HOUSTON. – A curious moment stole part of the attention during the match between the United States (Baseball Selection) and Mexico (Baseball Selection) in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, when outfielder Randy Arozarena tried to greet his teammate in Seattle, catcher Cal Raleigh, but ended up with his hand extended.
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The episode occurred when Arozarena was approaching the plate during the game played at Daikin Park. The Mexican player tried to greet Raleigh with a handshake or fist bump, who was behind the plate as the catcher for the American team, but he did not respond to the gesture.
It’s not the first time the slugger has experienced a similar situation in the Classic. During the 2023 edition, Arozarena also tried to greet American catcher Will Smith, who also did not reciprocate the gesture at that moment.
The incident occurred amidst an intense duel between two teams that have developed a strong rivalry within the tournament. On this occasion, the United States took the victory 5-3 and improved its record to 3-0 in the group stage.
Although the moment generated comments among fans and on social media, this type of situation is usually linked to the competitive atmosphere of the tournament and does not necessarily reflect conflicts off the field.
Similar cases have been seen during the championship. In a recent match between Australia (Baseball Team) and Czech Republic (Baseball Team) in Tokyo, Australian catcher Robbie Perkins also avoided shaking hands with an opponent, later stating that it was just a matter of competition within the game.
Even so, the episode with Arozarena became one of the most talked-about moments of the day in the World Baseball Classic.
