Editor\u2019s note: We have Yankees in separate games tonight and since we\u2019ve been preparing game threads for the knockout stage of the 2026 World Baseball Classics, we\u2019re blending both together tonight! No need to make people go to separate threads for different conversations at the same time. The Yankees\u2019 spring training game against the Orioles is up first, so we\u2019ll run through what you need to know for that one first.<\/p>\n
New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles: Paul Blackburn vs. Zach Eflin<\/p>\n
The Yankees got torched<\/a> in the early game of split-squad action, Luis Gil surrendering seven runs on nine hits in just three innings as the Tigers made it a laugher early. That brings us to the nightcap, the other half of the current spring team traveling to Sarasota to take on the Orioles.<\/p>\n Paul Blackburn was one of many players who the Yankees brought back from last season, re-signing on a one-year, $2 million deal in January. He has generally looked sharp in four appearances this spring with a 1.46 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 12.1 innings. His fastball velocity is up, which should help him retain his longman roll with the team and serve as rotation insurance alongside Ryan Yarbrough.<\/p>\n Zach Eflin re-signed with the Orioles in December after missing the final two months of last season due to lower back surgery. He had a 5.93 ERA prior to the procedure and looked a shadow of the Rays righty who quickly excelled for the Orioles post-deadline in 2024. He has pitched just two innings so far this spring in his recovery.<\/p>\n The Yankees still have plenty of regulars in the lineup despite it being a split-squad day. Ben Rice leads off, followed by Jasson Dom\u00ednguez, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Jos\u00e9 Caballero. Spencer Jones looks to continue his searing spring despite being optioned<\/a> to minor-league camp, the towering lefty going 8-for-24 with four home runs, eight RBIs, and a 226 wRC+ in 11 games.<\/p>\n The Orioles field their strongest lineup minus WBC starter Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday, out with a broken hamate. Taylor Ward was acquired from the Angels over the winter for the promising but oft-injured Grayson Rodriguez \u2014 he leads off while marquee signing Pete Alonso bats third. Top prospect Samuel Basallo is slashing .320\/.414\/.560 with a 149 wRC+ in 10 games this spring, and though he\u2019ll likely see more DH time from the jump, he has a chance to displace Adley Rutschman from the starting catching job. He\u2019ll bat cleanup.<\/p>\n Location: Ed Smith Stadium \u2014 Sarasota, FL<\/p>\n Radio broadcast: 98 Rock 97.9 FM<\/p>\n For updates, follow us on BlueSky<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, and Instagram<\/a>, and like us on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n USA vs. Dominican Republic: Paul Skenes vs. Luis Severino<\/p>\n It\u2019s a battle of the titans in the first WBC semifinal, Team USA taking on the Dominican Republic for the right to play in the Championship Game on Tuesday in Miami against the winner of Italy vs. Venezuela (which will begin tomorrow night).<\/p>\n Team USA stumbled against Italy in pool play, backing into the knockout rounds via a Mexico loss in their final game. They got back ont track against Canada in the quarterfinals, beating them 5-3 behind a good effort from starter Logan Webb. Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic has been far and away the dominant force of this tournament, going undefeated in pool play and scoring double digit runs in all but one of their five total games. They\u2019ve outscored the opposition by a combined total of 51-10.<\/p>\n There is perhaps no pitcher in the world who Team USA would want on the mound more to face the seemingly unstoppable Dominican lineup than Paul Skenes. The reigning NL Cy Young winner was utterly dominant in his lone start of the tournament \u2014 four scoreless innings against Mexico in pool play, allowing a hit and a walk with seven strikeouts. He will need to replicate that form tonight if Team USA is to keep within touching distance of their opponents.<\/p>\n Luis Severino was no slouch either in his previous start this tournament, allowing a run on three hits and no walks with five strikeouts across four innings in a 12-1 beatdown of the Netherlands. He\u2019s no longer the power pitcher of his back-to-back All-Star campaigns with the Yankees last decade, instead transforming himself into a pitcher with more ways to get batters out. His six-pitch arsenal of four-seamer, sweeper, sinker, cutter, changeup, and slider keeps hitters off balance, meaning Severino now relies more on soft contact than strikeouts and swing and miss to record outs. With all due respect to the Dutch though, he has a more daunting starting nine to face tonight.<\/p>\n It\u2019s fair to say that the Team USA lineup has fully clicked in only one game this tournament \u2014 a 15-5 drubbing of Brazil in the tournament opener. Aaron Judge, Roman Anthony, and Kyle Schwarber have largely carried the offense, while guys like Bryce Harper, Cal Raleigh, and Byron Buxton just haven\u2019t shown up at all. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Will Smith therefore get the start in center and behind the plate, while Harper remains as part of a largely-unchanged top four of the order. They manage to squeeze in their three best infielders, Bobby Witt Jr. joined by Gunnar Henderson and Brice Turang, the latter pair combining to go 12-for-25 this tournament.<\/p>\n The potent Dominican Republic lineup swept aside Korea, 10-0, in the quarterfinals, and you have to wonder how any pitcher could be expected to keep them in check. They boast All-Stars and MVP candidates at eight out of nine positions, the whole squad hitting to a ludicrous 1.090 OPS over five games. That being said, they are a combined 3-for-27 against Skenes in the young ace\u2019s career. It\u2019s still a gauntlet: Fernando Tat\u00eds Jr., Ketel Marte, Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado, Junior Caminero, Julio Rodr\u00edguez, Austin Wells, and Geraldo Perdomo. Good luck to Skenes \u2014 or perhaps more relevantly to David Bednar and the other American bullpen arms behind the Pittsburgh star.<\/p>\n Location: loanDepot park \u2014 Miami, FL<\/p>\n Online stream: Fox Sports App<\/p>\n For updates, follow us on BlueSky<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, and Instagram<\/a>, and like us on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n