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Few tournaments deliver baseball drama like the World Baseball Classic, and few are more fun to bet.

We’ve had you covered for the 2026 WBC with our top baseball picks, best bets, odds breakdowns, and quick-hit analysis for every matchup, and now we have a pick for the championship game tonight in Miami.

WBC best bets for Tuesday, March 17

Venezuela vs USA prediction

What a contrast in starting pitchers.

Venezuela hands the ball to veteran lefty Eduardo Rodriguez while the USA counters with Mets top pitching prospect Nolan McLean. 

I don’t expect either starter to go too long, as this will be a battle of bullpens. With David Bednar unavailable for the Americans, Venezuela has a slight edge.

Andres Machado, Angel Zerpa, Jose Butto, and Daniel Palencia haven't allowed a run in a combined 18 1/3 innings with 23 strikeouts.

I like Acuna & Co. to jump on the young McLean early and keep this game tight and exciting throughout.

Read more in Andrew Caley's full Venezuela vs. USA predictions.

2026 World Baseball Classic schedule

What is the World Baseball Classic?

Think of the World Baseball Classic as baseball’s version of the FIFA World Cup, but with more flair, louder horns, and way more bat flips. This isn’t your standard MLB grind; it’s a high-stakes sprint where players swap their club jerseys for their national colors, playing for pure pride for countries like Japan, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and the USA.

If you’re used to the slow burn of the MLB regular season, the WBC is a serious shot of adrenaline. For sports bettors, that mix of elite All-Star talent and "win-or-go-home" desperation creates a beautiful kind of chaos.

Between the electric crowds and the elimination game urgency, you get a level of volatility and raw emotion you just don't see in a Tuesday night game in July. When every pitch feels like a Game 7, the betting value goes through the roof.

4 ways WBC betting differs from MLB betting

The World Baseball Classic may feature plenty of MLB stars, but betting these games is nothing like betting a regular-season big league matchup. Here are four key ways they differ:

1. Pitcher usage: Starters often work on tighter pitch counts, shorter leashes and less predictable schedules, which means bullpens can take over much earlier than expected. That can flip the script on full-game sides and totals in a hurry, and it puts even more value on first five innings markets.

2. Roster makeup: MLB teams are built for six months. WBC teams are built to survive a short, high-pressure sprint. Some lineups are stacked with superstar talent but have real holes in the lower half. Others don’t have the same star power, but they’re deeper, cleaner defensively and more reliable on the mound. In this format, depth can be just as valuable as headline names.

3. Pool-play chaos: Pool-play games don’t always play out like standard baseball games because managers are managing to advance, not to conserve for tomorrow. Bullpen aggression, pinch-hit moves, defensive substitutions, and even run differential can all impact late-game strategy.

4. Variance is king: In MLB, the long season usually smooths everything out. In the WBC, one crooked inning, one elite reliever or one superstar swing can decide everything. That creates more upset potential, more momentum swings, and more value if you’re paying attention to matchup context instead of just brand-name players.

What is Kalshi and how does it work?

Kalshi is a federally regulated U.S. exchange where you trade directly on the outcome of real-world future events. Instead of traditional bets, you trade "Event Contracts" which are simple Yes/No questions like "Will the Eagles win this Sunday?" These events are priced between $0.01 and $0.99, and the prices reflect the market’s estimated probability of that event occurring. For instance, $0.55 equals a 55% chance. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays out exactly $1.00; if not, it settles at $0. Kalshi is essentially a stock market for reality.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is set to begin on Wednesday evening. Across the next couple of weeks, 20 countries will compete, with a champion being crowned on March 17.

To no surprise, the United States is one of the heavy favorites in the event. The 30-man roster features a majority of the best players in baseball, including Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Cal Raleigh, Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal.

Team USA is in Pool B and will play group stage games against Brazil, Great Britain, Italy and Mexico. Their first game of the tournament is on Friday, March 6 against Brazil at Daikin Park in Houston.

Rivals is looking back at where each member of Team USA played their high school baseball. Rosters will change throughout the event, so we’re looking at the 30 players that will be on the field and in the dugout or bullpen on Friday night.

There are 16 states represented on the roster. California, of course, leads the way with six. Texas and Georgia are next with four and three representatives, respectively. Pennsylvania, Alabama, North Carolina and Florida all have two each.

Pitchers

David Bednar, Mars Area (Mars, Pa.)
New York Yankees

Matthew Boyd, Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.)
Chicago Cubs

Garrett Cleavinger, Lawrence (Lawrence, Kan.)
Tampa Bay Rays

Clay Holmes, Slocomb (Slocomb, Ala.)
New York Mets

Griffin Jax, Cherry Creek (Englewood, Colo.)
Tampa Bay Rays

Brad Keller, Flowery Branch (Flowery Branch, Ga.)
Philadelphia Phillies

Clayton Kershaw, Highland Park (Dallas, Texas)
Retired

Nolan McLean, Garner (Garner, N.C.)
New York Mets

Mason Miller, Bethel Park (Bethel Park, Pa.)
San Diego Padres

Paul Skenes, El Toro (Lake Forest, Calif.)
Pittsburgh Pirates

Tarik Skubal, Kingman Academy (Kingman, Ariz.)
Detroit Tigers

Gabe Speier, Dos Pueblos (Goleta, Calif.)
Seattle Mariners

Michael Wacha, Pleasant Grove (Texarkana, Texas)
Kansas City Royals

Logan Webb, Rocklin (Rocklin, Calif.)
San Fransisco Giants

Garrett Whitlock, Providence Christian Academy (Lilburn, Ga.)
Boston Red Sox

Ryan Yarbrough, All Saints Academy (Winter Haven, Fla.)
New York Yankees

Catchers

Cal Raleigh, Smoky Mountain (Sylva, N.C.)
Seattle Mariners

Will Smith, Kentucky Country Day (Louisville, Ky.)
Los Angeles Dodgers

Infielders

Alex Bregman, Albuquerque Academy (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Chicago Cubs

Ernie Clement, Brighton (Rochester, N.Y.)
Toronto Blue Jays

Paul Goldschmidt, The Woodlands (The Woodlands, Texas)
New York Yankees

Bryce Harper, Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Philadelphia Phillies

Gunnar Henderson, Morgan Academy (Selma, Ala.)
Baltimore Orioles

Brice Turang, Santiago (Corona, Calif.)
Milwaukee Brewers

Bobby Witt Jr., Colleyville Heritage (Colleyville, Texas)
Kansas City Royals

Outfielders and Designated Hitter

Roman Anthony, Marjory Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.)
Boston Red Sox

Byron Buxton, Appling County (Baxley, Ga.)
Minnesota Twins

Pete Crow-Armstrong, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
Chicago Cubs

Aaron Judge, Linden (Linden, Calif.)
New York Yankees

Kyle Schwarber, Middletown (Middletown, Ohio)
Philadelphia Phillies

The NL Central’s fiercest rivalry returns today as the Brewers take on the Chicago Cubs for the first time this spring.

Offseason acquisition Brandon Sproat is scheduled to take the mound for Milwaukee. Sproat’s made one appearance so far this spring, surrendering three hits (one earned run) while striking out three in 1.1 innings against the Chicago White Sox. Pitching today for the Cubs is Edward Cabrera, acquired from the Marlins over the offseason for a package that included Owen Caissie. Also scheduled to pitch today for the Brewers are Shane Drohan, Logan Henderson, and Craig Yoho.

Milwaukee’s lineup today remains a healthy mix of major and minor league talent, as is normally the case in Spring Training. Regular starters Sal Frelick, Andrew Vaughn, and Christian Yelich make up the top of the order. They’re followed by Gary Sánchez, Akil Baddoo (hitting .455 this spring), and David Hamilton. The bottom third of the lineup consists of three of the Brewers’ top prospects — Luis Lara (right field), Cooper Pratt (shortstop), and Jesús Made (second base).

First pitch today is slated for 2:10 p.m. You can tune into the game (for free) on Brewers.tv or catch the radio broadcast on WTMJ 620.

The World Baseball Classic is in full swing, as teams have begun playing their exhibition games before they head off to Tokyo, San Juan, Houston or Miami for the next steps of their journey (though Pool C is already in Japan and will begin pool play on Wednesday at 10pm ET/8pm MT).

Team USA boasts a formidable lineup that includes such names as Cal Raleigh, Will Smith, Alex Bregman, Paul Goldschmidt, Bryce Harper, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber. And their pitching rotation features David Bednar, Clayton Kershaw, Mason Miller, Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal, among others. This David vs. Goliath matchup will be a true test of the Rockies’ new approach at the plate, in the field and on the mound.

“It’s a higher test for the pitchers and the hitters,” manager Warren Schaeffer said before the game. “But for the hitters specifically, you see guys all the time in spring training — the ‘dudes’ first time through — and the best relievers usually throw over the first five or six innings in a spring training game. So it’s not really that much different, I’d say, today. But you don’t ever see a lineup with Bobby Witt [Jr.], Bryce Harper, [Aaron] Judge, so that’s a little different. And it’ll be a nice test for ‘Free’ for his first time out and whoever else is getting in there today.”

Kyle Freeland will make his spring debut against his former team. Freeland pitched on the 2023 WBC team that lost to Japan in the Finals. He has been dealing with some back spasms all spring, but is ready to go. It will also likely feature the debut of his new-look changeup, a pitch he’s been working to harness his entire career.

Schaeffer is looking for Freeland to have “one inning of healthy pitching, looking forward to build on something today moving forward [in his] first time out.”

Freeland will face Yankees’ left-hander Ryan Yarbrough. The 34-year-old southpaw is making his WBC debut after making 19 appearances (eight starts) in the Bronx in 2025. Yarbrough was signed as a free agent by the Yankees in the 2025 offseason, and posted a 3-1 record and 4.36 ERA. So far in spring training, he has made one appearance where he pitched two innings and gave up just one run on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

First Pitch: 1:10 p.m. MDT

TV: Rockies.tv

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

Lineups:

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

Great Britain at San Diego Padres, March 4, 2026, 12:10 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Peoria Sports Complex – Peoria, AZ

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.

• Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
• Remember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity site
• Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads

GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!

An upcoming MRI could go a long way toward determining whether the Reds can be a surprise NL playoff entrant once again.

Cincinnati ace Hunter Greene will undergo an MRI due to right elbow stiffness that has plagued him since the end of last season, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Greene told reporters that he does not have any UCL damage but has bone spurs, per Charlie Goldsmith, and will separately meet with with Drs. Timothy Kremcheck and Neal ElAttrache.

He’s unsure if he will be ready for the start of the season.

“I don’t know. I’m not sure,” Greene said, per Goldsmith.

“If something has to be done, it’s early and we’ll get it out of the way quick and can have the big chunk of the season. If we have a playoff push, I’ll be ready to go.”

Any type of elbow issue is always problematic for a pitcher, although there’s at least the positive development — as of now — that his UCL is fine.

Greene said he has “stuff floated around” that will have to be managed, per Goldsmith.

The 26-year-old told reporters that he experienced what he labeled as discomfort in his last five or six starts last year while the Reds chased down and passed the Mets in the NL Wild-Card race.

“It was a playoff push, so I pushed through it,” he said, per Goldsmith.

He said he felt fine in the offseason, though he received an injection, and has “been managing” the situation through the early portion of camp.

Reds manager Terry Francona added that Greene just hasn’t been recovering as expected, according to Goldsmith.

“It makes sense to do it now. I know I have bone spurs. As of now, there’s no UCL damage. Hopefully it’s just that and we get that taken care of and I can get back out there,” Greene said, per Goldsmith. “We have one of the best staffs in baseball. I’m a big part of that. I want to go out there and compete with the guys. Hopefully I can still make a good amount of starts and not miss a really good chunk of the season and most importantly the playoff push. Hopefully this is quick. I still have to check with the doctors.”

Greene is coming off a 7-4 campaign in which he posted a 2.76 ERA, and has notched that same ERA spanning his last 45 starts over the past two seasons.

For his career, the former No. 2 pick has averaged 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings.

He anchors a quality Reds rotation that also features Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, Brady Singer and Chase Burns, among others, but losing Greene for a stretch would be a tough blow.

Despite the potential absence, Reds president of baseball operations Nic Krall said the team will not begin engaging with available starting pitchers, per Goldsmith.

Seattle Mariners prospect Colt Emerson found out the hard way you can have too much of a good thing. After two successful minor-league seasons, Emerson was pleased, but not satisfied. He felt like there was more he could do to get to his power, and decided in late 2024 to add a leg kick to help the smaller-bodied shortstop tap into more power at the plate. However, as he progressed through levels, the leg kick got more and more pronounced.

“For some reason I thought, the bigger it is, the more I can stay back and then I can be ready earlier,” he said.

Emerson started gradually developing the leg kick towards the end of the 2024 season; the peak of the kick’s height probably came around spring training last year. Here he is in spring of last year homering off Cubs rotation centerpiece Cade Horton:

Emerson had a big spring that helped catapult him onto the national prospect radar. But despite his strong performance, he wasn’t entirely satisfied with his approach after facing big-league caliber arms.

“I felt really good, mostly, but I was just missing pitches by like [pinches fingers together] this much. And with the leg kick, I think it was like, I’m trying to do a little bit more than I need to, trying to do a little too much.”

The kick, Emerson realized, was interfering with his timing. And while he’d been able to get past pitchers in the low minors with slightly imperfect timing, that wouldn’t fly when facing the tougher arms at the upper minors every day, let alone MLB.

“For any kid, the best advice I give is, if you can be ready for the pitch before the pitch is being thrown, you have the most time to recognize what pitch is coming,” said Emerson. “So if you can be set up and ready to fire right when he’s releasing it, you can be on time for that 100 mph fastball. And then, like, you can see, oh, he’s off it? Curveball.”

Post-spring training, by May of 2025, Emerson was already decreasing the leg kick. Here is the apex of his leg kick last spring training vs. what he was doing in late May with Everett:

Unsatisfied with his start to the 2025 season, he consulted video and talked with his dad, who has been his lifelong hitting coach. By June, Emerson had eliminated the leg kick entirely, shifting it to a simple toe tap, as he’d done before.

“I struggled to start off the year, and I was looking back at old videos and I saw a toe tap against Nathan Eovaldi, and he throws 99 but I was ready for it, I hit a double off him. So halfway through the season, I was like, why don’t I just try this?”

It took Emerson a few weeks to adjust, but early indications were good. How good?

Emerson in April/May: .242/.347/.366
EmersoninJune/July: .310/.426/.541

“I saw results immediately,” he said. “And you’re not always supposed to focus on results, but when I say results, I don’t mean stats. I mean the way the ball’s flying. I’m lining out, I’m hitting more doubles, I’m hitting for more power. All because it was allowing me to be ready before the pitcher.”

Emerson finished the 2025 season with a career-high 16 home runs: 11 at High-A Everett, another three after a late-season promotion to Double-A, and another two with Triple-A Tacoma as part of their playoff run.

That’s the same toe tap we’ve seen this spring. It’s consistent, whether he’s facing a righty:

Or a lefty:

For Emerson, the home run surge was nice, but what he’s really enthused about is his newfound ability to consistently hit to the pull side with power, even as he continues to focus on hitting the ball to all fields.

“The power uptick came because I was able to backspin pull-side balls and I was on time with fastballs, so I was able to turn on the fastball. My whole life I’ve had trouble pulling the ball with comfort. Like, I could do it, but it wasn’t comfortable, and I couldn’t do it consistently. It’s taken a lot of trial and error, but now I can.”

Change doesn’t necessarily come easily for Emerson, who prides himself on his consistency both in the field and in the box. His dad has been his hitting coach his whole life, he has a prescribed vocabulary he likes to use when talking about hitting, and his swing largely hasn’t changed from his days as a prep. But as he climbs the ladder towards MLB, he’s learning what it takes to make it and adjusting as he goes.

“Everybody in professional baseball has a good enough swing to play. Instead it’s, can you be on time for everything, make the adjustments when you need to make the adjustments, and stay on time? That’s the hardest part. And I don’t want to say that I figured it out, because no one ever figures out hitting, but I found something for me that I can stay consistent with the whole time.”

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

There is no debate the San Diego Padres have a talented roster. That talent comes from may states and countries and results in a chaotic Spring Training every three to four years when the World Baseball Classic takes players from teams across MLB to compete on a global stage.

The 2026 season is no different, although San Diego Platinum Glove right-fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. is making his first appearance in the WBC for the Dominican Republic. He joins Padres teammates Manny Machado and Wandy Peralta on the roster. Xander Bogaerts will play for the Netherlands, Mason Miller will play for USA and Ron Marinaccio and Alek Jacob will play for Italy. Minor-leaguers Victor Lizarraga and Omar Cruz will play for Mexico. Yuki Matsui was originally committed to play for Japan, but an injury will keep him out of the WBC and may jeopardize his status for Opening Day.

With multiple players leaving the Peoria Sports Complex to join their WBC teams, there will be opportunities for more playing time and more exposure for the players remaining in camp. This is most important to a host of players who are competing for roster spots.

The projected lineup based on what manager Craig Stammen has been sending out throughout the spring looks something like this:

1. Xander Bogaerts – SS
2. Jackson Merrill – CF
3. Manny Machado – 3B
4. Fernando Tatis Jr. – RF
5. Gavin Sheets – 1B
6. Ramon Laureano – LF
7. Jake Cronenworth – 2B
8. Nick Castellanos – DH
9. Freddy Fermin – C

MLB teams are allowed a 26-man roster, and they typically split the roster with 13 position players and 13 starters and relievers. After the nine players in the lineup, that means the Padres have four bench spots available. We know one of those spots belongs to a backup catcher and Luis Campusano is the apparent leader for that position. There are three spots remaining.

It is hard to imagine San Diego would not keep Sung-Mun Song on the roster based on the amount he was paid in free agency. The same could be said for Miguel Andujar. That brings the total of position players on the roster to 12 and leaves one spot remaining to be decided between multiple players.

Bryce Johnson would have to be considered the favorite to fill the final roster spot as he is a speedy outfielder who could play all positions on the grass and could provide speed as a pinch-runner. Mason McCoy has shown himself to be a capable defender but does not provide much on offense. Ty France was added to shore up the first base position but does not have much position flexibility and the DH spot seems to be fairly settled between Castellanos, Andujar, Campusano (right-handers) and Sheets (left-hander). Jose Miranda has had a solid spring but only plays the corners of the infield and Samad Taylor is another speedster in the outfield but does not have the same familiarity with the organization as Johnson.

Considering all of this, which player stands to benefit from additional opportunities with WBC players being out of camp? That is the question Gaslamp Ball is asking its readers this week for the Padres Reacts Survey. Results will be posted later this week.

GOODYEAR, AZ − Cincinnati Reds ace Hunter Greene is departing spring training to seek medical evaluations for what the team called right elbow stiffness. Team officials said they expect to have a more full view of Greene's situation by Tuesday, March 10.

Reds manager Terry Francona, along with President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall, told reporters on Wednesday, March 4 that Greene was returning to Cincinnati to see orthopedic surgeon and longtime Reds team doctor, Dr. Timothy Kremchek, on March 6. After that, Greene will consult with Los Angeles-based physician, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, on March 9 due to the stiffness.

Greene is also expected to have an MRI while in Cincinnati.

Greene started one Cactus League game on Feb. 28. He was scheduled to throw a side bullpen session March 3 and reported some stiffness after he woke up that morning. Krall said there wasn't any report that it was really bothering him prior to that.

"He's just not recovering the way, I think, he's comfortable and the ball's coming pretty good, as we saw, but we need to get this − you're asking the guy to go out there and throw as hard as he can," Francona said. "We need to make sure he's OK, so we'll have information, probably, Tuesday."