All articles tagged with #world baseball classic
Paul Skenes closed his 2026 season with a strong performance, striking out eight batters in a 2-1 win over the Cardinals. Despite a down year marked by a 3.89 ERA and reduced velocity, Skenes expressed optimism about his future, crediting the World Baseball Classic for disrupting his spring training routine and contributing to his struggles.
Paul Skenes credits the World Baseball Classic for disrupting his spring training routine, leading to a significant velocity drop and a 3.91 ERA that contributed to the Pittsburgh Pirates missing the playoffs. While Skenes performed well in the WBC, the abrupt change in his physical ramp-up appears to have caused mechanical issues that persisted all season, with his fastball average falling to 96.8 mph from 98.2 mph. CBS Sports notes that while some WBC participants thrived, Skenes and teammate Logan Webb struggled, suggesting the tournament's impact varies by player. The Pirates are now focused on finishing with a winning record, their first since 2018, as they prepare for an offseason where Skenes aims to restore his mechanics.
Reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes attributes his 2026 velocity decline and sub-2.00 ERA drop to the World Baseball Classic disrupting his spring training ramp-up. His fastball average fell to 96.8 mph, down from 98.1 mph in 2025, contributing to a 3.91 ERA and the Pirates' postseason elimination.
In the Pirates mailbag, Colin Beazley says Paul Skenes is unlikely to regain his 2025‑level velocity in 2027; the drop is tied to offspeed pitches and command, not fastball speed, and participation in the World Baseball Classic didn’t cause the down year due to a pitch count. He expects a different, better Skenes in 2027 with tweaks to his repertoire and mechanics, while also weighing offseason roster questions, Henry Davis’ role, and the Pirates’ slim playoff odds (about 7.8%).
Former White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramírez, 44, tested positive for metabolites of four anabolic steroids (mesterolone, metandienone, oxandrolone, stanozolol) at the World Baseball Classic, earning a provisional ban; the ITA notes these steroids boost muscle and strength, and Ramírez—the tournament’s oldest player—helped Cuba not advance from pool play.
The Red Sox promoted 22-year-old left-hander Eduardo Rivera from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, then to the majors for a game against the Yankees—despite Rivera never pitching above Double-A—following his standout performance for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
Randy Arozarena apologized to Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh ahead of Opening Day, saying the two are brothers and that his comments after a World Baseball Classic game shouldn’t distract the season; Raleigh’s handshake snub sparked tension, but both players say they’re moving on as the Mariners head into the opener.
Mexico outfielder Randy Arozarena apologized to Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh for comments after a handshake snub at the World Baseball Classic.
A roundup of standout sports-media moments this week: High Point students Jimmy Rosselli and Griffin Wright deliver an electric play-by-play for a Cinderella upset of Wisconsin; World Baseball Classic viewership rises across Fox, FS1 and FS2; NBC maps out its new baseball broadcast booths; LeBron James, at 41, posts a triple-double and extended Lakers' win streak; a humorous Larry David bar anecdote; and SI Media features with John Fanta plus related podcast segments.
The 2026 World Baseball Classic final averaged 10.78 million viewers on FOX/FOX Deportes, peaking at 12.15 million and setting a new tournament record, surpassing earlier WBC games while remaining below peak World Series and some Olympic event numbers.
The World Baseball Classic final between Venezuela and the United States drew 10.78 million viewers on FOX and Fox Deportes, the event’s largest audience on record and peaking at 12.15 million, while the tournament overall averaged 1.29 million per game across Fox Sports networks. The performance helped five of the six largest WBC audiences in history, though Nielsen notes newer measurement methods and out-of-home viewing can complicate year-to-year comparisons; the final still ranked among the year's top non-football sports numbers, albeit below Olympic hockey.
Venezuela captured its first World Baseball Classic title by defeating the United States 3-2, while the championship game set a record with 10.784 million viewers on Fox and Fox Deportes, peaking at 12.148 million.
The World Baseball Classic final between Venezuela and the United States drew a tournament-high 10.784 million viewers across Fox and Fox Deportes, more than doubling the previous championship’s reach and outpacing most NBA Finals games; the semifinal drew 7.37 million, and Fox’s English-language networks averaged 1.29 million viewers for the event, signaling growing mainstream appeal for international baseball even as Team USA fell short.
Max Scherzer suggested delaying the World Baseball Classic by two weeks to reduce pitcher injury risk, arguing that starting later in March would make all MLB stars want to participate, even if it requires shortening the MLB season and incurring revenue losses. The WBC ran March 5–17, 2026, with Team USA falling to Venezuela in the final; Scherzer has not yet played in a WBC and believes the sport would benefit from broader participation.
Ken Rosenthal rejects the 'ridiculous' narrative that Team USA didn't care about the World Baseball Classic, insisting American players were passionate and bonded, even as the U.S. fell 3-2 to Venezuela in the final and faced scrutiny over prep and team culture.