U.S. defeats Dominican Republic in World Baseball Classic semifinal, draws record audience
The United States defeated the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic semifinal on March 15, 2026, at loanDepot park in Miami, advancing to the final against Venezuela.[1][2]
The contest featured a home run by Gunnar Henderson, shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles, and contributions from outfield prospect Roman Anthony of the Boston Red Sox organization. The game ended in the ninth inning on a disputed strike-three call against Geraldo Perdomo of the Arizona Diamondbacks.[3][4]
FOX Sports reported on March 17 that the telecast drew 7,369,000 viewers across FS1 and FOX Deportes, the most-watched World Baseball Classic game on any U.S. network.[5]
The FS1 broadcast averaged 6,864,000 viewers, FOX Sports said, marking the channel's highest-rated telecast since 2019 and its ninth-best all time. The game was the most-viewed sports event of the weekend.[5]
The semifinal aired opposite the Academy Awards on ABC, which drew 17.9 million viewers—a decline of 9% from 2025 and the lowest total since 2022.[5]
The 2026 World Baseball Classic semifinals and final are hosted at loanDepot park, home of the Miami Marlins. The United States enters as the defending champion from the 2023 edition.[1][2]
Team USA lost to Venezuela in the final, with Eugenio Suarez providing the go-ahead RBI in the ninth inning after a two-run homer by Bryce Harper tied the score in the eighth, FOX Sports said.[5]
Sources
- MLB.com, World Baseball Classic 2026 venues, dates, teams announced, January 15, 2024, https://www.mlb.com/news/world-baseball-classic-2026-venues-dates-teams-announced
- World Baseball Classic, Official Schedule and Venues, accessed March 2026, https://www.worldbaseballclassic.com/schedule
- MLB.com, Gunnar Henderson Player Page, accessed March 2026, https://www.mlb.com/player/gunnar-henderson-671737
- ESPN, Geraldo Perdomo Player Profile, accessed March 2026, https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/42485/geraldo-perdomo
- FOX Sports, U.S.-Dominican Republic WBC semifinal viewership sets records, March 17, 2026, https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/world-baseball-classic-2026-viewership
