Day: February 5, 2026

The NFL got all dressed up on Thursday night for its version of the football prom — a chance to walk the red carpet, have a little fun, and celebrate itself by doing everything but officially crowning a king. Hopefully, when they do crown that king on Sunday night in Super Bowl LX, it’ll have a little bit more drama than the NFL awards show had. Most of the winners were the obvious, chalk choices. The only big shocker, really, was the Hall of Fame announcement — though even part of that had been known for days. There were still a few awards worth discussing, though. So here are my four takeaways from the NFL Honors show: 1. A close call? Come on, Matthew Stafford should have been the easiest MVP choice in years How in the world was this the closest MVP vote since Peyton Manning and Steve McNair were co-winners in 2003? I thought Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was going to run away with this award, and really, he probably should have. He threw for 4,707 yards — nearly 1,000 more than he had a year ago. He had a career-high 46 touchdown passes (up from 20 one year ago) with just eight interceptions. He was brilliant from start to finish and nobody was really close. Yet Stafford only edged Patriots quarterback Drake Maye 366 points to 361, and 24 first-place votes to 23. That’s shocking, really. Even more shocking, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert got one first-place vote — a vote that would’ve put Maye over the top if it had gone to him instead. When I saw that, by the way, I assumed there had to be another Justin Herbert in the league. Or that maybe the voter just misspelled “Josh Allen.” I honestly can’t think of a reason why Herbert would get even a top-five vote for MVP. Anyway, don’t get me wrong. Maye was great too, throwing for 4,394 yards with 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. But he was a clear runner-up to Stafford. I can only assume that voters looked at the surrounding cast and decided that Maye had a lot less help around him. Maybe that’s true, and it would’ve mattered a lot more if the numbers were close. But they really weren’t. Stafford’s season, honestly, was a miracle — especially when you consider it began with him having a mysterious back injury during training camp, and the fact that he’s 37 years old. Maye was great. He was a deserving runner-up. He probably earned himself a few first-place votes, too. But this vote just shouldn’t have been that close. 2. The Coach of the Year ballot was stacked, but it was also incomplete. Mike Vrabel — or Mike “Verbal”, as presenter Tiffany Haddish kept calling him — took over a New England Patriots team that went 4-13 a year ago and he turned them into a 14-3 juggernaut that will play in Super Bowl LX on Sunday night. Never mind that they had a cartoonishly soft schedule this season and got every break imaginable. The turnaround was still remarkable, and he was a deserving Coach of the Year. But wow, did he have competition. Two other first-year coaches engineered remarkable turnarounds, too. Liam Coen had the Jaguars at 13-4, one year after going 3-14. And Ben Johnson revived the Bears with an 11-6 record, one year after they went 5-12. Mike Maccdonald didn’t have the same kind of turnaround in Seattle, but he masterfully led the Seahawks to a 14-3 record and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. And Kyle Shanahan held the 49ers together with string and duct tape and they still went 12-6. The ballot was so loaded that there was a glaring omission. How could Sean Payton, who led the Broncos to a 14-3 record and the No. 1 seed in the AFC, not make the top five? Considering they went 12-3 in one-score games (including the playoffs), you better believe coaching had a lot to do with their run, which probably would’ve ended in the Super Bowl if quarterback Bo Nix hadn’t fractured his ankle and missed the AFC Championship Game. 3. If the MVP is going to keep going to QBs, they shouldn’t be candidates for Offensive Player of the Year Thankfully, a non-quarterback won this award — Seattle WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba. And he was well deserved of the award. But Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was a finalist and got five first-place votes. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, the NFL MVP, got three first-place votes. And Bills QB Josh Allen got one. It’s pretty ridiculous double-dipping, when you think about it. Quarterbacks have an absolute monopoly on the MVP award. They’ve now won it 13 straight times and 18 times in the last 19 years. Quarterbacks were four of the five finalists this year, which is pretty much the norm. Christian McCaffrey was just a token non-passer. I get it. It’s understandable. Quarterback is the hardest position to play in all of sports and the most important. It is virtually impossible for an NFL team to win these days without a quarterback playing at an elite level. So just make the MVP a quarterback award and let everyone fight it out for the OPOY. Most of the voters seem to get that other offensive players should have a chance to take home a trophy. This was the seventh straight year that a non-quarterback won this award. But it’s time the NFL took the quarterbacks out of the equation entirely, especially if the voters are going to keep giving them MVPs. 4. Bill Belichick broke the Hall of Fame OK, it wasn’t his fault. It was his presence. And we may never know exactly why, but the fact that the select and secret voters committee omitted him is a stain on the Class of 2026. And it’s especially bad now that we know it wasn’t as much about the process as many voters led us to believe. The prevailing theory — and explanation by some — was that Belichick was caught in a broken system, where he was lumped in with three “senior” candidates and one “contributor” and voters could only select three from that five-man group. But it turns out the voters only selected one from that group — senior candidate (and former 49ers running back) Roger Craig. So there was plenty of room for them to vote for Belichick. But apparently at least 11 of them just didn’t. Whatever their reasons — Spygate, his gruff demeanor, his rough relationship with local New England media — is just an excuse for an inexcusable omission. The man won six Super Bowls, 333 total games, and built a franchise that dominated for nearly two decades. With all due respect to the chosen five — Craig, Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri — that’s the story. Belichick should be on the stage with them. The fact that he’s not is an embarrassment that will overshadow all of them, all the way to Canton this summer.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

There are good teams. There are great teams. And then there is the juggernaut that Team USA will be sending to the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Under manager Mark DeRosa, this is clear-cut the best roster that Team USA has ever compiled. That seemed to be a given when Aaron Judge, who is set to play in his first WBC, signed on to be the captain of the team. But it goes well beyond the reigning American League MVP. Twenty-two of the 30 players on USA’s roster have been MLB All-Stars, a total that, unsurprisingly, leads all teams in the tournament. (The Dominican Republic’s loaded roster ranks second with 16 former MLB All-Stars, followed by Venezuela with 12.) Just based on MLB production, using 2025 WAR as a guide, USA has concocted the best roster of any team in WBC history. WBC Rosters: Team-By-Team Squads With newcomers in Judge, AL MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh, two-time MVP Bryce Harper, two-time All-Star and 2023 Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll, two-time All-Star Byron Buxton — joining 2023 holdovers such as Bobby Witt Jr., Kyle Schwarber and Will Smith – the USA’s lineup is even more stacked than it was three years ago. But it’s the pitching that really sets this team apart from previous star-studded groups. WBC Power Rankings: Stacking Japan, USA and All 20 Squads Attracting frontline arms can be an issue ahead of a long MLB season, but not this year. USA recruited both Cy Young Award winners in Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes to a rotation that also includes two-time All-Star Logan Webb, 2025 All-Stars Joe Ryan and Matthew Boyd and future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw, fresh off retirement. Keep in mind, WBC teams really only need four starters throughout the tournament. It’s an embarrassment of riches — and that’s before getting to the power arms at the back end of a bullpen that includes Mason Miller, David Bednar and Griffin Jax. All of that should lead to a USA team more than capable of avenging a 2023 WBC finals loss and reclaiming international glory after winning the tournament in 2017. But it also means some tough decisions ahead for DeRosa when constructing a lineup and figuring out how to deploy the pitching staff. Of course, he’ll be able to mix and match from game to game depending on the competition, but what would the optimal lineup look like? Here’s one take: Lineup So, how would that look defensively? Outfield LF: Corbin Carroll CF: Byron BuxtonRF: Aaron Judge You could certainly make the case to get Pete Crow-Armstrong’s defense in center field — he  might end up platooning with Buxton — but I like the idea of having two strong defenders and potential base-stealers in PCA and Brice Turang off the bench to deploy as needed in the later innings. Judge is an obvious lock in right. Carroll had a 140 OPS+ in a 30-30 season in 2025. Buxton had a 137 OPS+ in 2024 and a nearly identical mark last year (136) in a 30-20 season and career year. Infield 1B: Bryce Harper 2B: Gunnar Henderson SS: Bobby Witt, Jr. 3B: Alex Bregman C: Cal Raleigh DH: Kyle Schwarber After missing the 2023 competition coming off Tommy John surgery, Harper, who played for Team USA’s 16U and 18U teams, will cherish this opportunity. Sure, it might look a little wacky putting Henderson at second base. He hasn’t played the position since he came up as a rookie in 2022, and it’s probably more likely that Turang gets most of the opportunities there when the games begin. DeRosa could platoon the right-handed Witt and the left-handed Henderson at shortstop or Bregman and Henderson at third. But if it’s about fielding the best lineup, it’s hard to argue against finding a way to keep Witt, Henderson and Bregman all in the lineup. Raleigh and Schwarber need little explanation after leading the AL and NL, respectively, in home runs last year. Smith will be able to give Raleigh a spell behind the plate throughout the tournament. Rotation LHP Tarik SkubalRHP Paul Skenes RHP Logan WebbRHP Joe Ryan Swingmen/other options LHP Matthew BoydRHP Nolan McLeanRHP Clay HolmesRHP Michael WachaLHP Clayton Kershaw There are far more options to start games than DeRosa will need — at the last tournament, USA used just four starters — so he’ll likely save Skubal and Skenes for the most important ones. It’ll be interesting to see which one gets the start in the final if USA makes it that far. There’s no wrong choice. Bullpen RHP Mason MillerRHP David Bednar RHP Griffin JaxRHP Brad KellerRHP Garrett Whitlock LHP Gabe SpeierLHP Garrett Cleavinger Everyone wants to watch Miller blow 103 mph four-seamers past amateur athletes to finish off games, right? My guess is he earns the majority of save opportunities, but Bednar is another strong option, and lefties Speier and Cleavinger give DeRosa answers for any lineup he faces. Not bad!​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Japan’s the team to beat, but they’ll have some stiff competition from the rest of the globe in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Will the returning champs earn their fourth WBC title? Or will this be a Dream Team for the USA? Rosters were officially unveiled Thursday night for the World Baseball Classic, as the 20-team tournament will return in March with a record 78 MLB All-Stars taking part. Before Samurai Japan tries to defend its title, here are four takeaways following the roster announcement: 1. Team USA, with its best group ever assembled, should be the favorites Samurai Japan has dominated the international game, winning the WBC three times, and will be returning 10 players from its 2023 championship team. Japan’s roster is littered with both MLB talents — nine big-league players on the roster — and NPB standouts, including Sawamura Award winner Hiromi Itoh. Until proven otherwise, they’re the kings, even without Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, Shota Imanaga or Yu Darvish on the mound in this year’s competition. But the favorite for 2026? It has to be USA’s Dream Team. The success and joy of the 2023 WBC not only brought more eyeballs to international competition but also motivated some of the sport’s best players to get involved. Nowhere is that clearer than the pitching staff that USA manager Mark DeRosa will get to oversee. USA upgraded from a rotation of Merrill Kelly, Lance Lynn, Adam Wainwright and Nick Martinez in 2023 to American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes and All-Stars Logan Webb and Joe Ryan for this year’s tournament. You could field another WBC-worthy rotation with the starting options behind them on USA’s bench (Matt Boyd, Michael Wacha, Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes and Clayton Kershaw), and both Mason Miller and David Bednar are there to shut the door on any opponent. The lineup, meanwhile, is seeing its own infusion of talent as AL MVP Aaron Judge enters the fold as USA’s captain. He’ll be joined by AL MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh, Bryce Harper, Corbin Carroll, Byron Buxton, Alex Bregman, Gunnar Henderson and more. Bobby Witt Jr., who led MLB in hits last year, is back to try to avenge USA’s 2023 finals defeat. Kyle Schwarber, who led the NL with 56 home runs, is back, too. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Brice Turang add both speed and defense. The bench for Team USA could be its own All-Star team. However DeRosa wants to order it, it’s by far the most talented group USA has entered into competition. We won’t get another Ohtani vs. Mike Trout matchup to close out the finals — Ohtani will only be hitting for Japan, and Trout isn’t on USA’s squad this year — but the talent is so deep in this year’s tournament that new magical moments are sure to arise. Speaking of the talent in this year’s field… 2. Dominican Republic looks poised to bounce back after a disappointing 2023 showing The biggest surprise of the 2023 WBC wasn’t that Japan bested the United States but that the Dominican Republic, with a team chock-full of stars, including Juan Soto, Julio Rodriguez, Manny Machado, Ketel Marte, Rafael Devers and Jeremy Peña, didn’t even make it out of pool play. It’s hard to see that happening again, even in a pool that includes another championship contender in Venezuela and a Netherlands offense that will feature Xander Bogaerts, Jurickson Profar, Ceddanne Rafaela and Ozzie Albies. Not only is the Dominican Republic’s offense brimming with even more talent — Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Junior Caminero, Geraldo Perdomo and Oneil Cruz will be among the many standouts joining Soto, Rodriguez, Machado, Marte and Peña this go-around — but the rotation should also be much better now that Cristopher Sanchez, Luis Severino and Brayan Bello will be joining Sandy Alcantara. The team is stacked, and now it should be motivated, too. [WBC Power Rankings: Who Joins USA, Japan As Favorites?] 3. The “Big 3” should maybe be a “Big 4” In a pool that included heavyweights Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico in the 2023 WBC, Venezuela went 4-0. A quarterfinal battle with USA awaited, and it took an eighth-inning, go-ahead grand slam from Trea Turner for the U.S. team to emerge victorious. Three years later, Venezuela looks like an even more complete team, despite Jose Altuve being unable to get insured for the tournament. The Venezuela outfield of Ronald Acuña Jr., Jackson Chourio and Wilyer Abreu and the catching tandem of William Contreras and captain Salvador Perez will be among the best in the field. The infield is stacked with MLB talent. Maikel Garcia is coming off an All-Star and Gold Glove campaign in Kansas City, Willson Contreras adds more power to the group, and Eugenio Suárez, Andrés Gimenez, Gleyber Torres and Luis Arraez are all returning from a 2023 team that produced an .835 OPS in the last tournament. Now, Venezuela has the pitching staff to match with Pablo Lopez and Ranger Suarez forming a dynamic duo at the top of the rotation and Daniel Palencia and Jose Alvarado available for the late innings. Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Mexico, which made it to the semifinals in the last tournament, are the top contenders behind the fearsome threesome of USA, Japan and the Dominican Republic. [2026 WBC: Full Rosters For USA, Japan And All 20 Teams] 4. Canada and Italy are among sleepers with pieces to make a run The top teams in this tournament are just so stacked that it’s hard to imagine that teams such as Brazil, Nicaragua and the Czech Republic — as much fun as this group of amateurs was to watch in the last tourney — going all the way. The rosters of USA, Japan and Dominican Republic (and Venezuela, Mexico and Puerto Rico behind them) are just too stacked. Still, you could make the case for a number of teams to go on a surprise run, as Cuba and Mexico did in the last tournament all the way to the semifinals. This is Canada’s best chance to make it out of the first round, even with Freddie Freeman not playing in this year’s tournament. The team has a litany of big-league talents, from the Naylor brothers to Otto Lopez, Tyler O’Neill, Edouard Julien and Liam Hicks, a dynamic outfielder in Denzel Clarke, an up-and-coming talent in Owen Caissie and enough MLB pitchers to garner some belief, especially since the team gets to avoid USA and Mexico in pool play. The San Juan pool (Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, Panama, Colombia) looks as up-for-grabs as any group in the tournament. Speaking of that pool, don’t sleep on a Panama group with Ivan Herrera, Jose Caballero, Edmundo Sosa, Miguel Amaya and Guardians starter Logan Allen. Italy has a much tougher draw — the team would have to stun either USA or Mexico to advance — but after making it to the quarterfinals in the last tournament, it’s a young club on the rise led by captain Vinnie Pasquantino. Recent top prospects turned big leaguers are sprinkled throughout the roster, from Jac Caglianone to Kyle Teel to Jakob Marsee, and now Italy has its best ever frontline arm with Aaron Nola joining the group.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Three years after Shohei Ohtani struck out then-Angels teammate Mike Trout to claim Japan’s third World Baseball Classic title, baseball’s biggest international tournament is only weeks away from returning. In its quest to rebound, Team USA has reloaded its roster with the best one it has ever assembled — a group that includes AL MVP Aaron Judge and the AL and NL Cy Young Award winners Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes — as it enters the 2026 WBC as the favorites. Pool play for the 20-team tournament begins on March 5 and culminates with the championship on March 17 in Miami. Here are the 20 teams in the tournament, ranked from 20 to 1, along with players to watch for each squad. THE LONGSHOTS 20. Brazil Player to Watch: Lucas Ramirez, Outfielder Brazil will be playing in the tournament for the first time since 2013 and only their second appearance ever in the tournament. 19. Czech Republic Player to Watch: Terrin Vavra, Infielder Sure, the WBC is incredible because it can provide moments like the final out of the 2023 WBC when Ohtani struck out Trout. But part of its charm is that it can also set up a matchup like Ondrej Satoria, an electrician who moonlights as a pitcher for the Czech Republic, facing off against Ohtani … and triumphing. Satoria, whose fastball topped out in the high-70s, struck out the best player in the game on three pitches in one of the coolest moments of the last tournament. They’re in the same pool as Japan again. 18. Nicaragua Player to Watch: Mark Vientos, Infielder The most obvious player to watch on the field for this team is Mets infielder Mark Vientos. The most obvious person to watch, however, might be 76-year-old Dusty Baker, who is set to manage the Nicaraguan team. 17. Chinese Taipei Player to Watch: Yu Chang, Shortstop Chinese Taipei won gold at the 2024 Premier12 tournament. Now, this team will try to ride that momentum into the WBC led by Yu Chang, who was the 2023 Pool A MVP despite his team not advancing. Chang went 7-for-16 with two homers and two doubles in the last tournament. WORTH KEEPING AN EYE ON 16. Great Britain Player to Watch: Jazz Chisholm Jr., Second Baseman Great Britain won a WBC game for the first time ever in the last tournament, upsetting Colombia. It’ll be a tough draw ahead in a pool with USA, Mexico and Italy. But while reliever Aroldis Chapman won’t be pitching for Great Britain, as some had initially hoped, the team will have Jazz Chisholm Jr. starring in the lineup. 15. Australia Player to Watch: Travis Bazzana, Second Baseman Coming off a surprise run to the quarterfinals — and nearly a trip to the semifinals — in the 2023 WBC, Guardians top prospect Travis Bazzana will try to help Australia build on its success. White Sox infielder Curtis Mead will be joining him, and Robbie Glendinning, Rixon Wingrove, Alex Hall, Tim Kennelly and Robbie Perkins — who all homered in the last WBC — are back for more. 14. Colombia Player to Watch: Jose Quintana, Pitcher Offense might again be hard to come by for this group, which had a .525 OPS in the last tournament and needed to win its qualifier to make it to this year’s WBC. Still, MLB vets Jose Quintana, Julio Teheran, Nabil Crismatt and Luis Patino give them a chance on the mound. 13. Panama Player to Watch: Ivan Herrera, Catcher Herrera, who has a 132 OPS+ the last two years in St. Louis, will be one of the offensive standouts. But the lineup will also boast more familiar MLB names, from Jose Caballero to Edmundo Sosa and Miguel Amaya. Meanwhile, they’ll have Guardians starter Logan Allen and Ariel Jurado, who was 15-8 with a 2.60 ERA in the KBO last year, as part of the rotation. This is an interesting team to watch. 12. Israel Player to Watch: Harrison Bader, Center Fielder Team Israel went 1-3 and failed to advance out of pool play in the 2023 WBC. It will be a tough task again this year in a group that includes the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, but Harrison Bader, Spencer Horwitz, Garrett Stubbs, Matt Mervis, Dean Kremer, Tommy Kahnle and Max Lazar will be among the talents with MLB experience who will give them a shot. 11. Netherlands Player to Watch: Jurickson Profar, Left Fieder They’ll be managed by new Hall of Famer Andruw Jones, whose son, D-backs prospect Druw Jones, will be on the team. The Netherlands made semifinal appearances in 2013 and 2017 before failing to advance out of pool play in 2023 due to tiebreaker rules. An offense featuring Jurickson Profar, Xander Bogaerts, Ceddanne Rafaela, Ozzie Albies and Chadwick Tromp can make some noise, but their pitching might have a tough time on the international stage. THE SLEEPERS 10. Cuba Players to Watch: Yoan Moncada (3B), Yariel Rodriguez (RHP), Raidel Martínez (RHP) Cuba made it to the semifinals in 2023 WBC with Yoán Moncada leading the way. He went 10-for-23 in the tournament and is back in 2026. Blue Jays pitcher Yariel Rodriguez and Raidel Martínez, one of NPB’s most dominant closers, are among the club’s talented arms, but it might be an uphill battle for Cuba to enjoy the same success they did in 2023. 9. Korea Players to Watch: Jung Hoo Lee (CF), Hyeseong Kim (2B), Hyun-Jin Ryu (LHP) Korea failed to advance out of pool play in the last tournament, which was surprising to see. Tommy Edman won’t be participating this time around as he recovers from offseason ankle surgery, but Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee will still get a boost from more MLB talents this time around both in the lineup (Hyeseong Kim, Jahmai Jones, Shay Whitcomb) and on the mound (Dane Dunning, Riley O’Brien). The latter additions are especially important, considering Korea’s pitchers tallied a 7.55 ERA in the last WBC. Infielder Do Yeong Kim and outfielder Ja Wook Koo — who each hit  more than 30 homers in the KBO in 2024 — are among the other names to watch in the lineup, while former MLB All-Star Hyun-Jin Ryu, now 38, will be a familiar face on the pitching staff. Ryu, who was unable to pitch in the last tournament due to injury, was still getting it done in the KBO last season with a 3.23 ERA in 26 starts for the Hanwha Eagles. 8. Italy Players to Watch: Vinnie Pasquantino (1B), Aaron Nola (RHP), Kyle Teel (C) After making it to the quarterfinals in the 2023 WBC, Italy’s squad is on the rise. Vinnie Pasquantino is back, and he’ll be joined by a lot more rising MLB talents in this year’s tournament, including Royals teammate Jac Caglianone, White Sox standout Kyle Teel and Marlins outfielder Jakob Marsee. Perhaps most importantly, the pitching staff will have its best starter ever in the tournament with the addition of Aaron Nola. Italy will have a tough time advancing from a pool that features the USA and Mexico at the top, but it has a chance to gain some early momentum starting the competition against Brazil and Great Britain. 7. Canada Players to Watch: Josh Naylor (1B), Tyler O’Neill (OF), Owen Caissie (OF) Canada has never advanced past the group stage, but even without Freddie Freeman this time around, this could be their year to do so. Canada will get to avoid fellow North American squads USA and Mexico — the teams that prevented them from advancing in 2023 — in a pool with Puerto Rico, Colombia, Cuba and Panama. There are major-leaguers sprinkled throughout the lineup beyond the Naylor brothers, including Tyler O’Neill, Otto Lopez, Edouard Julien, Abraham Toro and Liam Hicks, and MLB starters Mike Soroka, Jameson Taillon and Cal Quantrill — as well as dynamic outfield defender Denzel Clarke — might be able to mask some of the bullpen concerns. Outfielder Owen Caissie, the prize of the Edward Cabrera trade, will be another player to watch on the international stage. THE TOP CONTENDERS 6. Puerto Rico Players to Watch: Edwin Diaz (RHP), Seth Lugo (RHP), Nolan Arenado (3B) After falling to Mexico in the last WBC quarterfinal, this isn’t the full group that Puerto Rico hoped to compile in 2026 as a dark-horse title contender. Ideally, Francisco Lindor would be captaining a Puerto Rico team that’s hosting games in San Juan, but the Mets star was denied insurance after a cleanup procedure on his elbow this offseason. Carlos Correa, Victor Caratini, Emilio Pagan, Jose Berrios and Alexis Diaz were also reportedly among the players denied insurance, too, and Riley Greene decided not to play for Puerto Rico. But this is still a formidable group that should have a chip on its shoulder. Edwin Díaz, whose freak injury celebrating during the 2023 WBC may have led to some of these stricter insurance policies, will be there to finish games. Seth Lugo, Nolan Arenado, Willi Castro, Heliot Ramos, Fernando Cruz and top Yankees pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez are among the top talents on a Puerto Rico team that finished second in the tournament in 2013 and 2017. 5. Mexico Players to Watch: Randy Arozarena (LF), Jarren Duran (CF), Andres Muñoz (RHP) Mexico nearly upset Japan in the 2023 WBC to make it to the championship before settling for a third-place finish. Randy Arozarena, Jarren Duran, Jonathan Aranda, Alek Thomas, Taijuan Walker, José Urquidy and Javier Assad will be among the top returners from that group hoping to make a similar charge in 2026. This time, they’ll also have Alejandro Kirk and Joey Ortiz in the lineup, Taj Bradley as a starting pitching option and Andres Muñoz as their shutdown closer. There are stronger rotations in this tournament, but they certainly have the pieces to make another deep run. 4. Venezuela Players to Watch: Ronald Acuña Jr. (RF), Jackson Chourio (CF), Salvador Perez (C) Even without Jose Altuve and Miguel Rojas, who were unable to get insured for the tournament, captain Salvador Perez will be surrounded by big-league talent around him at the 2026 WBC. An outfield composed of Ronald Acuna Jr., Jackson Chourio and Wilyer Abreu can go toe-to-toe with any of the behemoths. Maikel Garcia, coming off a breakout All-Star campaign in Kansas City, will be playing in his first WBC. Eugenio Suárez, who led all MLB third basemen with 49 homers in 2025 and went 7-for-14 in the last WBC, will be back. The lineup will also have bat-to-ball skills with Luis Arraez and Gleyber Torres, and the rotation will have a strong 1-2 punch at the top with Pablo López and Ranger Suárez. Don’t sleep on this group. 3. Japan Players to Watch: Shohei Ohtani (DH), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (RHP), Munetaka Murakami (1B) It’s probably unfair to put Japan here. While Samurai Japan doesn’t boast the same number of MLB superstars as the top two teams on this list, they’re still the kings of international competition until proven otherwise. Japan is the only team to win the tournament multiple times, and it will be returning 10 players from a 2023 group that blitzed the competition. Japan outscored its pool-play opponents in the last tournament by 30 runs, and this time Seiya Suzuki will be available after missing the previous competition due to injury. Ohtani will only be available as a DH this time around, but there are nine MLB players — including new MLB players Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto — amid a core of talents who know one another well, and the litany of NPB standouts on manager Hirokazu Ibata’s roster will have plenty of time to prepare together as Japan attempts to defend its crown. 2. Dominican Republic Players to Watch: Juan Soto (RF), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B), Fernando Tatis Jr. (RF) After winning the tournament in 2013, the Dominican Republic didn’t make it out of the second round in 2017. Surprisingly, it got even worse for Team D.R. in 2023, as the extraordinarily talented group failed to emerge from pool play after losing to Venezuela and Puerto Rico. Surely, that will be on the team’s mind this go-around. With a roster that includes Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Julio Rodriguez, Ketel Marte, Jeremy Peña, Manny Machado, Junior Caminero and Geraldo Perdomo, the club is oozing with MLB stars. The offense is what makes this group a championship contender, but they’ll also have a more robust pitching staff this time around. Cristopher Sánchez, Luis Severino and Brayan Bello will be joining a rotation that includes 2023 holdover Sandy Alcantara. This could be their year. 1. USA Players to Watch: Aaron Judge (RF), Tarik Skubal (LHP), Paul Skenes (RHP) In the 2023 WBC, USA finished in second place with a rotation of Merrill Kelly, Lance Lynn, Adam Wainwright and Nick Martinez. In 2026, they’ll have reigning Cy Young Award winners Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes and All-Stars Logan Webb and Joe Ryan. It’s a massive upgrade for manager Mark DeRosa’s squad, and that’s before getting to a lineup that will now include reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge, the AL and NL MVP runners-up in Cal Raleigh and Kyle Schwarber and a star-studded group from top to bottom. The worst position player on the USA’s roster would be the best player for most of the teams in the tournament. This is the best team USA has ever fielded, and it’s not close. They’re in prime position to avenge their 2023 finals defeat.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Aaron Judge. Shohei Ohtani. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Juan Soto. The world’s biggest stars will be on display soon, and we don’t even have to wait until the MLB Playoffs for the stakes to be as high as they get. Twenty teams representing countries from around the world will compete in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and after a long wait, we finally have the full rosters. Who’s in? Who’s out? And who will reign supreme? JUMP TO A TEAM: Australia | Brazil | Canada | Colombia | Cuba | Czechia | Dominican Rep. | Italy | Japan | Great Britain | Korea | Mexico | Netherlands | Nicaragua | Panama | Puerto Rico | Chinese Taipei | USA | Venezuela AUSTRALIA BRAZIL CANADA COLOMBIA CUBA CZECHIA DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ITALY JAPAN GREAT BRITAIN KOREA MEXICO NETHERLANDS NICARAGUA PANAMA PUERTO RICO CHINESE TAIPEI UNITED STATES VENEZUELA​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The United States is bringing its most talented roster ever to the 2026 World Baseball Classic with the hope of avenging its loss to three-time champions Japan in the 2023 championship game. But first, the two powerhouses will go through a gauntlet in the pool stage with the competition being as fierce and widespread as it has ever been. Here are 10 games that will be appointment viewing in the poool stage of the 2026 World Baseball Classic: United States vs. Brazil (March 6, 5 p.m. on FOX) The U.S. will open its tournament against Brazil, which is making its first appearance at the tournament since 2013. Brazil went 3-1 in qualifying and secured the final spot in the tournament with a 6-4 win against Germany. Veteran infielder Leonardo Reginatto poses the biggest threat to the U.S., with the 34-year-old going 5-for-13 in qualifiers with three doubles and four RBIs. Great Britain vs. United States (March 7, 5 p.m. on FOX) Jazz Chisholm Jr. is representing Great Britain at the World Baseball classic, and the New York Yankees star is no stranger to the stars of the United States. In fact, he will go up against two of his Yankees teammates, Aaron Judge and David Bednar, and two of his New York Mets rivals, Nolan McLean and Clayton Holmes. Japan vs. South Korea (March 7, 2 a.m. on FS1) A historic rivalry will have its latest chapter at the Tokyo Dome in the pool stage. Japan crushed South Korea 13-4 in their last meeting at the tournament in 2023, with two-way superstar and 2023 World Baseball Classic MVP Shohei Ohtani leading the way for Japan. But South Korea now has its own phenom in 22-year-old Do-yeong Kim, who was named KBO MVP in 2024 after finishing the season with 38 home runs and 40 stolen bases. Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic (March 8, 9 a.m. on FS2) The Dominican Republic has the third-best odds to win the World Baseball Classic, and for good reason. Its roster is stacked with Major League talent, headlined by New York Mets star Juan Soto. The Dominican Republic didn’t advance past the group pool in 2023, but the six-time Silver Slugger was a standout performer, going 6-for-15 at the plate with two home runs. Cuba vs. Puerto Rico (March 9, 4 p.m. on FS1) This won’t just be a battle of heavyweights; it very well could determine who advances out of a tough Pool A that also features Canada, Panama and Colombia. New Los Angeles Dodgers ace Edwin Diaz will star on the mound for Puerto Pico, while eight-time All-Star Nolan Arenado will make his debut for Puerto Rico in 2026 after representing the U.S. in 2023. Mexico vs. United States (March 9, 5 p.m. on FOX) If the United States wants to finish at the top of Pool B, it will once again have to go through one of its oldest rivals in sports: Mexico. Led by Seattle Mariners star Randy Arozarena, Mexico finished ahead of the U.S. in 2023 pool play with a 3-1 record and 27 runs. Mexico made it to the semifinals but fell to Japan 6-5 in an instant classic. The U.S. might be out for revenge, but so too is Mexico. United States vs. Italy (March 10, 6 p.m. on FS1) Italy might not be one of the favorites to win the 2026 World Baseball Classic, but that was also the case when it made a surprise run to the quarterfinals in 2023. Now led by 2009 World Series champion Francisco Cervelli, Italy is in an even better position to make a deep run, and the U.S. will serve as a measuring stick for the Italians. Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela (March 11, 5 p.m. on FS1) The matchup between the Dominican Republic and Venezuela marks the only time in pool play that two teams with top-five odds to win the tournament will go head-to-head. Venezuela went 4-0 in pool play in 2023, which included a 5-1 win over the Dominican Republic. It reached the quarterfinals before losing to the U.S. 9-7 on a Trea Turner grand slam. Expect Ronaldo Acuna Jr. and Co. to be motivated going into this year’s tournament.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports