US advances to World Baseball Classic quarterfinals

Italy's win over Mexico secures spot for American team

Published on Mar. 12, 2026

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The United States baseball team has advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic after getting help from Italy, who defeated Mexico 9-1 on Wednesday night. The Americans had lost to Italy 8-6 the previous night, but Italy's victory over Mexico assured the US a spot in the quarterfinals as the second-place team in Group B. Mexico was eliminated from the tournament and from qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Why it matters

The World Baseball Classic is a prestigious international baseball tournament that features the top national teams from around the world. Advancing to the quarterfinals is an important milestone for the US team, which is stacked with MLB All-Stars and is one of the favorites to win the tournament.

The details

The US team, managed by Mark DeRosa, finished group play with a 3-1 record, with their only loss coming against Italy. Italy finished the group stage undefeated at 4-0. The US will now face Canada, who advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time, on Friday night in Houston. The winner of that game will move on to the semifinals in Miami.

  • The US lost to Italy 8-6 on Tuesday, March 11, 2026.
  • Italy defeated Mexico 9-1 on Wednesday, March 12, 2026, securing the US a spot in the quarterfinals.
  • The US will face Canada in the quarterfinals on Friday, March 14, 2026.

The players

Mark DeRosa

The manager of the United States baseball team in the World Baseball Classic.

Italy

The Italian national baseball team, which finished the group stage undefeated at 4-0 and secured the top spot in Group B.

Mexico

The Mexican national baseball team, which was eliminated from the World Baseball Classic and from qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Canada

The Canadian national baseball team, which advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic for the first time.

Puerto Rico

The Puerto Rican national baseball team, which will face Italy in the other quarterfinal matchup.

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What they’re saying

“Ton of respect for Italy — it's weird — we want to win this game even though our ticket's punched to the quarterfinals because Mexico plays Italy actually tomorrow. So, the way the schedule lines up this is an important game for us.”

— Mark DeRosa, US Manager (TV interview)

“DeRosa said he 'misspoke' in that interview and did not believe the team had already clinched a spot.”

— Mark DeRosa, US Manager (AP News)

What’s next

The US team will face Canada in the quarterfinals on Friday, March 14, 2026 in Houston. The winner of that game will advance to the semifinals in Miami.

The takeaway

The US team's advancement to the quarterfinals of the prestigious World Baseball Classic is an important milestone, showcasing the depth and talent of the American squad. However, the team will need to continue to play at a high level to advance further in the tournament and have a chance at winning the championship.