The Dominican Republic will bring all their power to the plate with a batting order led by Fernando Tatis Jr., while Juan Soto will hit third against Team USA in what could be the most important game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Fernando Tatis Jr. will lead off the lineup with a .438 batting average and a 1.404 OPS after his strong performance in the quarterfinals against Korea, where he drove in two RBIs in three at-bats. He will face Team USA starter Paul Skenes, a matchup he has never experienced in a game before.
Ketel Marte, batting second in the order with a .200 average, is another hitter who has not had much success against Skenes. Like several Dominican batters, he has struggled to produce when Skenes is on the mound, which could make the start of the game difficult for him.
Dominican Republic batting order vs. Team USA
If the Dominicans cannot do damage with the first three hitters, including Juan Soto who enters the game with a .316 average, the next three spots in the order could make the difference. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is one of those key bats. So far he has produced eight RBIs and seven hits without striking out in the games he has played.
- Fernando Tatis Jr. RF
- Ketel Marte 2B
- Juan Soto LF
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B
- Manny Machado 3B
- Junior Caminero DH
- Julio Rodríguez CF
- Austin Wells C
- Geraldo Perdomo SS
see also
When was the last time Team USA beat Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic?
Manny Machado is obviously one of the most dangerous infield bats. Entering the semifinals of the 2026 WBC he carries a .313 batting average and an .897 OPS. He has played in every game for the Dominican Republic, but he was unable to produce in the final pool stage game against Venezuela.
Junior Caminero, serving as DH, has only one home run in the tournament. Still, that does not mean he has not been productive for the Caribbean nation. In the quarterfinals against Korea he was key, recording two hits and one RBI without striking out. He enters the semifinal game with a .375 average.
Julio Rodríguez has struggled to bounce back after his strong first WBC game against Nicaragua. In that game he had three hits and three RBIs in five at-bats for a .600 average, but he currently sits at a .200 average after several tough moments at the plate. Austin Wells enters with a .250 average, while Geraldo Perdomo has a .200 average.
