The 2026 World Baseball Classic is underway in pool play, and the sport’s best player hasn’t needed long to make a statement. Shohei Ohtani and Japan can secure a berth in the quarterfinals with a victory over Australia on Sunday.
Ohtani homered against Korea on Saturday at the Tokyo Dome — his second homer in as many games in the tournament — as Japan beat Korea 8-6 to improve to 2-0.
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This year marks the sixth iteration of the international baseball tournament, with Japan the reigning champion after defeating Team USA 3-2 in the 2023 final.
The Americans have taken home one WBC title, back in 2017, and they’re looking for a second with a loaded roster that includes 22 MLB All-Stars — the most of any roster in the tournament. Among those who will represent Team USA are Paul Skenes, Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge, just to name a few of the stars, with the U.S. entering the tournament as the favorite (-105) over Japan (+350) at BetMGM.
During pool play, games will be played in Tokyo, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Miami and Houston. The pool stage runs through March 11, followed by the quarterfinals (March 13 and 14) and semifinals (March 15 and 16). It all culminates with the WBC final on March 17, which will be played at loanDepot Park in Miami.
Games will air across Fox, FS1, FS2 and Fox Deportes, with streaming for all games available with a Fox One subscription.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest news and updates from the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Live130 updates
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 4:33 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Shohei Ohtani led off the fifth inning after Shugo Maki was picked off second base to end the fourth.
But Ohtani still has yet to reach base, lining out to right field in front of the warning track against Blake Townsend. He is 0-for-3 thus far.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 4:30 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Chihiro Sumida took over for Tomoyuki Sugano in the fifth inning and continued to keep Australia scoreless.
Sumida struck out the first two batters he faced before giving up a single to Tim Kennelly. But he quickly got ahead of Travis Bazzana with two strikes before getting him to fly out and end the inning.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 4:21 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Left-hander Blake McDonald took over to pitch for Australia, facing Shohei Ohtani with two outs and the bases loaded.
Ohtani worked the count to 2 balls and 2 strikes, then Australia catcher Robbie Perkins picked Shugo Maki off second base to end Japan’s scoring threat.
Manager Hirokazu Ibata might have something to say to Maki about getting picked off with Ohtani at the plate. But this game is going to the fifth inning tied 0-0.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 4:16 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Japan may have its first real scoring threat. Kazuma Okamoto drew a leadoff walk against Warwick Saupold, followed by Shugo Maki hitting a one-out single. Kenya Wakatsuki drew a walk after Sosuke Genda flied out.
That has loaded the bases for Shohei Ohtani. And Australia is making a pitching change.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 4:08 AM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Warwick Saupold is in to pitch for Australia, taking over for Connor McDonald, who started with three scoreless innings.
McDonald allowed 1 hit and 3 walks with 1 strikeout. He threw 54 pitches, 27 of them for strikes.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 3:44 AM PDT
Yahoo Sports Staff
Shohei Ohtani came to the plate with runners on first and second, but flew out to center field to end the second inning.
Japan has left a pair of runners on base in each of the first two innings.
The game remains scoreless headed into the third.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 3:28 AM PDT
Yahoo Sports Staff
Shohei Ohtani grounded out in his first at bat — only the second time in three games he failed to reach base.
Australia worked around a pair of walks after getting Ohtani out, and neither team scored in the first inning.
The winner of today’s game xdcures a berth in the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic.
Sun, March 8, 2026 at 3:00 AM PDT
Yahoo Sports Staff
Here’s a look at the tournament schedule for Saturday, beginning with Team Japan vs. Australia at 6 a.m. ET.
WBC schedule for Sunday, March 8
*All times listed are ET
6 a.m.: Japan vs. Australia (FS1)
Noon: Cuba vs. Colombia (FS2)
Noon: Dominican Republic vs. Netherlands (Fox)
1 p.m.: Italy vs. Great Britain (Tubi)
7 p.m.: Israel vs. Nicaragua (Tubi)
7 p.m.: Canada vs. Panama (FS2)
8 p.m.: Mexico vs. Brazil (FS1)
Sat, March 7, 2026 at 10:12 PM PST
Jack Baer
Sat, March 7, 2026 at 10:08 PM PST
Jack Baer
The most back-and-forth game of the tournament ended with Chinese Taipei raucously celebrating an extra-innings win. Neither team led by more than a run the entire game, and it all came down to the bottom of the 10th inning, when TPE first baseman first baseman Nien-Ting Wu threw out the runner at the plate.
Sat, March 7, 2026 at 8:07 PM PST
Jack Baer
The American offense took a while to get going, but ground down the Great Britain pitching staff. The American pitching staff allowed a homer on its first pitch, then allowed only two hits for the rest of the game, while striking out 17 and walking none.
Mexico awaits for Team USA, which is now 2-0 in the WBC.
Sat, March 7, 2026 at 7:09 PM PST
Jack Baer
The Americans are pouring it now, loading the bases with no outs in the sixth inning then bringing two in via a sacrifice fly from Alex Bregman and single from Aaron Judge.
Sat, March 7, 2026 at 7:02 PM PST
Jack Baer
Panama nearly had it. They were up 2-1 going into the ninth inning, then walked in the tying run with two outs. They scored in the top of the 10th, but Puerto Rico tied it again. Then, a walkoff homer from Darell Hernaiz.
An electric moment for the hosts of Pool A, a heartbreaker for the underdogs.
Sat, March 7, 2026 at 6:48 PM PST
Jack Baer
Venezuela takes a one-sided game behind a 4-for-5 game with two homers from Luis Arraez. That makes them nearly guaranteed to advance out of Group D.
Sat, March 7, 2026 at 6:43 PM PST
Jack Baer
With the bases loaded, two outs and a full count, Gunnar Henderson rips a double to extend the American lead. This is starting to look like the game we expected.
Sat, March 7, 2026 at 6:31 PM PST
Jack Baer
Kyle Schwarber hit a lot of homers for the Philadelphia Phillies last year and just crushed one for Team USA. It was a tense first half of the game, but the Americans are now in control.
Sat, March 7, 2026 at 6:30 PM PST
Jack Baer
Ernie Clement reached base on an error, took third on a Pete Crow-Armstrong double and scored on a wild pitch to tie this game. Here come the Americans.
Sat, March 7, 2026 at 6:14 PM PST
Jack Baer
Najer Victor is a 24-year-old Angels minor league who’s never even pitched in Double-A. He just struck out Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper and Gunnar Henderson in a scoreless fourth inning.
Great Britain still leads 1-0.
Sat, March 7, 2026 at 5:52 PM PST
Jack Baer
Team USA manager Mark DeRosa just told the Fox broadcast that he’s bringing in Clay Holmes to pitch in the fourth inning, so that will do it for Tarik Skubal’s day.
As we all expected, Skubal will exit with his team trailing against Great Britain. The only guy to record a hit on him: Boston Red Sox utility man Nate Eaton.
Sat, March 7, 2026 at 5:32 PM PST
Jack Baer
The best play of the WBC now belongs to Great Britain right fielder Trayce Thompson, who robbed his former Dodgers teammate Will Smith of a game-tying homer.