2026 World Baseball Classic: Thursday’s Results And Friday’s Schedule

Thursday’s Games

South Korea 11, Czechia 4 – South Korea powered its way to an 11-4 rout over Czechia with four home runs in World Baseball Classic Pool C play Thursday night at the Tokyo Dome. Corner infielders Bo Gyeong Moon and Shay Whitcomb led the way, combining for four hits, three homers, and eight RBIs. Read the full story from World Baseball Network’s Yuri Karasawa here.

Australia 5, Czechia 1 – Curtis Mead’s three-run home run in the third inning proved to be the difference, while the Australian pitching staff delivered another strong performance, allowing just four hits. Read the full story from WBN’s Yuri Karasawa in Tokyo here.

Friday’s Schedule

Chinese Taipei (0-1) vs. Japan (0-0) (5 a.m. EST) – Tokyo Dome – TV: FS1 – Cheng Hao-chun is expected to start against Japan’s Yoshinobu Yamamoto as Japan opens the defense of its 2023 title at the Tokyo Dome. Chinese Taipei will start Cheng Tsung Che as they try for another upset of Japan at the Tokyo Dome, a feat they accomplished in the final game of the 2024 WBSC Premier12.

Cuba vs. Panama (11 a.m) EST – Hiram Bithorn Stadium – TV: FS2 – Major League Baseball fans who want to see the next big potential star to come from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball should tune into the early innings of Cuba’s opener. Livan Moinelo, the 2025 NPB Pacific League MVP with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, will start Cuba’s opener against Panama’s Logan Allen. Moinelo, 30, is under contract to SoftBank via the Federacion Cubana de Beisbol y Softbol, but could potentially move to MLB if he found his way out of the control of Cuba’s federation, as his teammate, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yariel Rodriguez, did following the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

The Netherlands vs. Venezuela (Noon EST) – loanDepot Park – TV: Tubi – Venezuela will put Ranger Suarez on the mound against The Netherlands’ Antwone Kelly in the Pool D opener in Miami.

Mexico vs. Great Britain (1 p.m. EST) – Daikin Park – TV: FS1 – Benji Gil will start Javier Assad against Great Britain’s Jack Anderson as Pool B gets underway at Houston’s Daikin Park.

Puerto Rico vs. Colombia (6 p.m. EST) – Hiram Bithorn Stadium – TV: FS1 – Los Rubios open WBC play on home soil with The Quarterrican Seth Lugo starting against Colombia’s Jose Quintana in a battle of former New York Mets at San Juan’s Estadio Hiram Bithorn.

Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic (7 p.m. EST) – loanDepot Park – TV: FS2 – Dusty Baker will call on Ronald Medrano to start Nicaragua’s opener against the Dominican Republic in the nightcap in Miami. Cristopher Sanchez will start for the Dominican Republic, which looks to have a better showing than their early exit in 2023 after going 2-2 in pool play.

United States vs. Brazil (8 p.m. EST) – Daikin Park – TV: FOX – Logan Webb will start the opener for Team USA against Brazil’s Bo Takahashi in the late game at Houston’s Daikin Park.

Chinese Taipei (0-1) vs. Czechia (0-2) (10 p.m. EST) – Tokyo Dome – TV: FS1 – Jan Novak will start for Czechia, which needs a win to keep hope a glimmer of hope alive toward not having to qualify for the next World Baseball Classic. Chinese Taipei hasn’t announced a starter.

Photo: Japan’s Shohei Ohtani, center, greets teammate Yuki Matsumoto as he arrives before the start of a World Baseball Classic Pool C game between Japan and Taiwan Friday, March 6, 2026 in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)