Two teams with legitimate aspirations to escape Pool D will meet in their openers of the 2026 World Baseball Classic on March 6 in Miami.
Netherlands and Venezuela, which each have enjoyed past WBC success, are, at least on paper, playing for second place in Pool D. That’s because a loaded Dominican Republic team lurks, and while upsets can happen, it’s very likely the winner of Netherlands-Venezuela will have the inside track to at least the No. 2 quarterfinal berth out of the pool.
Netherlands is already short-handed, though. The club lost versatile leadoff man Jurickson Profar after he tested positive a second time for performance-enhancing drugs through MLB’s testing program. Still, the squad has some admirable firepower, led by Boston Red Sox outfielder Ceddane Rafaela and San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who are playing in their first and fourth WBCs, respectively.
Venezuela will be a tough matchup, though. Atlanta star Ronald Acuña Jr. leads a powerful lineup that includes three-time batting champ Luis Arráez and veteran sluggers Salvador Perez and Willson and William Contreras.
Both squads will aim to box out Israel and Nicaragua in Group D.
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How to watch Netherlands vs Venezuela on Tubi
Matchup: Netherlands vs. Venezuela
Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Miami (LoanDepot Park)
TV: Tubi
Streaming: FOX One App
Stream the World Baseball Classic on Fubo
Javier Sanoja puts Venezuela up 2-1 with solo home run
A power-packed Venezuelan lineup got its first home run from a most unlikely source.
Javier Sanoja, the Miami Marlins utilityman who hit just six homers last season, clubbed an Antwone Kelly first-pitch fastball for a solo homer to left in his home ballpark, giving Venezuela a 2-1 lead through two innings.
Druw Jones – manager’s son – ties it for Netherlands with double
Druw Jones is absolutely beating any charges that he’s a nepotism pick on Netherlands’ WBC team. The No. 9 hitter – and son of Hall of Famer and Netherlands manager Andruw Jones – stroked a two-out, game-tying double off Ranger Suárez, hustling to second to the quiet delight of his dad in the dugout.
Jones, a top prospect for the Arizona Diamondbacks, was stranded at second as Suárez induced a groundout to end the inning in a 1-1 tie. But Suárez needed 29 pitches to escape the second, giving him 43 pitches as he drifts toward the 65-pitch limit for this pool-play round.
Acuña Jr., Arráez give Venezuela 1-0 first-inning lead
A stacked Venezuelan lineup looks as daunting in reality as it does on paper. Ronald Acuña Jr. doubled on the first pitch of the bottom of the first and Luis Arráez drove him home with a single through a drawn-in infield as Venezuela took 1-0 first-inning lead.
The partisan Venezuela crowd at Miami’s loanDepot Park didn’t need long to voice their enthusiasm, as Acuña drove Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Antwone Kelly’s first pitch into the gap in left center field. Maikel Garcia’s grounder to second moved Acuña to third and then Arráez, the three-time batting champ, rolled a grounder under shortstop Xander Bogaerts’ glove.
Venezuela starter Ranger Suárez needed just 14 pitches in the top of the first, yielding an infield single to leadoff man Ray-Patrick Didder, but retiring Boston Red Sox teammate Ceddane Rafaela on a fly to center.
Netherlands lineup today vs. Venezuela
Ray-Patrick Didder – LF
Ceddane Rafaela – CF
Xander Bogaerts – SS
Ozzie Albies – 2B
Didi Gregorious – 3B
Hendrik Clementina – DH
Sharlon Schoop – 1B
Chadwick Tromp – C
Druw Jones – RF
Venezuela lineup today vs Netherlands
Ranger Suárez – LHP
Ronald Acuña Jr – RF
Maikel García – 3B
Luis Arráez – 2B
Willson Contreras – 1B
Salvador Pérez – DH
Wilyer Abreu LF
William Contreras – C
Javier Sanoja – CF
Andrés Giménez – SS
Netherlands WBC roster
Pitchers: Kenley Jansen, Antwone Kelly, Lars Huijer, Jaydenn Estanista, Jaitoine Kelly, Kevin Kelly, Shairon Martis, JC Sulbaran, Jamdrick Cornelia, Wendell Floranus, Arij Fransen, Eric Mendez, Ryjeteri Merite, Justin Morales, Shawndrick Oduber, Derek West, Dylan Wilson
Catchers: Chadwick Tromp, Hendrik Clementina
Infielders: Ozzie Albies, Xander Bogaerts, Didi Gregorius, Juremi Profar, Sharlon Schoop
Outfielders: Ceddanne Rafaela, Druw Jones, Jakey Josepha, Ray-Patrick Didder, Dayson Croes, Delano Selassa
Venezuela WBC roster
Pitchers: Ranger Suárez, Eduardo Rodriguez, Antonio Senzatela, Jhonathan Díaz, Eduard Bazardo, José Buttó, Enmanuel De Jesus, Carlos Guzman, Yoendrys Gómez, Andrés Machado, Keider Montero, Daniel Palencia, Ricardo Sánchez, Angel Zerpa, Christian Suárez, Luinder Ávila, Anthony Molina
Catchers: Salvador Perez, William Contreras
Infielders: Luis Arraez, Willson Contreras, Maikel Garcia, Andrés Giménez, Eugenio Suárez, Gleyber Torres, Ezequiel Tovar
Outfielders: Ronald Acuña Jr., Jackson Chourio, Wilyer Abreu, Javier Sanoja
Andruw Jones on Curacao connection
‘You see how baseball in Curaçao has grown. I’m so proud that I could lead some of these guys to believe in themselves, to go out there and chase their dream. Now that they’re all here and helping us try to win this tournament, it’s awesome,’ Netherlands manager Andruw Jones told reporters before the game.
‘I tell them all the time, take advantage of the opportunity they’re going to give you, and I can see a lot of them are doing it, so I’m very proud of that.’
Jackson Chourio injury update
Venezuela’s Jackson Chourio is out of the starting lineup on Friday against the Netherlands after being hit with a pitch on Wednesday. Manager Omar Lopez said Chourio does not have a fracture and will be available to run and play defense if necessary.
2026 World Baseball Classic schedule
Pool play: March 5-March 11
Quarterfinals: March 13 & 14 (Houston and Miami)
Semifinals: March 15 & 16 (Miami)
Championship game: March 17 (Miami)