The 2023 World Baseball Classic officially begins on Tuesday and will feature some of the biggest names in the sport. A total of 67 MLB All-Stars and 186 players on 40-man rosters are expected to participate in the international tournament.
Opening rounds will take place in Tokyo, Taiwan, Miami and Phoenix from March 7-18. The semifinals will then be held at loanDepot Park from March 19-20, and the championship game is also in Miami on Tuesday, March 21.
Twenty national teams are participating in this year’s event, which is up from the original field of 16. They will be divided into four pools, with the top two in each advancing to the quarterfinals. At that point, the tournament will become a single-elimination format.
Pool A consists of Team Chinese Taipei, Team Netherlands, Team Cuba, Team Italy and Team Panama; Pool B is comprised of Team Japan, Team South Korea, Team Australia, Team China and Team Czech Republic; Pool C is made up of Team USA, Team Mexico, Team Colombia, Team Canada and Team Great Britain; and Pool D includes Team Puerto Rico, Team Venezuela, Team Dominican Republic, Team Israel and Team Nicaragua.
Team USA enters as the defending champions, having won the most recent event in 2017. Standing in their way of a potential repeat are the Dominican Republic, the betting favorites, and Japan.
Dodgers participating
The Los Angeles Dodgers will be represented by seven players from their 40-man roster in the tournament, as well as third base coach Dino Ebel, who is part of the Team USA coaching staff.
Austin Barnes and Julio Urías will play for Team Mexico, Mookie Betts and Will Smith are suiting up for Team USA, Freddie Freeman is competing for Team Canada, David Peralta is participating for Team Venezuela and Trayce Thompson is taking the field for Team Great Britain.
How to stream WBC games
The WBC is headed by MLB and the Players Association (MLBPA), and sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation. Fox Sports will have exclusive coverage of all 47 tournament games across FOX, FS1, FS2, FOX Deportes, Tubi and the FOX Sports app in the U.S.
2023 World Baseball Classic schedule (all times PT)
Tuesday, March 7
Netherlands vs. Cuba, 8 p.m., FS1
Wednesday, March 8
Chinese Taipei vs. Panama, 3 a.m., FS2
Korea vs. Australia, 7 p.m., FS2
Netherlands vs. Panama, 8 p.m., FS2
Thursday, March 9
Japan vs. China, 2 a.m., FS2
Cuba vs. Italy, 3 a.m., Tubi
China vs. Czech Republic, 7 p.m., Tubi
Panama vs. Cuba, 8:30 p.m., FS1
Friday, March 10
Japan vs. Korea, 2 a.m., FS2
Chinese Taipei vs. Italy, 3 a.m., Tubi
Australia vs. China, 7 p.m., FS2
Italy vs. Panama, 8 p.m., FS1
Saturday, March 11
Japan vs. Czech Republic, 2 a.m., FS1
Chinese Taipei vs. Netherlands, 3 a.m., FS2
Puerto Rico vs. Nicaragua, 9 a.m., FS2
Mexico vs. Colombia, 11:30 a.m., Fox
Venezuela vs. Dominican Republic, 4 p.m., FS1
United States vs. Great Britain, 6 p.m., Fox
Korea vs. Czech Republic, 7 p.m., FS1
Cuba vs. Chinese Taipei, 8 p.m., FS2
Sunday, March 12
Australia vs. Japan, 3 a.m., FS1
Italy vs. Netherlands, 4 a.m., FS2
Israel vs. Nicaragua, 9 a.m., FS2
Canada vs. Great Britain, 12 p.m., FS1
Puerto Rico vs. Venezuela, 4 p.m., FS1
United States vs. Mexico, 7 p.m., FS1
Czech Republic vs. Australia, 8 p.m., FS2
Monday, March 13
China vs. Korea, 3 a.m., FS2
Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic, 9 a.m., FS2
Great Britain vs. Colombia, 12 p.m., FS2
Puerto Rico vs. Israel, 4 p.m., FS1
United States vs. Canada, 7 p.m., FS1
Tuesday, March 14
Venezuela vs. Nicaragua, 9 a.m., FS2
Colombia vs. Canada, 12 p.m., FS2
Dominican Republic vs. Israel, 4 p.m., FS2
Mexico vs. Great Britain, 7 p.m., FS1
Wednesday, March 15
TBD vs. TBD (quarterfinals), 3 a.m., FS2
Israel vs. Venezuela, 9 a.m., FS2
Canada vs. Mexico, 12 p.m., FS2
Dominican Republic vs. Puerto Rico, 4 p.m., FS2
Colombia vs. United States, 7 p.m., FS1
Thursday, March 16
TBD vs. TBD (quarterfinals), 3 a.m., FS2
Friday, March 17
TBD vs. TBD (quarterfinals), 4 p.m., FS1
Saturday, March 18
TBD vs. TBD (quarterfinals), 4 p.m., Fox
Sunday, March 19
TBD vs. TBD (semifinals), 4 p.m., FS1
Monday, March 20
TBD vs. TBD (semifinals), 4 p.m., FS1
Tuesday, March 21
TBD vs. TBD (championship game), 4 p.m., FS1
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