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The expected duel for first place in Group D of the 2026 World Baseball Classic adds a new chapter to a rivalry that has grown in intensity in recent years.
MIAMI. – The matchup between the Dominican Republic and Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic is not just a game for first place in Group D. It also represents a new chapter in a sporting rivalry that, over the years, has gained strength within international baseball.
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Historically, the Dominican selection has had dominance over the Venezuelan team in different scenarios of Caribbean and international baseball. The Dominicans have more titles in the Caribbean Series, a greater historical presence in Major Leagues, and multiple members in the Baseball Hall of Fame. In the World Baseball Classic itself, the Dominican Republic also imposed its authority in the first encounters against Venezuela, winning the first four duels with an overall advantage of 25 runs to nine. Those games featured some of the most emblematic figures of baseball from both countries. For Venezuela, names like Johan Santana, Omar Vizquel, Bob Abreu, Miguel Cabrera, and Magglio Ordóñez stood out, while for the Dominican Republic, stars like Albert Pujols, David Ortiz, Adrián Beltré, Miguel Tejada, and Alfonso Soriano shone.However, the landscape began to change in the 2023 edition of the World Baseball Classic. In that tournament, Venezuela achieved a key 5-1 victory over the Dominican Republic, a result that marked a turning point in the rivalry and ultimately influenced the early elimination of the Dominican team in the group stage.
That episode is still very present in the memory of players and fans, and has become an additional motivation for the Dominican team in the current tournament. Interestingly, the pitcher who opened that game, Sandy Alcántara, will again be in charge of going up to the mound in this new match. "I don't see it as revenge," Alcántara expressed before the match. "This is a very short tournament. We lost the previous Classic, we did our best, but now we will go out on the field to compete from the first pitch." The rivalry has also grown in other Caribbean baseball scenarios. In the recent Caribbean Series, representative teams from both countries starred in memorable finals that further elevated the competitiveness between Dominicans and Venezuelans. First, the Tigres del Licey were crowned champions against the Leones del Caracas at the Monumental Stadium in the Venezuelan capital. A year later, Venezuela took revenge when the Tiburones de La Guaira defeated Licey in the final played in Miami. That game brought together more than 36 thousand fans, setting an attendance record for the Caribbean Series and confirming the enormous interest that the confrontations between both baseball powers arouse. With that context, the new duel between the Dominican Republic and Venezuela promises an electrifying atmosphere in the stadium, where thousands of fans are waiting to witness another chapter of a rivalry that continues to grow within international baseball.
