Pool A of this year’s World Baseball Classic kicked off Friday at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with opening victories from Cuba over Panama and Puerto Rico over Colombia.
World Baseball Network writers picked Canada to win Pool A and advance to the quarterfinals. Each of the five teams in the pool received one selection to finish in second place and move on to the quarterfinals.
Let’s take a look at Saturday’s results and the upcoming schedule in San Juan.
Canada (1-0) 8, Colombia (0-2) 2 – Owen Caissie’s two-run homer in the bottom of the second inning and Abraham Toro’s two RBIs helped Canada secure a victory in its opening game of the WBC. Leading 4-2 in the eighth, they plated four runs thanks to a run-scoring triple from Toro, Bo Naylor’s RBI knock, a sacrifice fly from Denzel Clarke, and a bases-loaded walk drawn by Tyler O’Neil.
Colombia’s two runs came from an RBI single from Seattle Mariners prospect Michael Arroyo in the third and Harold Ramirez’s RBI double in the eighth. Michael Soroka struck out two and allowed one earned run in his three frames as Canada’s starter. Reliever Noah Skirrow tossed three scoreless innings from the fifth through the seventh.
Puerto Rico (2-0) 4, Panama (0-2) 3 – Darrell Hernaiz’s walk-off homer in the bottom of the 10th inning surged Puerto Rico past Panama in an upset scare. The back-and-forth affair looked like Panama’s game to lose following Christian Bethancourt and Luis Castillo’s RBI doubles in the fifth and a strong start (5 IP, 0 ER, 4 K) from Ariel Jurado.
However, Willi Castro drew a game-tying walk with two outs and the bases loaded in the ninth for Puerto Rico. Despite Jose Caballero’s go-ahead knock in the 10th for Panama, Puerto Rico had an immediate answer in the bottom half of the frame on a run-scoring double play off the bat of Carlos Torres, whose plate appearance followed Luis Vazquez’s leadoff single.
Sunday’s Pool A Schedule
All Times Eastern Standard Time
12 p.m. – Colombia (0-2) vs. Cuba (1-0) – Hiram Bithorn Stadium – TV: FS2 – Colombia’s Luis Patino hopes to keep his club’s quarterfinal hopes alive with a solid performance on the mound, as Cuba’s Denny Larrondo makes his first appearance of the WBC.
7 p.m. – Panama (0-2) vs. Canada (1-0) – Hiram Bithorn Stadium – TV: FS2 – Chicago Cubs veteran Jameson Taillon makes his first start of the tournament for Canada, while Panama is on the brink of elimination.
Photo: Puerto Rico’s Darell Hernaiz (23) celebrates with Eddie Rosario after he hitting a home run against Panama during the 10th inning of a World Baseball Classic game in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
