Twenty teams from across the globe will vie for the title this March, with the game's biggest stars set to represent their respective nations. Shohei Ohtani will trade the Los Angeles Dodgers' customary blue for the colors of Japan, while Aaron Judge will swap the New York Yankees' iconic pinstripes for Team USA's red, white and blue.
You don't see that type of aggressiveness, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. You have to give [him and fellow Team USA member Nolan McLean] credit because they've been preparing to be in this situation. Already at three ups, already at 46 pitches, that takes a lot of work behind the scenes. The good thing is that he feels good and that he was able to do it.
Three years after narrowly missing out on winning the World Baseball Classic, Team USA will be a sizable betting favorite to take the title in 2026, showing +100 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. Reigning champion Japan checks in next at +320, with the Dominican Republic coming in at +370. DR was the betting favorite going into the 2023 tournament with +210 odds. Puerto Rico (+1300), Venezuela (+1500), and Mexico (+2200) comprise the third tier, with Canada and Mexico rounding out the reasonable contenders at +3500.
The World Baseball Classic is starting up next month, and the Atlanta Braves will be well-represented. Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies, Jurickson Profar, and Chadwick Tromp are participating. While Acuña Jr. will be suiting up for Venezuela, the remaining three Braves are on the Netherlands' roster and will be led by Andruw Jones. Team USA will have some Braves ties in the dugout, and a couple of former Braves will be suiting up for Colombia and Puerto Rico.
Getting into the Baseball Hall of Fame is an impossible dream for most professional players, but that journey will be part of a new addition to MLB The Show 26. This year, the game will let players track their character through college and into the Major Leagues. And if they finish Road To The Show: Road to Cooperstown, then a spot in the Hall of Fame awaits.
Freeman also said Team Canada - for whom he has played in both of the last two WBC tournaments -supported his decision in withdrawing for the tournament. The veteran's parents are both from Ontario, Canada, so he is eligible to represent the team due to his dual citizenship. "I wasn't (going to be) able to go out there and play and be in Puerto Rico (for the group stage games) and be that far from my family," Freeman said. "I needed to be close to California."
