Venezuela earned its first-ever trip to the World Baseball Classic final after a dramatic seventh-inning comeback against Italy, while Team USA advanced following a hard-fought win over the Dominican Republic. To open the championship game, Venezuela will turn to veteran left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez.
After a coin flip decided the home team for the Team USA vs. Venezuela matchup in the 2026 WBC final, attention now shifts to the pitching matchup that will set the tone for the championship.
Rodriguez brings a decade of MLB experience, with stops at the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, and the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he’s played since 2023. Last season, he posted a 5.02 ERA over 29 games and 154.1 innings, striking out 143 batters. However, his lone start in this year’s WBC didn’t go as planned, allowing three runs in just 2.2 innings against the Dominican Republic during pool play.
Team USA’s starting pitcher in the WBC Final
For Team USA, rookie Nolan McLean will take the mound. While his season with the New York Mets has impressed, McLean faced challenges earlier in the tournament, giving up two home runs against Italy in the pool stages.
Nolan McLean #26 of Team United States delivers a pitch against Team Italy. Alex Slitz/Getty Images
“Obviously I got clipped there a couple times with the homer… but overall, I felt really good. As a competitor, if you work your whole life at something, you want to be put in these spots. It’s just kind of a dream come true to be able to get the ball in such a big moment, and it’s something I want to do,” McLean said ahead of the final according to MLB.com.
Experience vs. youth shapes the matchup
Venezuela leans on Rodriguez’s experience to navigate pressure-filled innings, while Team USA trusts McLean’s competitiveness and potential to rise to the occasion. The contrasting approaches—veteran stability versus rookie energy—could ultimately determine who claims the 2026 World Baseball Classic title.
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