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LoanDepot Park (Miami) – The epic semifinal between the United States and the Dominican Republic was everything it was hyped up to be. Between both countries, including hitters and pitchers, there were 17 players who have already been All-Stars — the most All-Stars starting in a World Baseball Classic semifinal or final, surpassing the 11 who played in the 2017 WBC final between the USA and Puerto Rico. It was quite possibly the most talent on a baseball field in a single game with stakes, ever. Powered by powerful pitching, heads-up plays and excellent offensive timing, Team USA knocked off the Dominican Republic with a 2-1 win in the semifinals on Sunday night at loanDepot Park. The Dominican Republic, which featured its most dominant roster in the history of the WBC, suffered its first loss of the tournament as their “platano-powered” run came to an end. “The World Series I was in versus the crowd here and the one we had against Mexico, it’s bigger and better than the World Series,” Team USA captain Aaron Judge said. “The passion that these fans have, representing their country, representing their favorite players, there’s nothing like it. That’s what you dream about as a kid.” Here are my takeaways: 1. Don’t Run on Captain America This was, arguably, the play of the game. The Dominican Republic took a 1-0 lead over the USA in the second inning and they were threatening to pile on in the third, just like they had done all tournament. But their previous five games in the WBC, two of which included mercy-ruling the opponent, didn’t feature a Gold-Glove caliber, three-time MVP patrolling right field. With two outs in the third, the top of the Dominican Republic lineup was cooking after Fernando Tatis Jr. reached base on a fielder’s choice. The heavily-favored Dominican crowd urged the team to tack on some runs against Paul Skenes and the USA when Ketel Marte laced a single to right field. Tatis, who doesn’t have elite sprint speed but can be pesky on the basepaths, opted to test Aaron Judge’s arm in right field. As Tatis went from first to third, Judge fired a 95.7 mph laser to USA third baseman Gunnar Henderson, who tagged Tatis for the final out of the inning. Juan Soto, meanwhile, watched it all happen from the on-deck circle. As much as Tatis and the Dominican Republic found out the hard way not to run on Judge’s superhuman arm, it was also a silly decision to try and advance to third with his team’s best hitter due up. All the momentum they generated instantly vaporized on that play. The USA put up a pair of runs on solo shots from Roman Anthony and Henderson in the next inning, and the Dominican Republic never scored again. “It was beautiful,” said Pete Crow-Armstong, who watched Judge cut down Tatis from center field. “Very rare that somebody can throw a ball on a line that is a cuttable baseball. So the right throw to make, and still get it there with ease. The transfer to release is one of the cleanest things I’ve ever seen. “I think that that throw today definitely changed something. It made a shift somewhere, for sure.” 2. Home Run History: Dominican Republic Sets New Mark Junior Caminero put the Dominican Republic on the board and in the history books with his third home run of the tournament on Sunday. The 22-year-old’s solo shot off Skenes marked the Dominican Republic’s 15th home run of this year’s WBC, setting a new record for the most home runs by a single team in the tournament’s history. The previous record of 14 home runs was set by Mexico in the 2009 WBC, which was headlined by Adrian Gonzalez. Besides Caminero, five other Dominican Republic hitters had multiple home runs in this year’s tournament. Despite how stacked the lineup was, the country met its match against a dream team USA squad that flourished with their pitching on Sunday. Team D.R. manager Albert Pujols said afterward that it just wasn’t their time to win the Classic. He was proud of the way the team played together in the tournament, bringing an undefeated record into the semifinals. “Too bad we have to wait another three years,” Pujols said. 3. Sevy Holds It Down This was a memorable outing for Luis Severino, who had the odds stacked against him, but still gave the Dominican Republic all he had in the semifinal. Severino was amped up throughout his 68-pitch outing, throwing so hard that it seemed like he was willing to risk blowing his arm out later in the year for the Athletics. Severino threw six pitches that clocked in at 99 mph or more against the USA on Sunday. He had five such pitches in the entire 2025 season for the Athletics, when his four-seamer averaged 96.1 mph. His best moment of the game came in the third inning, when he delivered back-to-back strikeouts against Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber and stranded runners on second and third. “I came up in the minor leagues with Severino, so there were many outings I had in right field watching him throw 100 miles an hour past people,” Judge said. “He’s a big game pitcher who loves a big moment, loves a spotlight like that, and he showed out for them tonight. He had all his pitches working.” Going into Sunday, the Dominican Republic was being criticized for failing to line up one of their best pitchers, Sandy Alcantara or Cristopher Sanchez, to start the semifinal. USA, on the other hand, planned in advance for Skenes to take the hill on Sunday. Severino’s 4.54 ERA last season didn’t tell the whole story. He struggled at home in the Athletics’ hitter-friendly ballpark (6.01 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 15 starts) and excelled on the road (3.02 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 14 starts). On Sunday, Severino showed why he was once upon a time the Yankees’ No. 1 pitching prospect, and eventually a two-time All-Star. 4. Bednar Gets Away With It Again David Bednar just can’t help himself sometimes. The right-handed reliever came out of the bullpen to pitch the seventh inning of a tight, one-run game when he allowed a one-out double to his Yankees teammate, Austin Wells. Geraldo Perdomo followed with a single to center, moving Wells up to third, and then Perdomo promptly stole second base. Bednar didn’t even bother paying attention to him. He was locked in on the top of the Dominican Republic lineup, and he delivered some of the fiercest outs of the game. Tatis swung wildly at Bednar’s perfectly executed splitters in the dirt, striking out on four pitches for the second out of the frame. Rinse, wash, repeat. Ketel Marte, too, was fooled by Bednar’s nasty arsenal, this time flailing at his 78 mph curveball and whiffing for the final out of the seventh. Bednar is known to create chaos on the basepaths late in the game, in high-leverage moments. It’s just a part of his act, and Yankees fans will have to become familiar with that stress this season as he gets ready to take on full-time closing duties in the Bronx. 4 ½. What’s next for Team USA? Right-hander Nolan McLean will take the mound for USA in the championship game on Tuesday night in Miami. McLean will face the winner of Monday’s semifinal matchup between Italy and Venezuela. The Americans attempting to lock down their first WBC title since 2017.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

At last, the madness is upon us. Five long months of buildup to Selection Sunday came to an end with another glorious reveal of this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket. There are heavyweights at the top in 1-seeds Duke, Arizona, Michigan and Florida. There are newcomers like Queens and California Baptist. And there are more enticing storylines than fans can consume: from Miami (OH) in the First Four to potential No. 1 overall draft picks in BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, from Nebraska seeking the first March Madness win in program history to the all-important health of Duke’s two injured starters. Without further ado, let’s break down the field: [MARCH MADNESS: NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Bracket] 1. Of the No. 1 seeds, which team has the clearest path to the Final Four? Arizona. Given the legitimate injury questions surrounding Duke, a string of sluggish performances from Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament and a blowout loss by Florida in the SEC Tournament, there’s no question that Arizona enters the Big Dance with the most encouraging trajectory of the top seeds. The Wildcats are one of only two teams to rank among the top five nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency at this point, alongside Duke, and they’ve won nine consecutive games ahead of a first-round matchup with No. 16 LIU. A roster littered with future NBA Draft picks, including two likely lottery picks in shooting guard Brayden Burries and power forward Koa Peat, gives head coach Tommy Lloyd his best chance of advancing beyond the Sweet 16 since taking over at Arizona. The Wildcats’ potential path to the Final Four seems relatively friendly, too. Second-seeded Purdue only rose to the 2-line thanks to an upset over Michigan in the Big Ten title game, which means the Boilermakers’ overall profile is more in line with that of a 3-seed. Third-seeded Gonzaga, while talented, is not believed to be on the same level of classic Bulldogs teams under head coach Mark Few. Arkansas and Wisconsin, seeded fourth and fifth, respectively, also needed strong runs in their respective conference tournaments to land on those lines. The West feels like a region with a handful of overseeded teams trying to take down arguably the strongest 1-seed. It’s worth noting, though, that the Wildcats haven’t reached a Final Four since 2001 — and that will only increase the pressure with each passing game. 2. What is the most intriguing first-round matchup in this year’s tournament and why? No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 Texas A&M This is a fascinating stylistic matchup between two coaches and two programs on opposite ends of the spectrum. Saint Mary’s is led by ultra-respected head coach Randy Bennett, who is in his 25th season leading the Gaels. He’s made 11 NCAA Tournament appearances during that span as the primary rival to Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference, leaning heavily on international prospects to fill his roster. Coaches across the country marvel at the high-quality offense his teams run year in and year out. This particular group ranks among the top 15 nationally in 3-point percentage (38.6%), free-throw percentage (81.1%) and offensive rebound rate (37.4%) — all while operating at a deliberate pace that checks in at 297th in the country. Four of the Gaels’ five losses this year came against fellow NCAA Tournament teams. On the opposite side, Texas A&M head coach Bucky McMillan is a 42-year-old revolutionary in his first season with the Aggies. McMillan spent the previous five seasons at Samford, one of which included an NCAA Tournament appearance. His teams employ an up-tempo, aggressive style known as “Bucky Ball” that relies heavily on the full-court press and forcing turnovers. The Aggies rank 29th nationally in tempo, which sets the stage for a delightful contrast in approach between these two teams. 3. Who are three under-the-radar players everyone should know entering March Madness? Donovan Atwell, G, Texas Tech: A torn ACL suffered by Texas Tech power forward JT Toppin, who was averaging 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, meant the Red Raiders have needed more contributions from their role players in recent weeks. Atwell, a transfer from UNC Greensboro, will enter the NCAA Tournament ranked second nationally in made 3-pointers per game at 3.9, trailing only Jadin Booth (4.2) from Samford. He’s averaging 17.8 points per game since Toppin went down with the season-ending injury and has made at least five 3-pointers in four of his last six games. Ugonna Onyenso, C, Virginia: Onyenso was a highly coveted four-star prospect and the No. 36 overall player in the 2022 recruiting cycle when he signed with Kentucky out of high school. Two years with the Wildcats and one year with Kansas State have now led him to Virginia, where Onyenso enters March Madness ranked second nationally in blocked shots at 3 per game. Though his season-long statistical output isn’t necessarily eye-catching — he only averages 6.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game — Onyenso was a force during Virginia’s run to the ACC Tournament title: eight points, six rebounds, eight blocks against NC State; 17 points, five rebounds, four blocks against Miami; six points, eight rebounds nine blocks against Duke. Rueben Chinyelu, C, Florida: One of the calling cards for Florida under head coach Todd Golden is a team-wide relentlessness on the offensive glass. The Gators ranked fifth nationally in offensive rebound percentage when they won the national title last season and will enter this year’s NCAA Tournament second in the country for that category, grabbing more than 43% of their own misses. Chinyelu, who averages 11.2 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, is the unquestioned leader of that charge. His mark of 4.1 offensive rebounds per game ranks sixth nationally and third among players from the power conferences. 4. What is the most likely first-round upset featuring a 12-seed or higher? No. 12 Akron vs. No. 5 Texas Tech Unfortunately for Texas Tech, the outlook for this season changed quite significantly when Toppin (21.8 points, 10.8 rebounds per game) suffered a torn ACL in mid-February, an injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the year. And while the Red Raiders enjoyed an encouraging response immediately after Toppin went down — winning three straight games over Kansas State, Cincinnati and Iowa State — the momentum soon fizzled. Head coach Grant McCasland and his team will enter March Madness having dropped three straight to TCU, BYU and Iowa State, which throttled the Red Raiders in the Big 12 Tournament last week. It’s unclear which version of Texas Tech might show up with the season officially on the line. So, why not Akron? The Zips boast one of the most explosive offenses in the country this season under head coach John Groce, who has now reached the NCAA Tournament in three consecutive years. Akron ranks seventh nationally in scoring at 88.6 points per game and has impressive underlying metrics to validate the top-end production: eighth nationally in effective field goal percentage (58.5%), 14th in 3-point field goal percentage (38.5%) and 12th in 2-point field goal percentage (59.1%). The Zips have seven players averaging at least 7.0 points per game this season, led by an excellent senior guard in Tavari Johnson (20.1 points, 5 assists per game). If Groce’s team gets hot from beyond the arc, then Texas Tech might be in trouble. 5. Who are your Final Four picks and who wins it all? Duke: If the Blue Devils could roll through the ACC Tournament without starting point guard Caleb Foster and starting center Patrick Ngongba II, both of whom missed the event due to injury, then there’s no reason to think they can’t navigate the East Region unscathed. That’s especially true if, or when, either player can return to the lineup for head coach Jon Scheyer. Duke has arguably the single-best player in the country in power forward Cameron Boozer (22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds per game) and a rotation that runs nine deep when everyone is available. The Blue Devils’ two defeats this season came by four combined points to Texas Tech and archrival North Carolina, with the Tar Heels winning on a buzzer beater. Houston: Even with four defeats over the final month of the season, Houston remains one of the most analytically sound teams in the field under head coach Kelvin Sampson. The Cougars enter the NCAA Tournament as one of only five programs ranked among the top 15 nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency, placing them in an elite group that includes all four 1-seeds in this year’s field. The Cougars finally have a legitimate difference maker on the offensive end of the floor in freshman guard Kingston Flemings, a likely lottery pick. Flemings has a dozen 20-point games already this season. Arizona: Not only does Arizona have perhaps the easiest path to the Final Four of any 1-seed in this year’s field, but the Wildcats are also playing better basketball than pretty much anyone in the tournament. Head coach Tommy Lloyd assembled an exceptional roster that includes legitimate size at every position — Arizona’s smallest starter is 6-foot-3 point guard Jaden Bradley — and two bonafide difference makers off the bench in shooting guard Anthony Dell’Orso (10.1 points per game) and center Tobe Awaka (9.4 points, 9.5 rebounds per game). The only things holding Lloyd’s team back from being a prohibitive national championship front-runner are a starting lineup that includes two freshmen and a Final Four drought that spans more than two decades. Michigan: When the Wolverines traveled to Washington, D.C., for a rare, late-season non-conference matchup with Duke on Feb. 21, it felt like a showdown between the sport’s two best teams. To that point, Michigan had obliterated one opponent after another under the direction of head coach Dusty May, who launched his team to the top of the Big Ten pecking order in just his second year. And while there are a few cracks in the foundation for May and Co. to contend with in the coming weeks — the Wolverines were nearly beaten by Iowa, Ohio State and Wisconsin before falling to Purdue in the Big Ten title game — few rosters across the field will be able to handle Michigan’s unparalleled positional size. National champion: Duke​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Italy continues its unlikely run at the World Baseball Classic and will next take on Venezuela in Monday’s semifinal game. The Venezuelans are having their own storybook run after eliminating Shohei Ohtani and defending WBC champions Japan in the quarterfinals. Next up is a spot in the final. The game will be Monday, March 16 at 8 p.m. ET on FS1. How to Watch the 2026 World Baseball Classic FOX is your exclusive home to the WBC with games spread across the FOX family of networks. The Italy vs. Venezuela semifinal is on FS1 on Monday (8 p.m. ET). The Championship Game will be on FOX on Tuesday, March 17 (8 p.m. ET). All games will be available for streaming on the FOX Sports app and FOX One. Catch the action on the following streaming options: Italy Lineups, Pitchers Aaron Nola will start Monday night’s World Baseball Classic semifinal for Italy against Venezuela rather than Michael Lorenzen. Italy manager Francisco Cervelli said he made the decision Sunday but waited until Monday to make the announcement. “My reason was my gut,” he said. “Everyone is available, but I think Nola is the right person. That’s my opinion, and I’m taking responsibility for my decisions.” A 32-year-old right-hander, Nola got the win in the group stage finale against Mexico on March 11. He allowed four hits over five scoreless innings with five strikeouts and one walk, throwing 69 pitches. Italy has the second most home runs (12) at the tournament behind the Dominican Republic’s tournament record of 15 dingers. Leading the way is the heart and soul of this Italian squad, Vinnie Pasquatino. The Royals first baseman has three homers (all against Mexico in the pool play win). A trio of Italian players (Dominic Canzone, Andrew Fischer, and Dante Nori) have five RBI each. Nori leads the team with .438 batting average. Venezuela Lineups, Pitchers Keider Montero, a 25-year-old right-hander, pitched three scoreless innings of relief on Monday in a 4-0 first-round win over Nicaragua. He made his big league debut on May 29, 2024, and was 5-3 with a 4.37 ERA in 12 starts and eight relief appearances last year for Detroit during a season in which he was optioned to Triple-A Toledo six times. Monero was 4-4 with a 5.91 ERA in eight starts and two relief appearances for the Mud Hens. Luis Arráez has been a hitting machine for Venezuela. The Padres star has two home runs and nine RBI with a solid .368 batting average. Maikel Garcia and Ronald Acuña Jr. had homers in the win against Japan, as did Wilyer Abreu who hit the definitive three-run homer that sealed the win over Japan. WBC Schedule Semifinals Monday, March 16 Final Tuesday, March 17​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports