Nolan McLean knows his moment has arrived with Team USA in the WBC

Team USA will be one of the finalists in the current World Baseball Classic, still awaiting its opponent. Nolan McLean knows he was made for moments like this and will give it his all to claim the title alongside his teammates.

“I’m built for this,” the talented player from the New York Mets warned his potential rivals via the official MLB website. “I’ve been waiting my whole life for something like this.”

After knocking out Team Dominican Republic in a dramatic showdown, Mark DeRosa’s squad will be aiming for another title to add to their trophy case. Will McLean finally achieve his goal?

Team USA awaits opponent

Team Venezuela faces Team Italy tonight in the second WBC semifinal at Miami’s loanDepot Park, with a spot in tomorrow’s championship game against Team USA on the line.

While Venezuela looks to continue its dominant run led by an explosive offense, Italy remains the tournament’s biggest surprise after several major upsets. The winner will move on to challenge the Americans for the world title.

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Who takes the mound for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic final?

McLean’s performance by the numbers

In his only start during pool play against Italy, Nolan McLean pitched 3.0 innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 2 hits (both home runs) while striking out 4 batters on 55 pitches.

When and where is the WBC final?

The 2026 World Baseball Classic final will take place on Tuesday, March 17, at 8:00 p.m. ET. The game will be held at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida. There, Team USA will be aiming for its second title in the tournament, having previously won in 2017, while in 2023 they lost the final to Japan 3-2.