Final thoughts
So that will about do it from The Guardian live WBC coverage tonight but we will be back Same (Baseball) Bat Time, (Baseball) Bat Channel tomorrow when USA will face Venezuela for the right to face Cuba in Sunday’s semifinals. As always, thanks for following along with us for Puerto Rico v Mexico. We can only hope to get as good of a game tomorrow. Ciao!
What a start for our WBC quarter-finals coverage! It looked like this was going to be a blowout on the side of Puerto Rico but instead Mexico managed to chip away and then take advantage of a bases-loaded situation late to take the lead. They will be facing Japan in Monday’s semi-final game!
Updated
Mexico defeats Puerto Rico!
Mexico has eliminated Puerto Rico to advance to Monday’s WBC semifinal round for the first time!
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, FINAL
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, FINAL
Hernández is now Puerto Rico’s last hope. Gallegos’s first pitch is outside. 1-0. The second pitch is in the dirt. 2-0. The next ball is hit foul. 2-1. It was this close to hitting fair and ending up being a game-ending ground-ball. The 2-1 pitch is called for a strike and replay shows it is, but just barely. 2-2. Puerto Rico down to its final strike.
2-2. That’s also hit foul. The next pitch? Right down the middle! That’s the game! Mexico wins!
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, top 9th inning
Lindor, representing Puerto Rico’s last chance, pops one out but out of play. 0-1, but he’s still alive. The next pitch is a ball. 1-1. Lindor takes another pitch outside. 2-1. Hitter’s count. Dangerous pitch here for Gallegos.
He throws a changeup that Lindor misses. 2-2. Puerto Rico is down to its final out. Lindor hits a base hit! Runners on first and second. Still two out!
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, top 9th inning
Maldonado pops one up to first. Puerto Rico is down to their final out.
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, top 9th inning
Machín bunts, but right back to the pitcher for the first out. Not the wisest move there. One down.
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, top 9th inning
Giovanny Gallegos is out to close things out for Mexico. Vázquez, representing one of Puerto Rico’s final hopes. takes ball one. 1-0. Vázquez can’t hit the next offering. 1-1. Vázquez makes perfect contact with the next pitch, hitting a solid single.
He will represent the potential game-tying run. Still three outs to go for Gallegos.
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, bottom 8th inning
Arozarena grounds out and now Mexico has its final three outs to play with? Can they rally or will Mexico advance to the semifinals?
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, bottom 8th inning
Barnes is at the plate next and he falls behind 0-2. He skies one to centerfield for the second out.
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, bottom 8th inning
Jovani “Get A Brain” Morán is up for Puerto Rico, his goal is to keep this a one-run game and give them a chance to tie things up in the top of the ninth.
Alek Thomas takes a healthy cut and fouls the next pitch off. The next pitch is just outside. 1-1. As is the next. 2-1. Thomas fouls the next off. 2-2 and then strikes out swinging. One down.
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, top 8th inning
Rosario swings and misses at the first pitch. 0-1. He fouls off the next one. 0-2. Sanchez has a chance to get out of it here, I imagine he will waste one here, see if he can get Rosario to chase.
Instead, Rosario pops one up and Barnes falls in his successful attempt to field it for the final out. Mexico is three outs away of reaching the WBC semifinals!
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, top 8th inning
Báez is up next trying to salvage the inning with Melendez still on first. There are two out. Báez gets ahead of the count 2-1 and then drills a pitch into the outfielders. Runners on the corners for Puerto Rico thanks to Melendez’s speed on the basepaths.
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, top 8th inning
Rivera takes ball one. 1-0. He fouls off the next pitch. 1-1. The next pitch is a called strike. 1-2. He fouls off another. 1-2 again. The next two pitches are balls outside. Full count.
Rivera hits one that’s incredibly long and for a split second it looks like it’s going to at least tie the game. At centerfield, Arozarena makes an incredible game-saving catch for the second out!
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, top 8th inning
That it’s for Romero, he’s being replaced by Jake Sanchez who will be pitching to Rivera with a runner on first base with two outs in the inning.
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, top 8th inning
MJ Melendez is up next. He takes two straight balls. 2-0. Then a strike. 2-1. Then he takes two more balls. Puerto Rico with a one-out baserunner.
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, top 8th inning
(Random thoughts during this commercial break: I cannot believe “The Masked Singer” has lasted this long. The 21st century is weird.)
Hernández is leading off for Puerto Rico against JoJo Romero, who gets ahead of him 1-2. He then pops up for the first out. Puerto Rico now has five outs left to play with.
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, bottom 7th inning
Trejo is up now, runners are on the corners still with one out. He gets good wood on the ball but it’s a flyout that finally ends the inning but not until after Mexico converts a bases-loaded situation into a three-run inning that gives them a late lead.
Puerto Rico now has just six outs to keep their WBC hopes alive.
RBI single! (Luis Urías, Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico)
Puerto Rico 4-5 Mexico, bottom 7th inning
Paredes is looking like the game MVP if Mexico can pull off this comeback. Urías is at the plate with two out and runners on the corner. He takes a ball and a strike. And on the next pitch, Urías hits one into the outfield! Mexico takes a lead!
2-run single! (Isaac Paredes, Puerto Rico 4-4 Mexico)
Puerto Rico 4-4 Mexico, bottom 7th inning
Paredes takes a ball outside. 1-0. It would be highly amusing if he managed to walk in a run after getting the first two outs.
Well, I guess, not amusing for the entire country of Puerto Rico. The next pitch is outside. 2-0. The next one? A 97 mph strike on the corner. A quality pitch. 2-1.
Oh no, on the next pitch, Paredes hits a two-run single! Tied game!
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, bottom 7th inning
There’s a meeting on the mound to make sure López is alright after throwing the pitch and getting off the mound. Hard to see what the team’s concerned with, but he’s staying in the game.
Tellez is up next. Bases loaded, one out. He takes a ball outside, which was probably right on the corner. He’ll take it. 1-0. López gets the call on the next pitch, was probably outside. I guess it evens out. 1-1.
Tellez fouls off the next pitch. 1-2. He probably wants that swing back. The next pitch is way upstairs. 2-2. Another mound meeting for what could be a key pitch. (Honestly every pitch is important at this point.)
On 2-2, Tellez swings and misses at a pitch that breaks outside! Puerto Rico can get out of this bases-loaded jam with just one more out!
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, bottom 7th inning
Jorge López has an impossible task in front of him, trying to escape from a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam. Have to think Puerto Rico would settle for a run-scoring double-play here.
Meneses is the batter. He takes a 97m heater for a strike. 0-1. Meneses swings again; fouls the pitch off. 0-2. He pops it up on the infield! No one can score. What a huge first out!
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, bottom 7th inning
Verdugo is up in another big spot. He takes a ball outside. 1-0. And another. 2-0. Díaz is having trouble with the strike zone here. 3-0. Remember what I was saying about Puerto Rico possibly regretting the scoring drought?
Well, Díaz has walked the bases loaded without retiring a batter and is being lifted.
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, bottom 7th inning
Arozarena, Mexico’s most dangerous hitter, is up with a runner on second base. Díaz’s first pitch against him? Out of the zone. 1-0. The second pitch, strike. 1-1. Díaz throws another ball. 2-1. Arozarena takes a hefty swing at the next pitch. Luckily for Puerto Rico, he comes up with nothing but air. 2-2. Even count. The next pitch is off the outside corner. 3-2. Payoff pitch time.
It’s outside. Runners on first and second now with nobody out. Possible big inning here?
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, bottom 7th inning
Alexis Díaz, Edwin’s brother, is in the game and Austin Barnes rudely greets him with a leadoff double.
Seventh inning stretch
En Español.
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, top 7th inning
(Briefly checks the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament.) Purdue has been eliminated? Well, there goes my Final Four predictions. Hopefully that means some people have switched over to what is a really solid baseball game here.
Jojo Romero is up to face Lindor with two out. Lindor gets ahead of the count 2-0. Romero manages to get a strike over the plate on pitch three. 2-1. The next, not so much. 3-1. Lindor hits a ball just fair and it looks like he’s going to outrun it but Paredes makes a fantastic throw to get him out at first. To the seventh inning!
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, top 7th inning
Lindor is up next and Mexico goes to the bullpen.
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, top 7th inning
Maldonado promptly grounds out. Two away.
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, top 7th inning
Assad remains out there for the top of the seventh. Vimeal Machín is pinch-hitting for Soto. He falls behind 1-2 and then takes called strike three for the first out of the inning.
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, bottom 6th inning
Alan Trejo is up next with a runner on first. Cruz manages to strike him out on a 1-2 pitch and is now a batter away from getting out of this…
Never mind, on the first pitch, Thomas grounds out. So he is zero batters away from getting out of this! To the seventh inning!
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, bottom 6th inning
Urías, the hitter, is up next. He also falls behind 0-2, a lot of this in these last few innings. The next pitch is in the dirt and Urías refuses to offer. 1-2. He gets good wood on it and hits a ball between the shift.
Man, I’m going to miss the shift when MLB starts, I love when batters do that.
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, bottom 6th inning
Fernando Cruz is pitching for Puerto Rico, facing Paredes who accounted for Mexico’s first run. Cruz gets ahead of him 0-2. Paredes connects but fouls off the next pitch. Still 0-2. He doesn’t connect on the next pitch. He’s out.
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, top 6th inning
Two down, Vázquez up to try to salvage this inning for Puerto Rico. He does not, he goes out on three pitches. To the bottom of the sixth. Can Mexico continue to creep closer?
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, top 6th inning
Rosario is up next and he falls into an immediate 0-2 hole. After fouling off a few pitches, he takes a ball. He stays alive on 1-2, fouling off another one. Assad gets him to swing and miss on the next offering, however.
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, top 6th inning
Assad is back out there pitching for Mexico, against Báez. Mexico’s pitching has handled Puerto Rico’s big bats fairly well after the first inning, and the latter might regret not putting up an additional run with the momentum that Mexico is starting to build.
Báez, however, grounds out for the first out.
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, bottom 5th inning
It’s up to Tellez for Mexico to make this at least a one-run game. Ríos gets ahead of him 0-2, just a single pitch from getting Puerto Rico out of this jam.
It’s just a little outside. On 1-2, he grounds out harmlessly to second. To the sixth inning after an adventure of a fifth!
Updated
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, bottom 5th inning
Bases are still loaded. Still only one out. Yacksel Ríos is in to pitch for Puerto Rico, here to put out a fire. Meneses is at-bat, he fouls off the first pitch. 0-1. He fouls off the second. 0-2. He flies out, the runners hold. The best case scenario of that at-bat second to a double play.
RBI Single! (Alex Verdugo, Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico)
Puerto Rico 4-2 Mexico, bottom 5th inning
This might be the biggest at-bat of the game. Bases loaded, one out, Verdugo at the plate. He takes a pitch outside. 1-0. At this point, Stroman would love a double-play.
Oof. Another ball outside. 2-0. Verdugo fouls off a ball outside. 2-1. He fouls off the next. 2-2. Next pitch is in the dirt. Full count. Stroman is in danger of walking in a run here. Verdugo fouls the next pitch off. 3-2 still. THE DRAMA.
He hits a ball into shallow center and that will score a run! What a great at bat from Verdguo! Stroman is coming out.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, bottom 5th inning
Stroman might be starting to tire here, wouldn’t be shocked if Puerto Rico starts to get someone in the bullpen just in case. This is an elimination game, after all.
And here comes Arozarena, maybe the most dangerous hitter in Mexico’s lineup. He’s probably going to look at hitting a flyball here. He’s not going to go chasing however, as he takes two straight balls to start his at-bat. 2-0
Arozarena takes a big, dangerous swing. Thankfully for Puerto Rico, he doesn’t connect. 2-1. He takes another pitch outside. 3-1. The next pitch is away, it feels as if Stroman didn’t want to go at him, but now the bases are loaded.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, bottom 5th inning
Austin Barnes hits a hot single that puts Thomas on third with just one out. So, this is a great opportunity for Mexico to cut Puerto Rico’s lead in half without the benefit of a hit.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, bottom 5th inning
Alek Thomas out-hustles a groundball for an infield single and a much-needed baserunner for Mexico.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, bottom 5th inning
No reason for Puerto Rico to move on from Stroman here. Melendez is now in right field. Stroman strikes out Trejo, only his second k. He’s getting so many easy ground balls that he doesn’t need to go on deep counts to get a strikeout.
Updated
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, top 5th inning
Rivera is up next with an opportunity to blow this game open. He instead lines into a fielder’s choice.
We are now halfway through regulation in what has been a fast paced game.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, top 5th inning
Two down, runner on second. MJ Melendez is in to make a pinch-hitting appearance and a chance to drive in Puerto Rico’s fifth run. He takes the first three pitches: two straight balls and then a strike. 2-1. The next pitch is just off the edge. 2-2. The next pitch is also off the edge. That’s a base-on-balls. Runners on first and second now.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, top 5th inning
Hernández is up next, with a runner on first. He gets called for a strike on a pitch he thinks is a ball at 3-1. On 3-2, he hits in a fielder’s choice. Lindor advanced to second.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, top 5th inning
Lindor hits a solid base hit to centerfield. Puerto Rico with another baserunner.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, top 5th inning
The other Urías is out of the game. Javier Assad has relieved him and he will be facing Maldonado to start the top of the fifth. He gets him on three straight pitches, an impressive star.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, bottom 4th inning
Luis Urías grounds out to second and that’s that. We’re through four innings!
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, bottom 4th inning
Two quicks out here in the bottom of the fourth. Stroman hits Paredes with his next pitch. Clearly not intentional and Paredes takes first base.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, bottom 4th inning
The infield shifts on Tellez, which is still allowed by WBC rules although it’s been outlawed by MLB for the upcoming season. Tellez tries to hit one between the shift, but the result is just a groundball out.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, bottom 4th inning
Meneses is up again facing Stroman. It looks like he’s going to hit a base hit but Hernández makes a fantastic diving catch to rob him.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, top 4th inning
Soto is up with a runner at second, a solid RBI opportunity. He takes a pitch outside. 1-0. He swings and misses. 1-1. He grounds out. That’s that in the top of the fourth.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, top 4th inning
Vázquez is back out there, and Fox Sports shows his home run against the Dominican Republic in Puerto Rico’s previous game. He hits a double this time around, which is half as good mathematically-speaking.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, top 4th inning
Eddie Rosario grounds into a double play and that erases the base runner.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, top 4th inning
Báez is up against Urías to start the fourth inning and he gets a base hit. Not quite a double, just a one-and-a-half-er, so he has to stay on first base.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, bottom 3rd inning
No jinx yet. Verdugo grounds out into a fielder’s choice. We’re already in the fourth inning!
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, bottom 3rd inning
Arozarena gets Mexico’s second hit of the game, a two-out single. I’ll say this: the pace of this game is quite fun so far!
Oh no, did I just jinx it?
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, bottom 3rd inning
Austin Barnes makes his first appearance at the batter’s box. It doesn’t last long, he takes a sinker just on the edge for strike three for the second out of the inning. Filthy.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, bottom 3rd inning
Alek Thomas is up next and he tries to outrun a groundball to first but can’t quite do it. Just an out.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, top 3rd inning
Emmanuel Rivera, who drove in the first run of the game, also grounds out to third. A second straight 1-2-3 inning for a settled-down Urías.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, top 3rd inning
Velázquez flies out to Thomas in the outfield. Two down, super-quick. I barely have time to keep up (note: this is not me commanding them to play slower).
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, top 3rd inning
Hernández is up again and he grounds out to third. One up, one down in the third.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, bottom 2nd inning
Alan Trejo is up next, with two down. He gets ahead of the count 3-1 and drives one really, really long but it stays in the yards and is just a loud out. Still Mexico has at least closed the gap here early and there is a lot of time left.
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, bottom 2nd inning
Now it’s another Urías, Luis Urías, in the game for Mexico but he just swiftly flies out. Stroman isn’t rattled apparently.
Home run! (Isaac Paredes, Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico)
Puerto Rico 4-1 Mexico, bottom 2nd inning
Stroman is no longer cruising, Isaac Paredes hits a solo home run to put Mexico on the board! The team desperately needed that!
Puerto Rico 4-0 Mexico, bottom 2nd inning
Rowdy Tellez is up and he pops up. Stroman continues to cruise.
Puerto Rico 4-0 Mexico, top 2nd inning
Francisco Lindor strikes out to end the inning, that’s the good news for Mexico. The bad news is that the rough first inning means that Urías is over halfway to his pitch count limit (65 pitches).
Puerto Rico 4-0 Mexico, top 2nd inning
Martín Maldonado is up next and he strikes out on a 2-2 count. Urías looks sharper this time around.
Puerto Rico 4-0 Mexico, top 2nd inning
Urías gets Neftali Soto to strike out swinging to start the second.
Puerto Rico 4-0 Mexico, bottom 1st inning
Stroman just needs 10 pitches to get through the first after inducing a Joey Meneses groundout. That was exactly what Mexico didn’t need.
Puerto Rico 4-0 Mexico, bottom 1st inning
Alex Verdugo, who I accidentally mentally body-swapped with Emmanuel Rivera earlier in this liveblog (my apologies) quickly grounds out to short for out number two.
Puerto Rico 4-0 Mexico, bottom 1st inning
Randy Arozarena is up against Marcus Stroman. He’s certainly a guy who can get an offense fired up. He falls behind 1-2 early before tapping out weakly. Not so much there, I guess.
I’m going to be honest, I was very much hoping for a closer game than it looks like we might be getting. Still, if Mexico can cut into the lead early, this still could be quite competitive.
Puerto Rico 4-0 Mexico, top 1st inning
Can Christian Vázquez keep the line moving for Puerto Rico? He gets ahead of the count 3-1, pops one up foul for a full count and then fouls off the next pitch. Still 3-2. He gets good wood on a pitch but this one stays in the yard for a simple flyout.
Mexico will be up next, but they are already in a deep hole.
Home run! (Eddie Rosario, Puerto Rico 4-0 Mexico)
Puerto Rico 4-0 Mexico, top 1st inning
On the very next pitch, Eddie Rosario immediately goes yard to put Puerto Rico ahead 4-0. Urías has nothing early.
Two-Run Home Run (Javier Báez, Puerto Rico 3-0 Mexico))
Puerto Rico 3-0 Mexico, top 1st inning
Javier Báez is up next, with a runner on second and two outs.
Updated
SACRIFICE FLY! (Emmanuel Rivera, Puerto Rico 1-0 Mexico)
Puerto Rico 1-0 Mexico, top 1st inning
Emmanuel Rivera is up with a chance to drive in a run. He almost does on the second pitch he sees, but it only goes foul. On a 2-1 offering, he hits one into the outfield for a sacrifice fly that puts Puerto Rico on top early!
Updated
Puerto Rico 0-0 Mexico, top 1st inning
Nelson Velázquez hits a base hit that puts Hernández on third base, runners on the corner with just one out. This gives Puerto Rico a chance to score a run on an out.
Puerto Rico 0-0 Mexico, top 1st inning
Up next is Kiké Hernández from the Boston Red Sox. He works a full count against Urías and takes ball four. Puerto Rico has its first baserunner.
First pitch
Puerto Rico 0-0 Mexico, top 1st inning
Lindor is in the box against Urías and takes ball one to start the game. Urías gets ahead of Lindor 1-2, Lindor fouls off a pitch and then strikes out. Urías begins his outing with a k.
Alright, the race car driver program has ended on FS1 so it’s now time for the World Baseball Classic coverage to start. First pitch should be relatively shortly!
For the record, USA v Venezuela will be on right around this time tomorrow and we’ll be here liveblogging that game at the Guardian as well! WBC fever catch it!
Some controversy about the fact that Mexico is playing this game when they are. It turns out that there may have been some television-rating-related shenanigans going on behind the scenes.
Mexico manager Benji Gil voices frustration that the WBC schedule was changed ,forcing them to play tonight without a day off instead of Saturday simply so that the USA game could be played on FOX-TV. Mexico originally was scheduled to play Saturday since they won Pool C over USA
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 17, 2023
I just tried to explain to one of my roommates what the WBC is and why it’s important. For instance, how big is today’s game for Puerto Rico? Potentially quite large!
61% of all households in Puerto Rico were watching the WBC last night. So yeah. It matters. https://t.co/4BeHKATkoC
— Molly Knight (@molly_knight) March 17, 2023
Predictions
These are two talented baseball rosters, so let’s assume that the mercy rule would not be needed today even if were in effect (that was for poor play only). Now, don’t quote me on this, but it feels like Puerto Rico is a better team, particularly with the likes of Francisco Lindor and Javier Báez in the lineup. They will feel the loss of Díaz, but they still might have the edge in relievers. I’m going to guess Puerto Rico will be Mexico 4-3 Mexico and go on to face Japan in the WBC semifinals on Monday.
Granted, Mexico just upset the United States and has ace Julio Urias going for them on the mound on full rest so I very much could be wrong. Have a prediction? You can email it to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com or tweet it to @HunterFelt. We’ll include it here.
Mexico starting lineup
1. Randy Arozarena. LF
2. Alex Verdugo, RF
3. Joey Menses, 1B
4. Rowdy Tellez, DH
5. Isaac Paredes, 3B
6. Luis Urías, 2B
7. Alan Trejo, SS
8. Alex Thomas, CF
9. Austin Barnes, C
SP: Julio Urías
Puerto Rico starting lineup
1. Francisco Lindor, SS
2. Enrique Hernández, CF
3. Nelson Velázquez, RF
4. Emmanuel Rivera, 3B
5. Javier Báez, 2B
6. Eddie Rosario, LF
7. Christian Vázquez, DH
8. Neftali Soto, 1B
9. Martín Maldonado, C
Starting Pitcher, Marcus Stroman
Preamble
Welcome to the Guardian’s World Baseball Classic quarterfinal matchup between Mexico and Puerto Rico! The World Baseball Classic, for those unaware, is a true world series of baseball between teams composed of players representing countries across the planet (although some players may have closer ties to their representative country than others). While it’s still considered something of a novelty in the United States, make no mistake that for the individual countries involved there is a lot of national pride on the line.
So, here we have Mexico, who edged out the U.S. to capture the top spot in Pool C, up against Puerto Rico, who eliminated the Dominican Republic in order to advance from Pool D. There has been a lot of drama in these pool play matchups, but unfortunately, they have been overshadowed by the knee injury suffered by New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz during Puerto Rico’s postgame celebration after they defeated the highly-favored Dominican Republic on Wednesday.
This injury has led to arguments in the baseball world about whether MLB players should participate in the WBC. While it’s understandable that a diehard Mets fan would be upset at the loss of their All-Star closer and seek some entity to blame for his freak accident, it’s important to remember that it’s not like players are not suffering injuries in spring training either. These are not just lowly exhibition games either, these WBC games mean a lot to the players and the countries they represent (including the US).
That said, nobody wants to see any players go down. Let’s hope that the remainder of this tournament will be remembered for baseball-related reasons rather than any further misfortunes. If you want to contribute to today’s liveblog, feel free to tweet at @HunterFelt or send an email to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com and we’ll use your thoughts.
It’s the quarterfinal matchup between Puerto Rico and Mexico at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida. Our game, which is being televised in the U.S. on Fox Sports 1, is set to start at 7:00 pm EST, but we’ll be back beforehand with predictions, starting lineups and other things before then.
Updated
Hunter will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s a look back at Puerto Rico’s bittersweet triumph on Wednesday night against the Dominican Republic.
