Venezuelans pour into the streets in a rare, loud release of joy after their team wins the World Baseball Classic.

Aaron Judge walked slowly back and forth in the United States’ dugout on Tuesday night while Venezuelan players shed tears and fell to their knees to celebrate the country’s first World Baseball Classic title.

Ronald Acuña Jr., Maikel Garcia and Luis Arraez hit run-scoring, two-out singles in a seventh-inning rally that led Venezuela over Italy 4-2 and into its first World Baseball Classic championship game.

Criticized for their cool, American players head into the World Baseball Classic championship also appreciating opponents’ flamboyant flair.

Aaron Judge says the World Baseball Classic has become baseball’s biggest stage.

A close called third strike ended the Dominican Republic’s rally attempt and sent the United States into the World Baseball Classic title game.

Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony homered and the United States limited the Dominican Republic’s electric offense to win a thrilling semifinal 2-1 and move a win from its second World Baseball Classic championship.

Gunnar Henderson started at third base for the United States over Alex Bregman Sunday in the World Baseball Classic semifinals, then homered in the fourth inning against the Dominican Republic.

Wilyer Abreu hit a go-ahead, three-run homer after Maikel Garcia sparked the comeback with a two-run shot, and Venezuela beat Shohei Ohtani and defending champion Japan 8-5 in the World Baseball Classic to advance to the semifinals.

Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuña Jr. got the World Baseball Classic quarterfinal off to a pulsating start, combining for the first WBC game with two leadoff homers.

The United States is heading to the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic after a “different level of focus” helped this All-Star-studded team rebound from a shocking loss.

Austin Wells’ only swing of the bat put the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic record book and the semifinal round.

Aaron Judge doubled and Pete Crow-Armstrong and Brice Turang each had two hits as the United States beat Canada 5-3 on Friday night to reach the World Baseball Classic semifinals.

Manager Mark DeRosa says his premature comment about the United States having already punched its ticket to the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals before facing Italy was just an “overly confident statement” and reiterated Thursday he knew nothing was guaranteed at that point.

Vinnie Pasquantino had the World Baseball Classic’s first three-homer game, leading Italy over Mexico 9-1 to win Pool B and advance the United States to the quarterfinals as group’s second-place team.

The surprising loss by the United States to Italy in the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday night means that the Americans need help to advance to the quarterfinals.

Kyle Teel, Sam Antonacci and Jac Caglianone homered as Italy built a big lead and held on to stun the United States 8-6 in the World Baseball Classic.

Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer and Roman Anthony added a three-run drve in a big third inning to lead the United States to a 5-3 win over Mexico in the World Baseball Classic at Houston’s Daikin Park.

Manny Ramirez watched his son Lucas Ramirez hit two home runs for Brazil against the United States in the World Baseball Classic.

Venezuelan fans are turning the World Baseball Classic in Miami into a celebration.

Australia has opened the World Baseball Classic in Tokyo by beating Taiwan 3-0 on Robbie Perkins' two-run homer in the fifth inning and Travis Bazzana’s homer in the seventh at the Tokyo Dome.

It’s officially named the World Baseball Classic.

Eight members of Cuba’s delegation were denied visas to the United States for the World Baseball Classic, the Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation said.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hit two homers in his spring debut as he prepares for the World Baseball Classic next month.

Two people familiar with the negotiations tell The Associated Press that infielder Kazuma Okamoto and the Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a $60 million, four-year contract.

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is going to again play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

The New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants have been informed Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki won’t be signing with them.

The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a $13 million, one-year contract with Japanese star Tomoyuki Sugano.

Japanese reliever Yuki Matsui has agreed to a five-year contract with the San Diego Padres.

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns went to Japan before the winter meetings to speak with free agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and his family.

Baseball in Britain got a boost from the national team's performance at the World Baseball Classic.

Major League Baseball is heading south of the border again to play a regular season series.

It was back to business as usual for Shohei Ohtani on Friday.

Houston Astros star Jose Altuve has had surgery on his broken right thumb.

This year’s World Baseball Classic left lasting memories, 47 games over two weeks that restored Japan’s supremacy and reinforced Shohei Ohtani’s unmatched ability while expanding the sport’s global footprint.

Team USA fielded a World Baseball Classic roster brimming with All-Star names from Trea Turner to Mookie Betts to Mike Trout.

The World Baseball Classic will return for its sixth edition in March 2026, with organizers concluding spring training remains a better time than after the World Series or in the middle of the major league season.

Shohei Ohtani sparked a ninth-inning rally with a leadoff double, and Munetaka Murakami hit a walk-off, two-run double to lift Japan over Mexico 6-5 and into the World Baseball Classic final.

Trea Turner homered twice to give him a tournament-leading four, and the defending champion United States romped over Cuba 14-2 to reach its second straight World Baseball Classic final.

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve will undergo surgery on his right thumb following his injury during the World Baseball Classic Saturday evening.

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve seems headed for a lengthy stint on the injured list after being hit on the hand with a pitch while playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic.

Trea Turner hit a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning that lifted the United States over Venezuela 9-7 and into the World Baseball Classic semifinals.

Jose Altuve left Venezuela’s 9-7 quarterfinal loss to the United States with a possible broken right thumb after getting hit by a pitch.

Luis Urías hit the go-ahead single in a three-run seventh inning that fueled Mexico’s 5-4 comeback victory over Puerto Rico to advance to its first-ever World Baseball Classic semifinals.

Many of Major League Baseball’s biggest stars like Mike Trout, Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani aren’t playing in spring training these days.

New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz injured his knee while celebrating Puerto Rico's 5-2 win over the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday night.

New York Mets fans began the year dreaming about a World Series closed out by Edwin Díaz.

Cuba advanced to the World Baseball Classic semifinals for the first time since 2006 with a 4-3 win over Australia as Alfredo Despaigne hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly and Yoelkis Guibert followed with a two-run single in three-run fifth inning.

Eugenio Suárez and Anthony Santander had two hits each as Venezuela beat Nicaragua 4-1 and improved to 3-0 in the World Baseball Classic.

Mark DeRosa said last week that one of his most important jobs as United States manager during the World Baseball Classic is making sure his players understand the tournament is a competition, not an exhibition.

Kunwoo Park and Ha-Seong Kim hit grand slams in consecutive innings, and South Korea set a World Baseball Classic scoring record with a 22-2 rout over China in a game between already eliminated teams.

There a common thread running through the World Baseball Classic when opponents face Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani and his Japanese teammates.

Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer that landed just below his image on a video advertising board, sending Japan to a 7-1 victory over Australia in the World Baseball Classic.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar has suddenly become a popular star playing for Japan in the World Baseball Classic.

Shohei Ohtani doubled and singled for his second straight two-hit game, and Japan overcame a three-run deficit to beat South Korea 13-4 for its second straight win at the World Baseball Classic.

Robbie Perkins hit one of Australia’s three homers to beat South Korea 8-7 on Thursday in Group B at the Tokyo Dome.

The 20-team World Baseball Classic got underway after a six-year absence with the Netherlands defeating Cuba 4-2 in a Group A game in Taiwan to open the tournament.

World Series MVP and Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña has committed to play in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic, according to a league source.

Major League Baseball’s new pitch clock, limits on shifts and larger bases will not be used during the World Baseball Classic.

Cubans signed with Major League Baseball organizations and other foreign clubs will for the first time join domestic stars on the national team that will play in the World Baseball Classic.

The United States will permit Major League Baseball players from Cuba to represent their home country in the World Baseball Classic next year.

Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga and the New York Mets have agreed to a $75 million, five-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.