MIAMI — The World Baseball Classic was a big hit. Team USA ultimately was not.
The pretournament favorite with a lineup of All-Stars surrounding the all-time great Aaron Judge underachieved offensively throughout the event, and it cost them in a heartbreaking defeat in the championship game.
Team USA fell in the WBC final for a second straight event by the exact same score, mustering just three hits in its 3-2 defeat to Venezuela before a revved-up, raucous crowd that generally favored the foreign team.
Aaron Judge walks back to the dugout during Team USA’s 3-2 loss to Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic title game at loanDepot Park on March 17, 2026 in Miami. MLB Photos via Getty Images“I’m proud of the way we represented the U.S.,” Team USA manager Mark DeRosa said. “But ultimately, it’s who gets hot at the right time, who gets a big swing. It just seemed like we couldn’t get the offense going the entire tournament.”
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