s minor-league complex. Carr, MLB Pipeline’s No. 11 Yankees prospect, is the most touted of the bunch and allowed one run in four innings while punching out four in big-league camp. The transaction leaves the club with 54 players on their spring training roster, not including 11-year veteran Rafael Montero, a non-roster invitee who has been unable to join camp due to visa issues.

MLB.com | Paul Casella: Carlos Rodón threw 30 pitches against live batters Saturday morning, an encouraging sign as he works back from elbow surgery. “I feel like I had more, like I could have gone more, but obviously can’t do that yet,” he said after the session.

With a host of other pitching options in spring camp, the Yankees plan to slow-play the Rodón’s recovery, ensuring he has plenty of time to ramp up. Luis Gil, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Ryan Weathers appear poised to open the season behind ace Max Fried in the rotation, with swingman Ryan Yarbrough and prospects Elmer Rodríguez, Carlos Lagrange, and Ben Hess waiting in the wings.

New York Post | Greg Joyce: With Rodón and Gerrit Cole slated to begin the season on the IL, Fried is leaning into his role as the unquestioned ace of the Yankees’ staff. “He loves the craft of pitching,” said Aaron Boone. “He loves all that being on a team is about. He’s similar to [Aaron Judge] in that way, where it’s team above him, is how he kind of embodies it. Super accountable. Demands a lot of himself and his teammates.”

The four-time Gold Glover has been hands-on this spring, including helping provide focus to a bunt defense drill. “He drives a lot of the conversation, too,” Boone said. “A lot of the drill stuff that we’ve done, fundamental stuff, he’s a big voice and is pushing guys and is asking questions. He’s kind of setting the tone and setting the standard.” 

SNY | SNY Newsdesk: Several Yankees continued to leave their mark on the world stage during World Baseball Classic quarterfinal action the past couple days. Aaron Judge notched a double and a walk for Team USA in its victory over Canada, with his teammate David Bednar working out of a two-on, no-out jam in the seventh. Austin Wells hit a three-run homer off the bench for Team Dominican Republic, staking the team to a three-run lead that walked off Korea via mercy rule.

There weren’t as many Yankees in action yesterday for Puerto Rico vs. Italy and Japan vs. Venezuela. Fernando Cruz went four-up/four-down with a pair of strikeouts in relief, but Puerto Rico’s WBC run came to an end against old friend Francisco Cervelli’s Italy club. So Cruz will soon return to Yankees camp, as will pitching prospect Elmer Rodríguez, who threw three scoreless innings of one-hit ball against Cuba in pool play.

Venezuela and Japan are battling it out in a high-scoring World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game.

Japan had a 5-4 lead in the top of the sixth inning, before Wilyer Abreu hit a 3-run home run to right field to give Venezuela a 7-5 lead.

Abreu did not hide his emotions, throwing his bat high in the air after the home run. Abreu’s teammates shared in his excitement, streaming out of the dugout to celebrate.

Venezuela carried the 7-5 lead into the eighth inning, tacking on another run.

Check out Abreu's epic home run, bat flip and the Venezuela celebration:

Watch Wilyer Abreu bat flip, celebration

BALL SENT
BAT TOSSED

WHEN THEY BOTH CAME DOWN TEAM VENEZUELA HAD THE LEAD 🔥 pic.twitter.com/m95schd34K

— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 15, 2026

WILYER ABREU GIVES VENEZUELA THE LEAD!!!! pic.twitter.com/NsAbD1a7y0

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 15, 2026

"That's a bat THROW. That thing might hit the roof!" 🔥🇻🇪 pic.twitter.com/049O8bMdOW

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 15, 2026

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch Wilyer Abreu bat flip, celebration after WBC homer vs Japan

It’s been a tough spring thus far for Mark Vientos. 

Competing for his share of playing time in camp, the right-handed hitting infielder got off to about as rough a start you could see before leaving the Mets for the World Baseball Classic. 

Vientos went hitless over his first 12 Grapefruit League at-bats before lining an opposite-field double off the fence in his final game with the club. 

He recorded a knock in an exhibition against the Mets, but wasn’t able to carry the success over to pool play, going just 2-for-15 with six strikeouts in Nicaragua’s four games. 

And after another hitless showing on Saturday night against the Astros, the slugger is now a combined 0-for-8 with two strikeouts since rejoining the team.  

Put together both stat lines, and Vientos is just 3-for-36 on the spring. 

While the results haven’t been there, Carlos Mendoza actually likes he’s seen, as he feels Vientos has been hitting the ball hard just into some tough luck. 

“Yesterday he had an 0-for with two balls hit at 100 mph, the first at-bat today it was 105 off the bat -- I think he’s in a good place, he’s just not getting the results,” the skipper said postgame Saturday. 

While he has been mashing the ball, this is getting to be an familiar picture for Vientos and the Mets. 

The former first-round pick homered 27 times and shined during the playoffs in his first full year with the club, but he ultimately saw his numbers drop off last season.

Vientos hit just .233 with 17 homers, a .289 OBP, and a .702 OPS. 

With much more competition for at-bats this time around, he’ll have to start finding grass over the next few weeks to carveout a regular role. 

The 26-year-old is aware, and he isn't too concerned.

"This isn't anything new," Vientos recently told Max Goodman of NJ.com. "Coming into the league, it was an earn your stripes type of situation -- I earned them, I was playing every day. I feel like this year might be the same thing -- it’s just earn at-bats and that’s fine, I’ll earn them, I’m ready."