The 2026 World Baseball Classic continues Saturday with two quarterfinal showdowns. Italy opened with an 8-6 win over Puerto Rico in Houston. In the late game, Venezuela faces Japan at 9 p.m. ET in Miami.
Japan was one of three teams to emerge from pool play undefeated, along with the Dominican Republic and Italy. World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto starts on the mound Saturday for Team Japan, while Venezuela (3-1 in pool play) counters with Ranger Suarez.
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In the first game, Willi Castro gave Puerto Rico a 1-0 lead with a home run, but Italy responded by scoring four runs against Seth Lugo. Italy then added four more runs in the fourth with back-to-back bases-loaded doubles — one aided by a fan interference call. Puerto Rico rallied to score four runs in the eighth and close the deficit to two runs. But Greg Weissert pitched the final 1 2/3 innings to close out Italy’s trip to the semifinals in Miami.
The winners of Saturday’s WBC games advance to the semifinals and will face off on Monday at loanDepot Park in Miami, joining the United States and the Dominican Republic among the tournament’s final four teams.
Saturday’s WBC schedule, how to watch
Japan vs. Venezuela: 9 p.m. ET on Fox/Fubo
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest World Baseball Classic news and highlights coming out of Saturday’s quarterfinal matchups:
Live37 updates
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 4:53 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 4:41 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Before Japan and Venezuela meet to decide the final team in the WBC semifinals, here’s one last listen to Italy’s victory over Puerto Rico in Saturday’s earlier quarterfinal matchup — with the call from the Italian broadcast, via Sky Sports.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 4:07 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Vinnie Pasquantino already has Japan in the WBC semifinals. But he can probably be excused for presuming that the defending champs will be among the tournament’s final four. Plus, the afterglow of victory and all that…
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 3:41 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Following a leadoff single by Carlos Cortes, Emmanuel Rivera struck out, and Heliot Ramos flew out to right field.
With Puerto Rico down to its final out, Eddie Rosario flew out to left field, and Italy finishes an 8-6 win to advance to the WBC semifinals in Miami.
Italy had never before reached the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 3:38 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Greg Weissert is pitching the ninth, trying to close out a win for Italy. But he allowed a leadoff single to Carlos Cortes. That brings Emmanuel Rivera to the plate as the tying run with no outs.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 3:37 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Edwin DÃaz made the bottom of the eighth more interesting than Yadier Molina surely intended.
After hitting Sam Antonacci to lead off the frame, DÃaz retired Italy’s next two batters before walking Vinnie Pasquantino. (A wild pitch also advanced Antonacci to third base.)
But DÃaz struck out Dominic Canzone to end the threat. (Although a called strike two on the fifth pitch of the at-bat was out of the zone and would be reviewed in our new ABS world.)
Greg Weissert will pitch the ninth for Italy, trying to close out a win.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 3:26 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Puerto Rico brings in closer Edwin DÃaz to try and keep it an 8-6 game in the bottom of the eighth.
Yadier Molina trying to make sure Italy doesn’t pad its lead after Puerto Rico got back into this game.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 3:23 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Greg Weissert struck out Willi Castro, then allowed a single up the middle to Darell Hernaiz. Nolan Arenado came to the plate with two runners on for Puerto Rico.
But Arenado reached for a changeup low and away and hit a grounder to third base, ending the inning.
However, Puerto Rico scored four runs in the eighth to make it an 8-6 ballgame.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 3:16 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
We’ve got a ballgame! Joe La Sorsa relieved Matt Festa, who subsequently allowed a groundout to Eddie Rosario that drove in a run for Puerto Rico.
La Sorsa then hit Bryan Torres with a pitch. Italy manager Francisco Cervelli came out to challenge the call, which looked close, but the play was not reviewed.
A wild pitch from La Sorsa advanced runners to second and third, and he followed up by allowing a single to Christian Vázquez which drove in two runs.
Puerto Rico has cut its deficit to 8-6 with only one out in the eighth. Greg Weissert is coming in to replace La Sorsa.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 3:04 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Matt Festa took over to pitch for Italy after Dan Altavilla’s tightrope act in the seventh inning. But Festa might be pitching his way into trouble.
Carlos Cortes led off the eighth with a single. Then Emmanuel Rivera drew a six-pitch walk and Heliot Ramos grinded out a seven-pitch pass. Puerto Rico has the bases loaded with no outs.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 2:57 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Raymond Burgos and Yacksel Rios combined for a 1-2-3 inning for Puerto Rico, preventing Italy from increasing its 8-2 lead.
Now the Puerto Rico lineup needs some more runs as this game goes to the eighth inning.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 2:46 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Puerto Rico was happy to see Dan Altavilla take over on the mound for Dylan DeLucia. After Bryan Torres walked to lead off the top of the seventh, Vinnie Pasquantino committed an error at first base, letting MJ Melendez’s grounder get under his glove.
With runners on first and third and no outs, Altavilla then locked in. He got Willi Castro to line out to shortstop, followed by striking out Darell Hernaiz and Nolan Arenado to escape the jam. Puerto Rico may have blown its last chance to get back into this game.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 2:27 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Fernando Cruz did his part to try keeping Puerto Rico in the game, pitching a 1-2-3 fifth inning to maintain an 8-2 score.
However, Puerto Rico’s lineup couldn’t add any runs against Dylan DeLucia in the top of the sixth inning, going down in order. DeLucia has thrown four scoreless innings, allowing only two hits with three strikeouts.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 2:14 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Nolan Arenado reached base on a two-out infield single for Puerto Rico. But Dylan DeLucia pitched his third consecutive scoreless inning, striking out Carlos Cortes on three pitches.
Cortes couldn’t lay off a high fastball over the plate and Italy maintains its 8-2 lead.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 2:06 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Puerto Rico brought in Fernando Cruz to pitch after Luis Quiñones gave up two consecutive bases-loaded doubles. He strikes out Dante Nori — whose father, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori, was shown in the stands — to end the inning.
But Italy tacked four runs onto its lead and is now ahead 8-2 going to the fifth inning. Bang those Moka pots!
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 2:01 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Dude, we all saw you. You reached over the fence.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 2:00 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Following two runs scoring for Italy on a clear fan interference call, J.J. D’Orazio slices a double into the right-field corner. The ball landed just inside the foul line and bounced into the stands, allowing two more runs to score for Italy.
The score is now Italy 8, Puerto Rico 2 in the fourth inning.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 1:58 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Luis Quiñones walked Jac Caglianone to load the bases with two outs for Andrew Fischer. Fischer hit a line drive to deep right field, which would have ricocheted off the wall but a fan reached over the fence to catch the ball.
That was an easy fan interference call and Fischer is given a double and two runs score.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 1:50 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Vinnie Pasquantino drew a two-out walk, avoiding a strikeout on an outside slider that Puerto Rico manager Yadier Molina tried to argue he swung at. Pasquantino then stole second base.
Eduardo Rivera followed by walking Dominic Canzone and Molina is making a pitching change. Luis Quiñones is going to the mound trying to keep it a 4-2 ballgame.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 1:45 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Dylan DeLucia pitches another scoreless inning for Team Italy, allowing only a Matthew Lugo single which ricocheted to the outfield off second baseman Sam Antonacci.
The right-hander has thrown 29 pitches, 18 for strikes.