In a must-win game for Team USA, Yankees star Aaron Judge is doing all he can.
With the Dominican Republic up 1-0 in the bottom of the third inning of the World Baseball Classic semifinal, Judge showed off his arm strength with an incredible throw from right field to third base to get Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. out.
It's the second time in a week that Judge has thrown out a runner trying to go from first to third base on a single, as he nabbed Mexico's Joey Ortiz inpool play.
Judge's clutch play seemed to spark life into the US bats as they hit two homers in the top of the fourth inning, with Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony going deep to give them all the runs they needed.
Judge's defense came to the rescue again in the fourth, robbing Juan Soto of a leadoff base hit with a diving catch.
The Americans hung on – thanks to a great escape in the seventh from Yankee teammate David Bednar – as the Dominicans got the tying run to third base with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, thanks to a questionable strike three call to end it. The 2-1 win means they will head to the Championship Game on Tuesday against the winner of Monday's Venezuela-Italy game.
Hagen Smith was simply phenomenal in his brief and final Cactus League start. | (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
There is exactly one baseball game truly worth watching today, and it isn’t from Spring Training. If nothing outside of tonight’s drool-worthy WBC semifinal matchup between the United States and the Dominican Republic is of interest to you, I wouldn’t be able to place any fault. Because from afar, there is exactly one thing and one thing only you need to take away from the Spring Training action that took place today, and it’s that Hagen Smith looks like he’s figured it out.
I cannot emphasize enough how much it does not matter that the White Sox (13-10-1) lost to the Royals (8-14). It doesn’t matter that Erick Fedde got shelled to the tune of seven hits and three earned runs over 3 2/3 innings. Fedde may be likely to open the year in the Sox rotation, but that likeliness remains true for exactly as long as it takes Getz to decide that one of Smith, Tanner McDougal or Noah Schultz is ready for the big leagues.
It does not matter that if it wasn’t clear that Rule 5 draft pick Alexander Alberto isn’t going to be this year’s version of Shane Smith, the four runs (two earned) in just an inning of work today ought to have all but punched his ticket back to Tampa Bay’s minor league system. He’s an intriguing prospect, for sure, but even for a team that hasn’t quite emerged from the devastation of a multi-year rebuild, there are just too many other pitchers who deserve a shot at the big league bullpen to justify rostering Alberto beyond Opening Day. Similarly, while the innings he soaked up last season are greatly appreciated, Brandon Eisert is close enough to the bullpen bubble that I simply am not terribly concerned about the four hits and three runs he gave up in his inning-and-a-third of work.
So, back to the point. There is exactly one takeaway from today, and it’s that Hagen Smith was absolutely filthy. He only threw two innings, but recorded five of those six outs via strikeout, with nothing but a single walk to blemish the final statline.
Hagen Smith’s stuff looked ELECTRIC this afternoon.
The 22-year-old struck out five over two scoreless innings, flashing the kind of arsenal that reminds you why people are so excited about his future. pic.twitter.com/jvqjhDraKO
Between Jac Caglianone, J.J. Wetherholt, and current consensus top overall prospect Konor Griffin, the Sox passed up on a LOT of talent to take Hagen Smith with the fifth overall pick of the 2024 draft. I’m not going to make a sunk-cost argument that the Sox need to get plus value out of Smith for this entire experiment to work, but it’s pretty tough to wonder what might have happened if Riley Greene or C.J. Abrams had gotten the South Side pinstripes instead of Andrew Vaughn, and goodness knows we don’t want to have those conversations again. If the Sox see any success in the late 2020s, it’s probably going to be at least in some part because Hagen Smith turned into the bonafide top-of-the-rotation pitcher that we all hoped for as recently as a year ago. Amid a frustratingly inconsistent start to his pro career, this is the most promising step forward we’ve seen in quite some time.
What else happened in this game? The Royals scored a lot of runs, and the Sox scored few. On the bright side, Miguel Vargas’ absolutely torrid spring continued with two doubles and two walks. Edgar Quero was responsible for the first RBI of the game on a single, and was successful on all three of his pitch challenges from behind the plate.
The less bright side is that the Sox other runs came courtesy of Dustin Harris and Tanner Murray, two players unlikely to have much bearing on the future of the franchise.
Similarly, the large majority of Kansas City’s damage came off of bats that are unlikely to be much of a factor at Kauffman Stadium this season. Spring Training legend Brandon Drury hit a homer for the Royals, and we sincerely hope that he finds the regular season success this year that he may have been robbed of with the White Sox after an injury spoiled his white-hot March last year.
Outfielder Lane Thomas was responsible for a pair of ribeyes via a third inning sacrifice fly that got KC on the board, as well as a run-scoring single that gave them a 3-2 lead they’d never relinquish. Thomas is likely to play a substantial role on the Royals this year, but the same can’t be said for the sources of the rest of their runs, including a bases-loaded, bases-clearing double from up-and-down infielder Gavin Cross, a dinger from second baseman Peyton Wilson, and another smash in the late innings from backup catcher candidate Luca Tresh.
That was all she wrote for this one, as the Sox prepare to take the field against the Rangers tomorrow behind Sean Burke, who will face off with Texas’ top offseason acquisition in lefthander Mackenzie Gore. First pitch is at 7 p.m. CT in some rare March evening action, and we’ll see you there!
10/07/06 new york mets vs la dodgers @ dodgers stadium, chavez ravine, neil miller: nlds game #3/ overhead shot of dodger stadium
Dodger Stadium’s name isn’t changing.
But for the first time in the ballpark’s 64-year history, the playing surface will have an official sponsor.
A source confirmed that the team is striking a sponsorship agreement with the clothing brand Uniqlo that will make the Japanese company the presenting sponsor of the stadium’s field.
Dodger Stadium will have an official sponsor for its playing field for the first time in its 64-year history. Neil Miller
The official branding will likely be along the lines of “Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.” The Athletic earlier reported the news.
Dodger Stadium is one of eight ballparks in Major League Baseball that has not sold its naming rights, along with Angel Stadium, Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Kauffman Stadium, Nationals Park and Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
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Known as the “Cathedral of Baseball,” it is the third-oldest venue in the league, and one of the most historic, having hosted two All-Star Games and 12 World Series.
In 2028, it will be the baseball host site during the Summer Olympics, as well.
With all that history, plus the Dodgers’ internationally recognizable team brand that has been supercharged by the arrival of Shohei Ohtani, the stadium has long had great appeal to potential sponsors.
And now, the Dodgers have found a way to cash in on that without sacrificing the building’s official name — marking just the latest way the club has capitalized upon a prime marketing opportunity (especially with a Japanese sponsor) as it continues to establish itself as the biggest revenue-driving team in baseball.
MESA, Ariz. — Hyeseong Kim called his time at the World Baseball Classic with Team South Korea a “great experience.”
Too bad that wasn’t reflected in the way he swung the bat.
In four WBC games this month, Kim had just one hit in 12 at-bats for a Korean team that was knocked out in the quarterfinals by the Dominican Republic earlier this week.
Team South Korea’s Hyeseong Kim celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against Team Japan. Getty Images
The lone hit was memorable, a score-tying two-run home run against Team Japan at the Tokyo Dome in a rivalry game Korea lost 8-6.
And after returning to Dodgers camp, he felt some inefficiencies in his swing were to blame.
“After watching some of the videos [of my games], we noticed that there were some changes [compared to] before I left,” Kim said through an interpreter, specifically pointing to the movement of his lower half and bat path through the zone. “It’s been on and off each game. So just trying to focus on those things and make sure they smooth out.”
Kim’s swing remained a work in progress Sunday, when he had just one hit — a softly lined single, followed by a stolen base and run scored — in four at-bats in a spring training game against the Cubs.
Now, he has just a week remaining in spring training to try to find a fix; hoping to show the Dodgers enough to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster.
“I’m focused on the things I’m good at, such as baserunning and defense; I want to make sure I perfect those categories,” he said. “But my WBC numbers weren’t great. So I want to make sure this last week, I focus on my hitting also.”
Kim has been competing for a spot primarily at second base, where a platoon role opposite of Miguel Rojas is open while Tommy Edman recovers from offseason ankle surgery.
Before leaving for the WBC, he seemed to have the inside track for the job over fellow second-year infielder Alex Freeland — who hasn’t helped his case much by batting .118 in the Cactus League this spring.
Besides his home run, Hyeseong Kim did not provide much offense for Team South Korea during the WBC. Getty Images
However, Kim’s renewed struggles have seemingly altered the calculus, leaving the competition open with the regular season less than two weeks away.
“Right now, he seems out of sync with his swing,” manager Dave Roberts said of Kim, who also missed a WBC game after jamming his finger on a base but said the injury was completely healed.
“He obviously makes sense on our roster,” Roberts added. “But he also has to get into a good place where he feels confident that he can conduct at-bats and be productive. That’s the same thing with Alex Freeland as well. At least we still have time to figure some things out.”
Here are four other takeaways from the Dodgers on Sunday:
Tucker tanks: Kyle Tucker uncorked another long ball in the home half of the Dodgers’ split-squad game Sunday, launching a two-run blast 390 feet to right in a 5-3 win over the Rangers. It was his second homer of the spring.
Double-duty Mook: In the Dodgers’ 14-8 win against the Cubs at Sloan Park in Mesa, Mookie Betts had highlights on both sides of the ball: His first spring home run, on a 414-foot drive to center; and a web gem at shortstop, when he went deep into the hole to his right to stop a grounder before firing a strong and accurate throw across the diamond.
Caught my eye: After being claimed off waivers, then outrighted to the minors, earlier this spring, outfielder Jack Suwinski rang in his Cactus League debut with the Dodgers by also hitting a home run against the Cubs. Suwinski, 27, is a four-year MLB veteran with the Pirates who had strong numbers (.314 average, five home runs) against the Dodgers in his career.
Up next: Tyler Glasnow will make what is likely his last start in Cactus League play, when the Dodgers host the Brewers on Monday afternoon at Camelback Ranch.
SARASOTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 26: A general view of the rain coming down at Ed Smith Stadium after a rain delay ended a 11-4 Tampa Bay Rays win over the Baltimore Orioles on February 26, 2019 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Given the forecast in Sarasota, it was always going to be a squeeze to get this Yankees/Orioles game in on Sunday night. Indeed, the heavens opened in the third inning and the rain never stopped. Rather than mill around waiting for a break in the weather that may never have come, both teams decided to call this one after two-plus, with no makeup game scheduled.
Tonight's game between the Orioles and Yankees at Ed Smith Stadium has been canceled due to inclement weather. There will be no makeup date.
The wet conditions played their part from the get-go, Yankees starter Paul Blackburn appearing to have trouble with his grip. He issued a two-out walk to Pete Alonso in the first and then a single to top prospect Samuel Basallo. A wild pitch allowed both runners to advance to scoring position, and a Tyler O’Neill single plated the pair to make it 2-0, Baltimore.*
*Those runs will not count toward Blackburn’s spring training ERA due to the game’s cancellation, so lucky for him, I suppose.
Zach Eflin set the side down in order in the first and second, striking out a pair in each frame. Spencer Jones may have been optioned to minor-league camp, but it hasn’t affected his performances in spring including a home run in the first game after receiving the news. The two issues holding him back have been production against the fastball and pitches in the zone. Leading off the third, he got a belt-high four-seamer at 93 and did what you would expect a big league player to do with a pitch like that, lashing a line drive single to right as he continues to do everything he can this spring to convince the Yankees that he has earned an opportunity. That would be the Yankees’ only hit in this very limited nightcap.
That was where the game ended as the rain really started to fall at that point. It’s a somewhat fitting end to a dreary split-squad day, the first game ending in a 12-1 drubbing by the Tigers. At least it frees up all of our evenings to watch Aaron Judge and Team USA take on the Dominican Republic in the first semifinal of the World Baseball Classic. (Join us back in the game thread to talk about that one!)
The Yankees’ next Grapefruit League game is Tuesday at the Rays. Will Warren looks to continue his strong spring showing against Ryan Pepiot. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. EDT with the broadcast on the Gotham Sports App.
MIAMI — Major League Baseball players have made their voices heard throughout the World Baseball Classic, expressing their desire to play in the 2028 Olympics, and it’s possible that the players union could reach a deal with MLB permitting players to participate, independent of a new collective bargaining agreement.
Bruce Meyer, executive director of the players association, fully believes that MLB will impose a lockout when the current CBA expires on Dec. 1, but said Sunday that a deal could be reached before Dec. 1 permitting MLB players to be in the Summer Olympics - being held in Los Angeles – for the first time.
Then again, everything changes if a lockout wipes out the entire 2027 season.
“If we don’t have a season," Meyer said before the USA-Dominican Republic WBC semifina at loanDepot Park, “we’re not going to play in the Olympics."
Time is of the essence and Meyer realizes that the Olympics would like to have a decision this summer, if possible.
“It can be on a separate track," Meyer said. “Theoretically, it can be done anytime. It doesn’t have to be at the same time as everything else is negotiated. I mean, it’s been kind of on a separate track, the discussions that we’ve had to date with the league. So it could be discussed on the course of bargaining, but it doesn’t have to be tied to bargaining."
There still are logistical problems to overcome with the Olympics following the All-Star Game, which would be a 10-day layoff. What do the other players do during the break? Would they play exhibition games against their minor-league affiliates? Who pays their expenses? Who pays for the Olympians’ insurance?
There are a myriad of potential problems, but both sides are optimistic a solution can be reached.
“There are a lot of issues that still need to be worked out," Meyer said. “So, I don’t know about before the CBA, which is likely to not be until over a year from now, but theoretically it can be done."
Providing, of course, the 2027 season stays largely intact.
“If we’re in a situation where games are being missed, and in ’27, that could have an impact on playing the Olympics after that,’’ Meyer said. “But for now, it’s on a separate track."
Still, after watching the popularity of the WBC, and the players’ enthusiasm for the tournament, Meyer hopes the WBC becomes a permanent fixture in MLB, where it likely will be played every four years.
“The WBC is fantastic," Meyer said. “The fan engagement has been terrific. I mean, that’s obvious. It’s great baseball. Great players. It’s a great thing for the sport, and its been a tremendous success.
“The players that I’ve spoken to are thrilled to be here, thrilled to be representing their countries, and having a good time. It’s a great thing for the league, and in this market in Miami, you can see the fan interest in baseball, which unfortunately is perhaps not maximized by the franchise here.
MESA, Arizona — I know most of you are focused on the USA/Dominican Republic World Baseball Classic semi-final this evening, and the Cubs’ 14-8 loss to the Dodgers ran real long largely because of a ridiculous ninth inning that I’ll get to in a bit.
The most important story of this game was Jameson Taillon, just back from the WBC and now with only a couple of spring starts left before he opens his 2026 season.
This was not a good outing for Jamo. He allowed eight hits in less than four innings, including two home runs (one by Mookie Betts, which pleased the very large contingent of Dodger fans at Sloan Park). More concerning was the four walks he issued. One of Taillon’s best features, when he’s on, is that he pounds the zone and doesn’t walk guys. Four walks in 3.2 innings is not good. He walked only 27 batters in 129.2 innings all of last year. Ten of the Dodgers’ 14 runs scored off Taillon, making the score 10-2 at the time he departed. His spring ERA is now 22.18, yikes.
The other homer off Taillon was by Jack Suwinski, who used to wear Cubs pitching out when he was with the Pirates. Maybe he has Taillon’s number — of his 57 career homers, three are off Jamo.
The good news from this game, such as it is, is that four relievers who will be important parts of this year’s Cubs bullpen all did well. Hoby Milner, Caleb Thielbar, Phil Maton and Jacob Webb combined for four shutout innings, allowing one hit and one walk, striking out three. That’s a good sign, I think.
Then there was that ridiculous ninth inning I mentioned, in which the teams combined for seven walks and nine runs. Devin Ortiz, who the Cubs got over the winter from the Padres system, hit a grand slam in that inning [VIDEO].
For whatever that’s worth.
It was nice to see Jonathon Long back in action in the field. At the plate he was hit by a pitch and walked twice. Hopefully he’ll see some more MLB spring action before camp breaks.
Attendance watch: A sellout of 15,788 attended Sunday afternoon’s contest, as I mentioned, a large number were Dodgers fans. The boxscore says 13,788 but I clearly heard 15,788 announced. Presuming the larger figure is correct, that makes the season total for 13 games at Sloan Park 163,519, or 12,578 per date.
The Cubs travel west Monday to face the Guardians at Goodyear. Cade Horton will start for the Cubs and Gavin Williams goes for Cleveland. Game time Monday is 8:05 p.m. CT, one hour after the WBC semi-final between Venezuela and Italy starts. We’ll have game threads here for both. Monday’s Cubs game will be televised on Guardians TV, with a radio broadcast from the Cleveland flagship station WTAM 1100.
HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 13: Will Smith #16 of Team USA stands on the field for the national anthem prior to the 2026 World Baseball Classic Quarterfinals game presented by Capital One between Team USA and Team Canada at Daikin Park on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The first semifinal matchup of the World Baseball Classic is upon is, with Team USA and The Dominican Republic facing off.
Paul Skenes starts on the mound for The United States, with Luis Severino going for The Dominican Republic.
Will Smith starts at catcher, continuing the every-other-game timeshare behind the plate with Cal Raleigh.
MIAMI, FL - MARCH 13: Juan Soto #22 of the Dominican Republic slides home during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Quarterfinals game presented by Capital One between Team Korea and Team Dominican Republic at loanDepot park on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
I’m not going to pretend to be impartial: GO DR GO
DR is in tough against starting pitcher Paul Skenes. Luis Severino starts for DR.
DR has their lineup out.
Tatis, RF
Marte, 2B
Soto, LF
Vlad, 1B
Machado, 3B
Caminero, DH
Rodriguez, CF
Wells, C
Perdomo, SS
As I type this, the US doesn’t have a lineup posted.
TEMPE, ARIZONA - MARCH 15: Hunter Goodman #15 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning of the spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 15, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This afternoon, the Colorado Rockies lost to the Los Angeles Angels, 6.5. For more game highlights, please click here.
The Rockies are now 11-11 in spring training play.
Although there were no interviews today, the Rockies did provide game highlights.
But first, Hunter Goodman hit his second home run of 2026.
The Yankees split-squad game against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday night was cancelled due to inclement weather as rain started in the top of the third inning.
New York trailed, 2-0, at the time of the delay. There will not be a makeup date for the spring training game, the Orioles said.
Paul Blackburn started for New York and let up two runs over 2.0 IP. The veteran retired the first two Orioles, but after a walk, single, and wild pitch, he gave up a two-run single to Tyler O'Neill.
Blackburn bounced back for a 1-2-3 second inning, including two straight strikeouts to close out the frame.
Orioles starter Zach Eflin tossed two-plus innings with four strikeouts, taking down Jasson Dominguez, Jazz Chisholm, José Caballero, and Oswaldo Cabrera.
Top prospect Spencer Jones recorded the Yanks only hit of the night with a leadoff single in the third inning before the rain began.
Next Up
The Yankees are off on Monday and then play the Tampa Bay Rays on the road on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.
Zach Thornton prepares to throw a pitch during his March 15 appearance for the Mets.
PORT ST. LUCIE — The Mets have a front line of young starting pitchers that includes Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Christian Scott, but the group behind that initial wave is also promising.
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One of those young arms, Zach Thornton, was on display Sunday against the Blue Jays, and for a second straight Grapefruit League start, the lefty was solid.
Thornton allowed one earned run on four hits with one strikeout over 3 ²/₃ innings in an 8-1 victory at Clover Park.
The game was called after five innings because of rain.
“He is a strike-thrower, but this is a guy that can get the fastball in to righties,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “There is a lot to like about him. He’s not afraid. Even when there were times he was behind in counts, he went right after guys.”
Zach Thornton prepares to throw a pitch during his March 15 appearance for the Mets. Imagn Images
The 24-year-old Thornton, a fifth-round pick in the 2023 draft, has pitched to a 1.35 ERA in his two Grapefruit League appearances.
He finished last season at Double-A Binghamton.
The Mets assigned the following players to minor league camp: Carl Edwards Jr., Joe Jacques, Ryan Lambert, Kevin Parada, Ryan Clifford, Jackson Cluff, Grae Kessinger, Jacob Reimer, Ji Hwan Bae, A.J. Ewing and Jose Ramos.
Clifford, Reimer, Ewing and Lambert are among the organization’s top prospects.
“It’s been a great camp for a lot of your young players,” Mendoza said. “It’s a credit to them and credit to player development, because [the players] came in with the mentality of trying to make the team, even though that probably wasn’t [realistic]. But they showed they can play at this level. I liked how they went about their business. Before the games, the questions they were asking, and then the way they went out there and competed.”
Marcus Semien blasted his second homer of the spring and hit another ball that was caught at the fence.
It might be a sign that the second baseman, who has posted a .602 OPS in the Grapefruit League, is getting on track at the plate.
“I’m not worried about him,” Mendoza said. “He’s a guy that has been in the league for quite a bit now. Obviously not the way he wanted it, but he’s tinkering with mechanics and has hit a few balls hard this spring with no results.”
Feb 27, 2026; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Robbie Ray (38) throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn...
Near-perfect: What did Robbie Ray do after leaving his last spring start with a no-hitter intact? He retired all 15 batters he faced Sunday, punching out six, but Giants pitchers didn’t stop there in a 7-1 win over the Brewers. Carson Seymour, Tristan Beck and Matt Gage didn’t allow a base runner, either. The Giants came one out from the first spring training perfect game since 2000. They lost the perfecto, the no-no and the shutout when Gregory Santos walked one batter and allowed Blake Burke, one of Tony Vitello’s players at Tennessee, to rip an RBI double down the right field line. No less encouraging for Ray, who has strung together nine no-hit innings his past two starts.
The Giants’ Jerar Encarnacion hit a mammoth blast estimated at 463 feet Sunday against the Brewers. Getty Images
Jerar and the Giant Blast: At 115 mph off the bat and an estimated 463 feet, Jerar Encarnacion delivered the Giants’ most gargantuan home run of the spring. In a twist of irony, Encarnacion went deep on a pitch that would have been called a ball. He fell behind in the count by unsuccessfully challenging a pitch closer to the plate. The out-of-options slugger has turned it on as attention has turned to those on the 26-man roster bubble: He has nine hits in his past 20 at-bats, four of them for extra bases.
Double-double: Matt Chapman continued his strong spring with three more hits in three at-bats, raising his average in Cactus League play to .448 with a 1.310 OPS. He went the other way for ground-rule doubles in his first two at-bats.
Caught my eye: Christian Koss and Grant McCray both showed what they could bring to the Giants’ bench, with Koss making an over-the-shoulder snow-cone catch on a pop-up behind second base and McCray bunting his way on and stealing two bags. However, McCray was caught leaning between second and third, and Koss was picked off for the second time in three games.
Up next: The Giants travel to Peoria, Arizona, on Monday to face the NL West-rival Padres for the second and final time this spring. Including Saturday’s 8-7 loss to the Diamondbacks, they will play each of their divisional foes over the final week of Cactus League play.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 13: Ketel Marte #4 (L) and Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 (R) of Team Dominican Republic great teammate Juan Soto #22 (C) before playing Team Korea of the quarterfinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot park on March 13, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The first semifinal of the 2026 World Baseball Classic is packed with about as much star power as you could hope for. The United States will be sending Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes to the mound opposite Luis Severino of the Dominican Republic (and the Athletics) with a trip to the final on the line.
As Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com noted, the US currently boasts a roster that includes nine players who received MVP votes in 2025, while the Dominican Republic boasts – you guessed it – nine players who received MVP votes in 2025, too.
Exactly zero of those players, or any of these players for that matter, are Cincinnati Reds. That doesn’t make it any less of a spectacle, of course, and this game is poised to be packed with action.
Here’s how the two clubs will line up:
United States
1. Bobby Witt Jr., SS 2. Bryce Harper, 1B 3. Aaron Judge, RF 4. Kyle Schwarber, DH 5. Gunnar Henderson, 3B 6. Will Smith, C 7. Roman Anthony, LF 8. Brice Turang, 2B 9. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
Dominican Republic
1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF 2. Ketel Marte, 2B 3. Juan Soto, LF 4. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B 5. Manny Machado, 3B 6. Junior Caminero, DH 7. Julio Rodríguez, CF 8. Austin Wells, C 9. Geraldo Perdomo, SS
First pitch is set for just after 8:00 PM in Miami’s loanDepot park, and game coverage can be found on FS1.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 09: Pitcher Shane Drohan #73 of the Milwaukee Brewers throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fifth inning of the spring training game at American Family Fields of Phoenix on March 09, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the headline suggests, there weren’t many positives in today’s game. The Brewers were just one out away from falling victim to a combined perfect game, ultimately losing 7–1 to the San Francisco Giants.
Giants starter Robbie Ray went five innings, racking up eight Ks in the process. Relievers Carson Seymour, Tristan Beck, and Matt Gage kept the perfect game going. Gregory Santos came in for the ninth and recorded two quick outs, but he lost the zone against prospect Cooper Pratt — throwing five consecutive pitches out of the strike zone to put Pratt on first. The next batter, Blake Burke, went down 0-2 before breaking up the no-hitter with a double down the right field line, scoring Pratt to give the Brewers their first and only run of the game. Unfortunately, that was where the scoring would end, as José Anderson struck out swinging to end the game.
Brewers starter Shane Drohan got hit around today, allowing six hits, four runs (three earned), and striking out five in four innings of work. He got through the first inning without allowing a run, with the Giants stranding Matt Chapman after a one-out double. The second inning was a different story. Drohan allowed a bunt single to Grant McCray before walking Bryce Eldridge, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. Up next was Jerar Encarnación, who smoked a high and inside cutter 463 feet to give the Giants a 3-0 lead. That brought up Christian Koss, who beat out an infield single to give the Giants yet another baserunner — still with nobody out.
With Casey Schmitt batting, catcher Reese McGuire threw Koss out trying to steal second. Schmitt ended up walking, prompting Brewers manager Pat Murphy to pull Drohan in favor of Kaleb Bowman. Bowman got Willy Adames to strike out swinging for the second out, but Chapman hit another double — this one a ground rule — to put runners on second and third. Bowman then walked Patrick Bailey to load the bases before getting Luis Matos to hit a weak grounder to shortstop David Hamilton. That should have been the third out, but Hamilton bounced the throw to first baseman Jake Bauers, and Bauers couldn’t handle it. Bailey and Chapman both scored on the throwing error to make it 5-0, San Francisco.
Bowman melted down after that, walking the next two batters to walk in another run before finally getting Encarnación to line out to Garrett Mitchell for the third out. Since it’s spring training, Drohan reentered the game for the third and fourth innings and managed to hold the Giants scoreless. San Francisco added another run on an Adames sacrifice fly in the sixth inning off of Jacob Waguespack, Waguespack’s first earned run of the spring.
San Francisco’s pitching staff combined to strike out eleven Brewers while allowing just one hit (Burke’s double) and walk (to Pratt). As a team, Milwaukee allowed 11 hits and walked six batters. Overall, this was a game to forget.
The Crew is back at it again tomorrow against the Los Angeles Dodgers. First pitch is slated for the same time as today’s game, 3:05 p.m.
