As evidenced by a noticeably quieter clubhouse at Salt River Fields these days, the Arizona Diamondbacks sent many of their players to the World Baseball Classic, baseball’s premier international tournament.
Only seven teams have sent more players than Arizona with 13, which does not include Corbin Carroll, who had to bow out due to a broken hamate bone.
The competition officially began Wednesday night with a matchup between Australia and Taiwan in Japan, where the games have started earlier before the advancing teams travel to the United States for the quarterfinals. The flurry begins on Friday, when games will be played throughout the day, including the United States against Brazil.
There are four pools of five teams, and the top two from each group advance to the single elimination quarterfinals. The pools are in Tokyo, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Houston and Miami. Japan is the defending champion, while the U.S. and Dominican Republic are considered its top threats to capture the title.
Here is a list of pool play games to mark down for fans looking to watch Diamondbacks players get rolling for their respective nations.
Diamondbacks games to watch in World Baseball Classic pool play (MST)
Mexico vs. Great Britain – Friday, 11 a.m. in Houston (FS1)
D-backs outfielder Alek Thomas is back for his second World Baseball Classic, representing his mother’s side of the family.
Last time, he was coming off a promising rookie season. This time, Thomas is entering an important campaign to prove that he can steer in the right direction offensively, making him one of the most notable Diamondbacks players to watch in this competition.
Alek Thomas gets spun around but still makes the catch! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/j8cG5ZWDdR
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 3, 2026
Thomas is off to a solid start in spring training at 6-for-16 before he recorded two hits against the Diamondbacks in an exhibition game for Mexico. He will patrol center field during the tournament after getting reps in left field during camp.
Great Britain rosters Diamondbacks outfield prospect Kristian Robinson, who is from the Bahamas. Former Diamondbacks top prospect Jazz Chisholm Jr. is the team captain, and D-backs minor league hitting coordinator Brad Marcelino is the manager.
Canada vs Colombia – Saturday, 9 a.m. in San Juan (FS2)
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Diamondbacks pitcher Michael Soroka will make his first WBC appearance for Canada on Saturday.
Soroka, who is vying for a starting rotation spot with Arizona, is one of two Diamondbacks major league starters in the WBC along with Venezuela’s Eduardo Rodriguez.
Soroka’s first two Cactus League appearances have not gone spectacularly (3.2 IP, 4 ER, 4 BB), and the WBC will provide an opportunity for the Calgary native to prepare for the season while showing what he can do in meaningful games.
Arizona is also sending minor league reliever Indigo Diaz to Team Canada for the tournament.
Canada’s captain is former Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor, the biggest bat in the lineup.
Colombia does not have any Diamondbacks players, although Arizona bullpen catcher Jhonatan Solano will be the bench coach. Gio Urshela and Harold Ramirez are Colombia’s hitters with big league experience to watch.
Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic – Sunday, 9 a.m. in Miami (FOX)
The Dominican Republic should be must-see TV with a lineup that boasts some of the biggest stars of the game, including Juan Soto, Manny Machado and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Three Diamondbacks infielders will contribute to a team looking for redemption after a quick exit in 2023: Geraldo Perdomo, Ketel Marte and Carlos Santana. Team D.R. lost shortstop Jeremy Peña for the group stage with a finger injury, which gives full reins to Perdomo to man shortstop with Marte at second base. Perdomo started the team’s first exhibition game, while Peña started the second in Santo Domingo.
Triple de Geraldo Perdomo pic.twitter.com/koh5i7jnoF
— Enrique Rojas/ESPN (@Enrique_Rojas1) March 4, 2026
Team D.R. starts its tournament on Friday against Nicaragua, but the Netherlands is its first real test.
The Netherlands has the next most major league talent in the group behind the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, including Xander Bogaerts, Ozzie Albies and Kenley Jansen. The team lost Jurickson Profar right before the WBC began, who was suspended for performance-enhancing drugs.
Additionally, the matchup provides another D-backs tie, as outfield prospect Druw Jones is suiting up for Team Netherlands and his father, manager Andruw Jones.
Mexico vs. USA – Monday, 5 p.m. in Houston (FOX)
Thomas and Team Mexico upset the United States in pool play at Chase Field last WBC in 2023 in front of a sold-out crowd with fans packed in of both sides, 11-5.
Mexico is 3-1 in WBC games against the United States.
The U.S. has revamped its roster after finishing as the runner-up to Japan in 2023, with Aaron Judge serving as team captain and Paul Skenes as the ace. Mexico also lost a heartbreaker to the eventual champions in the semifinal and is out to prove it can consistently challenge the best teams in the tournament.
Canada vs. Puerto Rico – Tuesday, 4 p.m. in San Juan (Tubi)
Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado is playing in his third World Baseball Classic but first for Puerto Rico, as the California native is representing his mother’s heritage in what he expects to be his final WBC.
Nolan Arenado knocks in Team Puerto Rico's first run ? pic.twitter.com/IPmRYyGIOG
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 3, 2026
Puerto Rico’s roster has been chopped up by insurance complications and injuries, taking national team staples Francisco Lindor, Javier Baez and Carlos Correa off the roster.
This increases Arenado’s importance to the team’s success during the tournament, and Canada looks like the biggest threat to Puerto Rico in the San Juan pool.
Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela – Wednesday 5 p.m. in Miami (FS1)
This is arguably the game to watch of pool play.
The two most talented teams from Latin America face off in Miami to end the group stage of the tournament, and the loser may face elimination or have to play Japan in the quarterfinals.
Venezuela has a major league-caliber lineup headlined by Ronald Acuña Jr., William Contreras, Jackson Chourio and former Diamondbacks slugger Eugenio Suarez.
Venezuela also defeated the D.R. in 2023 after the Dominicans won the matchup in the previous two WBCs.
Venezuela: Eduardo Rodriguez start in Miami
Venezuela has not announced its starting rotation, but Rodriguez pitched in the team’s final exhibition game on Wednesday, so he won’t be available until Monday at the earliest. After a solid Cactus League debut with two scoreless innings for Arizona, Rodriguez allowed two runs in 1.2 innings against the Nationals on Wednesday.
Venezuela plays Israel on Monday before its critical matchup with the Dominican Republic.
Taiwan: Yu-Min Lin start in Tokyo
Lin did not start Taiwan’s opening loss to Australia nor is he probable to start its next matchup on Friday morning against Japan. The Diamondbacks’ pitching prospect could slot in on Friday night against Czechia or Saturday against Korea.
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