Aaron Judge and Logan Webb led Team USA to a 15-5 victory over Brazil in its 2026 World Baseball Classic opener, a strong start for the Americans’ campaign to win the tournament for the second time.
Brazil’s pitchers issued 17 walks in the game, a feat that had only occurred 14 times in MLB history.
‘Captain America’ Judge got the party started in Houston with a two-run homer in the first inning off Brazil starter Bo Takahasi, in what looked to be the earliest stages of a potential blowout. But the underdogs came right back when leadoff man Lucas Ramirez – son of 12-time All-Star Manny Ramirez – hit a solo home run off Logan Webb.
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Team USA added a run in the third inning against 17-year-old Brazilian pitcher Joseph Contreras, a high school senior and son of World Series champion Jose Contreras, who had induced a bases-loaded double play from the three-time MVP Judge an inning earlier.
Ramirez’s leadoff home run was the only hit Webb would surrender, tossing 52 pitches in four innings of work.
The Americans scored four in the fifth to make it 7-1 and just when it seemed like the USA was cruising, Brazil struck back with three runs against Michael Wacha in the bottom of the seventh. But heading into the ninth with an 8-5 lead, Team USA plated seven runs to turn the final result into a laugher.
The Americans are back in action on Saturday against Great Britain, with back-to-back AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal set to take the mound.
Here’s how Friday’s game unfolded:
How to watch USA vs Brazil in World Baseball Classic
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV channel: Fox
Stream: FoxSports.com and Fubo
Watch World Baseball Classic on Fubo
USA scores seven in the ninth
Team USA took a three-run lead into the top of the ninth and ended up scoring seven in the inning to take a 10-run advantage with the help of Brazil’s pitching shakiness. The Brazilians issued five walks in the ninth and will finish the game with 17, just two shy of MLB’s record.
Lucas Ramirez hits his second home run
Manny Ramirez’s 20-year-old son clobbered his second home run of the game in the eighth inning off USA reliever Gabe Speier, taking a moment to admire his handywork. The solo shot cut the Brazilians’ deficit to 8-5 heading into the ninth.
Brazil makes it a ballgame
Coming out for a second inning of work in relief, Michael Wacha caved in the bottom of the seventh, giving up four hits including Victor Mascai’s two-run homer that cut Team USA’s advantage to 7-4.
Michael Wacha replaces Logan Webb
Right-hander Michael Wacha came on to pitch the fifth for Team USA, relieving starter Logan Webb, who gave up one run – a leadoff homer – in four innings of work. Wacha struck out the side in the bottom of the fifth and the game heads to the sixth with Team USA leading 7-1
USA blows it open in the fifth
Entering the top of the fifth leading 3-1, the Americans scored four runs to perhaps put the game out of reach against Brazil. Team USA loaded the bases with three walks and then Byron Buxton was hit by a pitch to plate the fourth run. Brice Turang followed with a bases-clearing double – his second two-bagger of the night – to make it 7-1.
Logan Webb through four for Team USA
Logan Webb gave up a home run to the first batter he faced but didn’t surrender a hit after that, completing four innings on 52 pitches with Team USA holding a 3-1 lead over Brazil.
USA extends lead on wild pitch
Joseph Contreras’ second wild pitch in the top of the third scored Kyle Schwarber, extending Team USA’s lead to 3-1.
Meanwhile, American starter Logan Webb hasn’t given up a hit since Lucas Ramirez’s leadoff home run.
Joseph Contreras: High school pitcher gets Aaron Judge out
Brazil’s 17-year-old Joseph Contreras got three-time MVP Aaron Judge to ground into a double play with the bases loaded in the second inning of Friday’s World Baseball Classic opener, one of the more unlikely moments you’ll ever see on a diamond.
Contreras, a high school senior ranked by MLB.com as the No. 47 draft prospect this year, is the son of pitcher Jose Contreras, who played 11 Major League Baseball seasons.
Lucas Ramirez home run pulls one back for Brazil
Lucas Ramirez, son of MLB legend Manny Ramirez, stunned the crowd in Houston with a leadoff home run against Team USA starter Logan Webb, cutting Brazil’s deficit in half.
A 17th-round pick in 2024 for the Angels, Ramirez had a .772 OPS with three home runs in 192 at-bats in Rookie League and Single-A.
Aaron Judge home run puts Team USA up
Team USA captain Aaron Judge wasted no time in his World Baseball Classic debut, jumping on a 3-0 offering from Brazil starter Bo Takahashi and crushing it over the wall in left-center, staking the Americans to a 2-0 lead.
Bobby Witt Jr. led off the game with an infield single and then stole second on Bryce Harper’s strikeout to get in scoring position for Judge.
Takahashi worked himself into further trouble, giving up a single to Kyle Schwarber before walking Alex Bregman with one out. But the right-hander got Cal Raleigh and Roman Anthony to ground out and escape further damage.
USA lineup tonight vs Brazil
Starter: RHP Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants
Bobby Witt Jr., SS — Royals
Bryce Harper, 1B — Phillies
Aaron Judge, RF — Yankees
Kyle Schwarber, DH — Phillies
Alex Bregman, 3B — Cubs
Cal Raleigh, C — Mariners
Roman Anthony, LF — Red Sox
Byron Buxton, CF — Twins
Brice Turang, 2B — Brewers
Dante Bichette Jr.’s hair shines for Brazil
HOUSTON — If it wasn’t already clear from Dante Bichette Jr.’s jersey which contingent he was a part of at the World Baseball Classic, his head offered a less-than-subtle clue.
Two weeks ago, Bichette Jr. enlisted the help of a hairstylist friend in Los Angeles to dye his shoulder-length hair bright green, matching one of the main colors in the Brazilian flag.
During Team Brazil’s pre-WBC workout Thursday at Daikin Park, Bichette Jr. added a bandana of the Brazilian flag on top of his colorful mane prior to donning a blue-and-yellow cap.
“Last year I had green that turned into yellow, this year I put dark green so it would stay a little bit,” Bichette Jr. explained.
– Danielle Lerner
Bo Takahashi explains Brazil baseball
‘Brazil baseball, it is its own style of baseball because you have Japanese baseball, a little bit Latin as well, a little bit Cuban. Pretty much it is a mix of everything – American baseball also,’ Bo Takahashi told reporters before starting Brazil’s opener against Team USA.
‘It’s own style, it is something else for sure.’
Brazil starting lineup
Team USA WBC roster 2026
Catchers
Cal Raleigh (Mariners)
Will Smith (Dodgers)
Infielders
Bryce Harper (1B, Phillies)
Paul Goldschmidt (1B, Yankees)
Brice Turang (2B, Brewers)
Alex Bregman (3B, Cubs)
Bobby Witt Jr. (SS, Royals)
Gunnar Henderson (SS, Orioles)
Ernie Clement (UTIL, Blue Jays)
Outfielders
Aaron Judge (Captain, Yankees)
Corbin Carroll (Diamondbacks)
Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs)
Byron Buxton (Twins)
Roman Anthony (Red Sox)
Kyle Schwarber (Phillies)
Pitchers
Logan Webb (Giants)
Tarik Skubal (Tigers)
Paul Skenes (Pirates)
Nolan McLean (Mets)
Clay Holmes (Mets)
Michael Wacha (Royals)
Matthew Boyd (Cubs)
Mason Miller (Padres)
David Bednar (Yankees)
Clayton Kershaw (Retired)
Griffin Jax (Rays)
Garrett Whitlock (Red Sox)
Ryan Yarbrough (Yankees)
Gabe Speier (Mariners)
Garrett Cleavinger (Rays)
Brad Keller (Phillies)
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Brazil embraces WBC underdog role
HOUSTON — After going 3-1 in last year’s qualifiers, Team Brazil is back in the World Baseball Classic for the second time ever and first time since 2013. Brazil opens the tournament with a game against Team USA on Friday night in Houston.
“Any good movie I’ve ever seen starts with an underdog story, you know?” Brazil’s Dante Bichette Jr. said. “Now, this is a challenge, for sure. But nine innings and it’s a baseball game, and a lot of the time this type of games comes down to heart. When it comes to heart, we can hang.”
— Danielle Lerner
Logan Webb stats
2025: 15-11 record, 3.22 ERA, 207.0 IP, 224 SO, 1.24 WHIP
2024: 13-10 record, 3.47 ERA, 204.2 IP, 172 SO, 1.23 WHIP
2023: 11-13 record, 3.25 ERA, 216.0 IP, 194 SO, 1.07 WHIP
2022: 15-9 record, 2.90 ERA, 192.1 IP, 163 SO, 1.16 WHIP
2021: 11-3 record, 3.03 ERA, 148.1 IP, 158 SO, 1.11 WHIP
2020: 3-4 record, 5.47 ERA, 54.1 IP, 46 SO, 1.56 WHIP
2019: 2-3 record, 5.22 ERA, 39.2 IP, 37 SO, 1.46 WHIP
World Baseball Classic predictions
Pick for championship game and tournament MVP
Bob Nightengale: USA over Japan / Aaron Judge MVP
Gabe Lacques: Japan over USA / Shohei Ohtani
Jesse Yomtov: Japan over USA / Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Steve Gardner: USA over Dominican Republic / Bobby Witt Jr.
World Baseball Classic Pool B in Houston
United States
Mexico
Italy
Great Britain
Brazil
WBC Pool B schedule
March 6: Mexico vs. Great Britain
March 6: United States vs. Brazil
March 7: Brazil vs. Italy
March 7: Great Britain vs. United States
March 8: Great Britain vs. Italy
March 8: Brazil vs. Mexico
March 9: Brazil vs. Great Britain
March 9: Mexico vs. United States
March 10: Italy vs. United States
March 11: Italy vs. Mexico