Who will face Team USA? We find out tonight

Plus: From spectator to star in 3 years

Monday, March 16 View Online Welcome to The Pregame Lineup, a weekday newsletter that gets you up to speed on everything you need to know in baseball, while catching you up on fun and interesting stories you might have missed. Thanks for being here.   Team USA is in. Italy and Venezuela, you're up.   We'll find out tonight (8 p.m. ET, FS1) which one of those two teams will be joining the Americans in the World Baseball Classic final when they face off at loanDepot park in Miami.   Italy's team of "beaned-up" boppers has carried the Azzurri to a 5-0 record thus far, including an 8-6 win over Puerto Rico in the quarterfinals. Venezuela, meanwhile, is 4-1 and flying high after knocking out Japan, the defending champs.   The winner of tonight's matchup will meet Team USA for WBC glory on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET, FOX).   For the United States, this is nothing new. Team USA has reached the championship game in each of the past three Classics. They won it all in 2017 before losing to Japan in '23.   But neither Italy nor Venezuela has ever gotten that far.   This is the first semifinals appearance for Italy, which won five games combined in its first four Classic appearances before advancing to the quarterfinals in 2023, where it lost to Japan. Italy has already defeated the Americans in this tournament, notching an 8-6 win in pool play.   Venezuela made it to the semis in 2009 but lost to Korea, 10-2. It was six outs away from another semifinals appearance three years ago, facing Team USA in the quarterfinals at loanDepot park, but its hopes were dashed when Trea Turner hit a go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning. Venezuela can set up a rematch against the United States with a win on the same field tonight.   Here are the starting lineups for tonight's game:   Venezuela   1. Ronald Acuña Jr., RF 2. Maikel Garcia, 3B 3. Luis Arraez, 1B 4. Eugenio Suárez, DH 5. Ezequiel Tovar, SS 6. Gleyber Torres, 2B 7. Wilyer Abreu, LF 8. William Contreras, C 9. Jackson Chourio, CF   Italy   1. Sam Antonacci, SS 2. Jon Berti, 2B 3. Jakob Marsee, CF 4. Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B 5. Zach Dezenzo, DH 6. Jac Caglianone, RF 7. Andrew Fischer, 3B 8. J.J. D'Orazio, C 9. Dante Nori, LF   -- Thomas Harrigan TICKET TO RIDE Not many people can say they've watched an epic game from the stands -- and then hit a clutch go-ahead homer on the very same diamond. But Roman Anthony has done just that.   Anthony, the Red Sox slugger who's popped a couple of dingers for Team USA during the World Baseball Classic -- including the decisive solo shot in the team's 2-1 win over the Dominican Republic in Sunday's semifinal -- has displayed these heroics just three years after buying a ticket to attend the 2023 Classic championship game between the U.S. and Japan.   When Team USA seemed likely to play in the final of the 2023 Classic, Anthony and a few Minor League teammates bought tickets and made the drive from Spring Training in Fort Myers to Miami. The experience was electric -- with Shohei Ohtani striking out then-Angels teammate Mike Trout to secure the title for Japan -- but this year's Classic is obviously on another level.   "I can tell you that being on the field is a whole lot better," Anthony told reporters last week after Team USA's win against Mexico.   The 21-year-old Anthony watched previous World Baseball Classics as a kid and dreamed of playing in one. He's gone from dream to reality in just three years -- and he won't need a ticket for this year's championship game.   "It's unbelievable, getting to play baseball like this, this early in the year," he said. "It means a little bit more playing for your country and representing."   -- Jason Foster IN CASE YOU MISSED IT • Surrounded by family and cheering hospital staff, Avery Fraley, 7-year-old daughter of Rays outfielder Jake Fraley, rang the bell to mark the end of her two-year cancer treatment.   • Tarik Skubal wanted to meet living legend Max Scherzer before they faced off on Saturday, but "I've heard he's kinda crazy on his start day." Luckily, they ran into each other in the workout facility afterwards.   • Francisco Lindor logged a single in his first game of the spring yesterday as he recovers from hand surgery, while former teammate José Ramírez is day to day after jamming his shoulder on the basepaths.   • Led by Robbie Ray's spotless start, the Giants came one out away from a combined perfect game against the Brewers yesterday. • All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz -- and his famous cat Matilda -- are back at Mariners camp after an exciting run with Team Mexico at the WBC. HOW CAGS GOT HIS MOJO BACK A .532 OPS in your rookie season tends to lower expectations, even for one of baseball's top prospects.   But Jac Caglianone has reset them in a hurry this spring. Blasting three balls over 115 mph -- including one at 120.2 mph -- in less than a week will do that.   That's what the Royals outfielder did early in Kansas City's Spring Training slate, before leaving to join Team Italy at the World Baseball Classic. He's continued to mash at the WBC, helping Italy reach the semifinals with a .364/.563/.727 slash, one homer, four RBIs and five runs scored over four games.   It's a reminder of why there was so much hype around Caglianone -- the No. 6 overall Draft pick in 2024 -- before a forgettable rookie year that saw him hit just .157 with a 49 OPS+ over 232 plate appearances.   Read more from Thomas Harrigan >> PLAY DAILY WALKOFF Put your baseball brain to the test with Daily Walkoff, where you can find 30 brand-new trivia puzzles every day, one for each team. Play Daily Walkoff >> © 2026 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. MLB trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball. Visit MLB.com. Any other marks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners. Please review our Privacy Policy. You (gahleexholly.hdhask@blogger.com) received this message because you registered to receive commercial email messages from MLB.com. 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