World Baseball Classic 2026 Scores, Reaction from Friday Pool Play Results Ahead of KO Bracket
The United States, Dominican Republic and Japan all produced double-digit run totals in their first games at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
The Americans scored the most runs of the three teams, as they put up 15 runs against Brazil.
Japan and Dominican Republic used some powerful long balls to move to 1-0 in pool play.
Pool play takes place over the next five days at four different locations.
Pool A
1 of 4
Updated Standings
1 Puerto Rico (1-0; +5 run differential)
2. Cuba (1-0; +2)
3. Canada (0-0)
4. Panama (0-1; -2)
5. Colombia (0-1; -5)
Friday's Results
Cuba 3, Panama 1
Puerto Rico 5, Colombia 0
Seth Lugo and five others produced a shutout for Puerto Rico in its opener.
Lugo struck out three batters and gave up three hits in four frames. Puerto Rico's bats came to life after Lugo's final trip to the mound.
Eddie Rosario, Willi Castro, Heliot Ramos and Martin Maldonando all chipped in a RBI each during the five-run fifth.
Cuba benefited from three runs in the first three innings to take down Panama in the other game at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.
Canada, the fifth team in Pool A, opens its group play against Colombia on Saturday, while Panama takes on Puerto Rico.
Pool B
2 of 4
1 United States (1-0; +10)
2. Mexico (1-0; +6)
3. Italy (0-0)
4. Great Britain (0-1; -6)
5. Brazil (0-1; -10)
Friday's Scores
United States 15, Brazil 5
Mexico 8, Great Britain 2
Aaron Judge hit a homer in the United States' 15-5 rout of Brazil.
Brazil kept the game relatively close until the Americans broke out in the ninth with seven runs.
Team USA drew 17 walks in the victory to claim the top spot in Pool B after one set of games.
Mexico, Team USA's biggest rival in Pool B, used seven runs in the final two innings to break away from Great Britain.
Jonathan Aranda's three-run home run broke the contest open for Mexico.
Team USA continues pool play against Great Britain on Saturday, while Brazil takes on Italy.
Pool C
3 of 4
1 Australia (2-0; +7)
2. Japan (1-0; +13)
3. South Korea (1-0; +7)
4. Czechia (0-2; -11)
5. Chinese Taipei (0-2; -16)
Friday's Results
Japan 13, Chinese Taipei 0
Australia 5, Czechia 1
Shohei Ohtani made his imprint on the 2026 WBC with a second-inning grand slam against Chinese Taipei.
Ohtani went 3-for-5 with five RBI in the victory by the Pool C favorite.
Australia picked up its second victory at the Tokyo Dome, a 5-1 win over Czechia.
Australia and Japan square off on Sunday, a game that could decide the Pool C winner.
Pool D
4 of 4
1 Dominican Republic (1-0; +9)
2. Venezuela (1-0; +4)
3. Israel (0-0)
4. Netherlands (0-1; -4)
5. Nicaragua (0-1; -9)
Friday's Scores
Dominican Republic 12, Nicaragua 3
Venezuela 6, Netherlands 2
The Dominican Republic showed off its muscle at the plate in its 12-3 triumph over Nicaragua.
Junior Caminero, Oneil Cruz and Julio Rodriguez all went yard inside loandepot Park in Miami.
Four players, including Rodriguez and Juan Soto, recorded multiple hits.
Venezuela used a four-run fifth inning to break away from the Netherlands in Friday's other Pool D contest.
The Dominican Republic is off on Saturday. Venezuela faces Israel, while Nicaragua takes on the Netherlands.
