The kick arrives as Team USA will face the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic semifinal at loanDepot Park on Sunday, March 15 at 2 p. m. ET. Japan and Venezuela conclude quarterfinal play Saturday, March 14 at 9 p. m. ET at loanDepot Park. The Dominican Republic holds a 4-0 record while Team USA carries a 3-1 mark into the semis.
Kick Ahead: Semifinals Schedule
The bracket now lists a high-stakes semifinal matchup: Team USA vs. Dominican Republic on Sunday, March 15 at 2 p. m. ET at loanDepot Park. Additional tournament slots on the schedule include Italy vs. TBD on Monday, March 16 at 6 p. m. ET and a final remaining matchup set for Tuesday, March 17 at 2 p. m. ET, both at loanDepot Park. These scheduled game times establish the immediate path to the tournament’s final rounds and determine which winners will advance from the semifinal games held at the same site.
Quarterfinals Recap
Early quarterfinal results pushed the top teams into these semifinal pairings. On Friday, March 13 at 6: 30 p. m. ET the Dominican Republic defeated Korea 10-0 in seven innings; later that evening at 8 p. m. ET Team USA beat Canada 5-3. Italy secured an 8-6 win over Puerto Rico on Saturday, March 14 at 3 p. m. ET, while Japan and Venezuela are scheduled to conclude the quarterfinal slate Saturday at 9 p. m. ET. Those wins delivered the kick that put the Dominican Republic and Team USA on a semifinal collision course.
Standings and What’s Next
Current tournament records in the context of remaining bracket play show Italy at 4-0, Japan at 4-0 and the Dominican Republic at 4-0. Team USA sits at 3-1 while Venezuela is 3-1; Canada and Puerto Rico also appear with 3-1 records in the standings. The Monday, March 16 and Tuesday, March 17 matchups at loanDepot Park will finalize the remaining semifinal lineup and determine the teams that will contest the next round.
Next developments will hinge on the Japan vs. Venezuela quarterfinal on Saturday night and the Monday and Tuesday matchups at loanDepot Park; winners from the March 15–17 slate will move forward in the bracket as scheduled. Expect the semifinal outcomes to set the stage for the tournament’s closing games and the final push for the title, with every remaining game carrying knockout stakes and altering the route to the championship kick.
