It will be Team USA against the Dominican Republic in the first semifinal of the 2026 World Baseball Classic after a close win by the former and a blowout win by the latter.
Team USA defeated Canada 5-3 on Friday to move a win away from a repeat appearance in the WBC championship game. The Americans took a significant lead early and then held on as their neighbors to the north rallied.
The Americans scored in spurts but never put away the Canadians. They took a seemingly safe 5-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning, but Canada responded with a three-run rally capped off by a Bo Naylor homer in the bottom of the frame.
Canada had a prime chance to tie the game with two runners in scoring position and no outs in the seventh inning, but Team USA’s David Bednar escaped the danger with a pop-out and two strikeouts against the heart of the opposing lineup.
It wasn’t the blowout many expected after Team USA entered the game as a -800 favorite. Logan Webb, limited by a 70-pitch maximum, was good in 4 2/3 innings of work, but the middle relief corps nearly coughed up the game.
Team USA will need more in its next game, judging by how Friday’s first game went. The Dominican Republic demolished Korea, ending the game in the seventh inning on an Austin Wells three-run homer that made it 10-0 and triggered the WBC’s mercy rule.
Five games is a limited sample, and it might be hyperbolic to say when the team has won four of those games, but it’s hard to see Team USA as the tournament’s top team after its loss to Italy and its closer-than-expected wins over Mexico and Canada. The vaunted lineup has been less than dominant against every pitching staff with major leaguers (read: the ones that aren’t Brazil or Great Britain), and the pitching staff has been as uneven as you might see in a typical spring training game.
That could all change in a single game, though. We’ll see if that’s the case starting at 8 p.m. ET Sunday in Miami (Fox Sports 1).
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the news, updates and highlights from Friday's WBC quarterfinal matchups:
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 8:09 PM PDTYahoo Sports StaffHere’s how they got there:
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 8:06 PM PDTYahoo Sports Staff
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 8:05 PM PDTYahoo Sports StaffCloser Mason Miller made quick work of Team Canada in the ninth inning to preserve Team USA’s 5-3 victory. The Americans are headed to the semifinals in Miami.
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 8:02 PM PDTYahoo Sports StaffTwo outs away for the Americans.
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:57 PM PDTYahoo Sports StaffDue up for Canada: Denzel Clarke Jared Young (pinch hitting) Edouard JulienOtto Lopez Vs. flamethrower Mason Miller.
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:48 PM PDTYahoo Sports StaffGarrett Whitlock retired Team Canada in order and Team USA is 3 outs away from advancing to the WBC semifinals.Expect these guys to be hyped in the ninth:
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:43 PM PDTYahoo Sports StaffCal Raleigh struck out to end the eighth inning for the Americans.Garrett Whitlock relieves David Bednar to face the Canadians.
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:33 PM PDTYahoo Sports Staff
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:32 PM PDTJack BaerIt took nine pitches, but David Bednar strikes out Owen Caissie to complete the escape. It’s still 5-3 USA heading into the eighth inning.
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:28 PM PDTJack BaerNow Tyler O’Neill strikes out. The Americans are one out away from escaping.
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:28 PM PDTJack BaerJosh Naylor pops out on a full count and that’s one down for Team USA.
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:25 PM PDTJack Baer
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:24 PM PDTJack BaerCanada opens the bottom of the seventh inning with back-to-back infield hits and now has Josh Naylor, Tyler O’Neill and Owen Caissie due up with none out. Then a passed ball gets by Cal Raleigh and puts both runners in scoring position. Buckle up.
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:19 PM PDTJack BaerThe Blue Jays minor leaguer faced Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber and came out unscathed, though Judge did come just short of crushing a ball to center field. In comes David Bednar to face the 9-1-2 of the Canada lineup with two runs of breathing room.
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:07 PM PDTJack BaerWe have a ballgame on our hands. In a lefty-on-lefty matchup, Canada catcher Bo Naylor crushes an inside slider for a two-run homer to cut the deficit to two. That’s the 10th homer Team USA has allowed in five games in the WBC.
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:03 PM PDTJack BaerCanada gets on the board after Owen Caissie walks, takes second on an Abraham Toro groundout and scores on a Tyler Black single. Team USA manager Mark DeRosa is pullling Brad Keller for Gabe Speier.
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 6:54 PM PDTJack BaerBobby Witt Jr. grounds into a double play to end the top of the sixth, but Canada’s now going to need something special to pull off the upset here.
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 6:53 PM PDTJack BaerPete Crow-Armstrong follows up with another single to center.
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 6:51 PM PDTJack BaerBrice Turang laces a single up the middle and it’s a four-run lead for Team USA. Still only one out with runners on the corners.
- Fri, March 13, 2026 at 6:50 PM PDTJack BaerMicah Ashman ran into trouble with a Roman Anthony single and Cal Raleigh walk and was a few degrees from two different foul balls becoming homers. That will do it for him, as Phillippe Aumont enters to keep Canada within striking distance.
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 8:09 PM PDT
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 8:06 PM PDT
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 8:05 PM PDT
Closer Mason Miller made quick work of Team Canada in the ninth inning to preserve Team USA’s 5-3 victory. The Americans are headed to the semifinals in Miami.
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 8:02 PM PDT
Two outs away for the Americans.
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:57 PM PDT
Jared Young (pinch hitting) Edouard JulienOtto Lopez
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:48 PM PDT
Garrett Whitlock retired Team Canada in order and Team USA is 3 outs away from advancing to the WBC semifinals.
Expect these guys to be hyped in the ninth:
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:43 PM PDT
Cal Raleigh struck out to end the eighth inning for the Americans.
Garrett Whitlock relieves David Bednar to face the Canadians.
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:33 PM PDT
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:32 PM PDT
It took nine pitches, but David Bednar strikes out Owen Caissie to complete the escape. It’s still 5-3 USA heading into the eighth inning.
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:28 PM PDT
Now Tyler O’Neill strikes out. The Americans are one out away from escaping.
Josh Naylor pops out on a full count and that’s one down for Team USA.
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:25 PM PDT
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:24 PM PDT
Canada opens the bottom of the seventh inning with back-to-back infield hits and now has Josh Naylor, Tyler O’Neill and Owen Caissie due up with none out. Then a passed ball gets by Cal Raleigh and puts both runners in scoring position. Buckle up.
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:19 PM PDT
The Blue Jays minor leaguer faced Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber and came out unscathed, though Judge did come just short of crushing a ball to center field. In comes David Bednar to face the 9-1-2 of the Canada lineup with two runs of breathing room.
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:07 PM PDT
We have a ballgame on our hands. In a lefty-on-lefty matchup, Canada catcher Bo Naylor crushes an inside slider for a two-run homer to cut the deficit to two. That’s the 10th homer Team USA has allowed in five games in the WBC.
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 7:03 PM PDT
Canada gets on the board after Owen Caissie walks, takes second on an Abraham Toro groundout and scores on a Tyler Black single. Team USA manager Mark DeRosa is pullling Brad Keller for Gabe Speier.
Fri, March 13, 2026 at 6:54 PM PDT
