The next World Baseball Classic will take place in 2026, and the Dominican Republic will play in a pool that features Venezuela, Netherlands, Israel and Nicaragua.
After a poor performance in 2023, the Dominican Republic could have Fernando Tatis Jr. available in 2026. According to The Athletic’s Dennis Lin, Tatis expects to make his World Baseball Classic debut next year.
“They haven’t made it official, but there are really good talks out there,” Tatis told The Athletic. “It’s a matter of me staying healthy the rest of the season, putting everything that’s more important in front, and then we’ll see how that goes.”
Tatis was suspended for a positive PED test ahead of the last World Baseball Classic. However, this time around, it looks like he will be coming off a terrific season. So far this year, Tatis is slashing .340/.409/.629 in 25 games, and is tied for the fifth-most home runs in Major League Baseball with eight.
He has the second-best batting average in the National League and his OPS is the fourth-best in all of baseball. Tatis has noted how important winning the World Baseball Classic is to him.
“Man, it’s just behind winning a World Series,” Tatis said of the importance of winning the World Baseball Classic. “Representing my country, playing right next to my Dominican fellows is something that I cherish, something that I always wanted as a kid. Definitely looking forward to it.”
Tatis’ father, Fernando Tatis Sr., is the hitting coach for the Dominican Republic in 2026. In 2023, the Dominican Republic went 2-2 and did not qualify for the next stage. However, if they get Tatis, coming off a great season, they could make a run at the title.
Photo: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres jogs around the bases after hitting a home run during a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels on March 24, 2023 at the Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images)
