The Americans are heading to the finals of the World Baseball Classic after a thrilling victory over the Dominican Republic on Sunday evening in Miami. Paul Skenes was exactly what the United States needed to neutralize the high-powered Dominican Republic lineup, and the USA bullpen was equally dominant, setting up a matchup with the winner of tonight’s semifinal contest between Italy and Venezuela.
Paul Skenes and the American’s Bullpen Proves Stymies the High-Powered Dominican Republic Offense
Skenes was the headliner on the Team USA pitching staff for this version of the team, and he lived up to the hype, holding the Dominicans to one run on six hits with a pair of punchouts. Skenes’ lack of strikeouts wasn’t something we’re used to, but against one of the best lineups he’ll ever face, he dug deep into his bag of tricks and got the job done.
Even the lone run he allowed—a solo home run by Rays slugger Junior Caminero—was a stroke out genius by the hitter, and really no mistake by Skenes. Caminero’s towering home run was on a breaking ball up and away in the second inning, and I would be willing to bet he’s about the only player on the face of the earth with the bat speed to do what he did.
That was the 15th home run by the Dominican Republic in this WBC! ?? pic.twitter.com/bk1DcKYMnc
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 16, 2026Chalking that one up to a bad pitch would be taking away from Caminero’s skill and the ability to have bat speed quick enough to pull an 84 mph sweeper up and away. It didn’t miss middle, it was on the outside of the plate, touching the black.
Skenes said after the game on the FS1 broadcast that Caminero’s home run was “one of the best pieces of hitting [he’d] ever seen.” Caminero’s 78.5 mph bat speed ranked in the 100th percentile last season. It’s elite.
Skenes wasn’t alone in the heroics on the mound for the Americans. Tyler Rogers replaced him in the fifth inning and induced a double play to end a Dominican rally. Rogers, Griffin Jax, David Bednar, Garrett Whitlock, and Mason Miller combined to allow two hits over the course of 4.2 shutout innings, striking out six and walking one.
Miller got the save, striking out Geraldo Perdomo with the tying run on third base and Fernando Tatis Jr. waiting on deck. Yes, strike three was below the zone. No, there’s no ABS in the Classic—while it probably will be there in 2029 after last night.
Either way, the USA is moving on, and their pitching staff was the story of the night.
Mason Miller strikes out Junior Caminero! pic.twitter.com/xC90hqj8xQ
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 16, 2026Possible Midseason Olympic Twist Could Lead to MLB vs. MiLB Exhibitions
Major League Baseball’s push to send big leaguers to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles could come with an unexpected wrinkle: midseason exhibition games for players who aren’t participating in the tournament.
League officials and the players’ union remain optimistic that a full slate of MLB players will be allowed to compete in the Olympics for the first time. If that happens, the All-Star break in 2028 would expand significantly, with baseball scheduled for the July 15–20 window in Los Angeles. With the All-Star Game likely set for July 11, that could mean nearly two weeks without regular-season games.
So what happens to everyone who doesn’t make an Olympic roster? One idea that’s been floated is exhibition games featuring major leaguers facing minor leaguers during the break. According to MLBPA interim head Bruce Meyer, it’s just one of several possibilities being discussed as the league and union explore how to fill the gap while Olympic baseball takes center stage.
© The Palm Beach Post-USA TODAY NETWORKThere are still plenty of logistics to sort out (including travel, security, insurance, and scheduling), but Meyer indicated on Sunday evening that there’s optimism that those hurdles can be cleared. Notably, negotiations over Olympic participation are happening on a separate track from the next collective bargaining agreement, which is set to expire in December and could lead to a lockout if talks go sideways.
Meanwhile, the Olympic field is already beginning to take shape. The United States is automatically qualified as the host nation, while the Dominican Republic and Venezuela have also secured spots through their performances in the World Baseball Classic. The remaining bids will be decided through future international tournaments.
Extra Innings
What the caption says …What. A. Night. pic.twitter.com/OoO16ZuI9m
— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) March 16, 2026 You really gotta be sure, though.Imagine slamming the bat thinking you hit a go ahead homer in the 9th to only realize a few moments late it’s a fly out at the wall to end the game ? pic.twitter.com/NwP83gxJSU
— SEC Unfiltered (@SECUnfiltered) March 15, 2026 ESPN’s Jeff Passan caught up with Nelson Cruz, Geraldo Perdomo, and Juan Soto about the pitch that ended the Dominican Republic’s unbeaten run:"100% it was a ball."The spectacular USA-Dominican Republic WBC semifinal game was marred by blown calls — including one that ended the game. I spoke with Geraldo Perdomo, Juan Soto and DR GM Nelson Cruz about it. Here's what they said, free at ESPN: t.co/OAantUMn6Y
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 16, 2026 Aaron Judge on his experiece at the WBC vs his trip to the World Series with the Yankees:Aaron Judge says the WBC crowds are "bigger & better" than the World Series:"It's been bigger. The World Series I was in. The crowd here, the crowd we had when we played Mexico. It's bigger & better than the World Series. The passion these fans have. There's nothing like it." pic.twitter.com/4WRBP7Xvt8
— Doug McKain (@DMAC_LA) March 16, 2026Hence then, the article about mlbits paul skenes and the americans bullpen shine possible olympic twist more was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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