Juan Soto's walk-off homer powers Dominican Republic to mercy rule win

Mets star's blast ends game early as D.R. cruises past Netherlands in WBC pool play

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto hit a walk-off home run in the seventh inning to end the Dominican Republic's 12-1 victory over the Netherlands in World Baseball Classic pool play. Soto's blast was the D.R.'s seventh homer of the game, as the powerful lineup overwhelmed the Dutch pitching staff.

Why it matters

The Dominican Republic is considered one of the favorites to win the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and this dominant performance against a solid Netherlands team shows they have the offensive firepower to make a deep run in the tournament. Soto's heroics also continue to cement his status as one of the game's biggest stars.

The details

Soto's home run came with the D.R. already leading 11-1, ending the game via the WBC's mercy rule that stops contests if a team is ahead by 10 or more runs after seven innings. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Junior Caminero, Austin Wells, and Soto all went deep for the Dominican lineup, which chased Netherlands starter Jair Jurrjens after just 2.1 innings. Winning pitcher Luis Severino struck out five over four innings of one-run ball.

  • The game ended in the seventh inning due to the WBC's mercy rule.
  • The Dominican Republic will next play Israel on Monday, March 11, 2026.

The players

Juan Soto

A star outfielder for the New York Mets who hit the game-ending home run for the Dominican Republic.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

A slugging infielder for the Dominican Republic who also homered in the lopsided victory.

Luis Severino

The starting pitcher for the Dominican Republic who struck out five batters over four innings of one-run ball.

Jair Jurrjens

The starting pitcher for the Netherlands who was chased from the game after just 2.1 innings.

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What they’re saying

“Does a home run to end a game via mercy rule still count as a walk off? In the World Baseball Classic, why not?”

— Chandler Rome (nytimes.com)

What’s next

The Dominican Republic will look to continue its hot hitting when it faces Israel on Monday, March 11, 2026. A win there would set up a crucial matchup with Venezuela on Wednesday, March 13, 2026 that could determine the top seed in Pool D.

The takeaway

The Dominican Republic's powerful offense has made an early statement in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, with Juan Soto's walk-off homer capping a dominant performance that showed why they are one of the tournament favorites to win it all.