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The sixth World Baseball Classic has officially begun, with Australia beating China Taipei 3-0 in the opening game, and Team USA aims to win it all for the second time.
The United States won its first title in 2017 and nearly won its second consecutive World Baseball Classic in 2023, but lost to Team Japan 3-2 after Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout to end the game in thrilling fashion.
Here’s a look back at Team USA’s results during the previous five World Baseball Classics.
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U.S. pitcher Marcus Stroman lifts the championship trophy after an 8-0 victory over Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on March 22, 2017. (Gary A. Vasquez/USA Today Sports)
2006 – Eliminated in the second round
The United States went 3–3 in the team’s introduction to the World Baseball Classic, but lost to South Korea and Mexico in the second round and finished in eighth place. Ken Griffey Jr. was the best player on Team USA, as he hit .524 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in six games.
2009 – Eliminated in semi-finals
The American team, led by David Wright and Jimmy Rollins, advanced to the semifinals, where they lost to the Japanese team 9-4. It looked like the team would suffer the same fate as in 2006, as they lost their first game of the second round, 11-1, to Puerto Rico.
They beat the Netherlands, setting up a rematch with Puerto Rico in a playoff match. Wright singled, capping a ninth-inning comeback to move on.
Rollins hit .417 with a home run, four RBIs, two triples and four stolen bases in eight games. The Americans went 4-4.
Giancarlo Stanton, right, of Team USA, is congratulated by third base coach Willie Randolph after hitting a two-run home run during the World Baseball Classic against the Dominican Republic at Petco Park in San Diego, California, March 18, 2017. (Andy Hayt/San Diego Padres/Getty Images)
2013 – Eliminated in the second round
The United States’ struggles at the World Baseball Classic continued, as they opened the group stage with a 5-2 loss to Mexico. They turned things around and advanced to the second round, but lost to Puerto Rico.
Captain David Wright was Team USA’s best player before getting injured and missing the final two games with an oblique injury. In four games, Wright hit .438 with one home run and 10 RBIs.
2017 – Won the championship
The U.S. team ultimately overcame the odds and won it all, beating Puerto Rico 8-0 in the final. Marcus Stroman was named WBC MVP for recording three starts and pitching six scoreless innings against Puerto Rico in the finals.
Center fielder Adam Jones provided one of the most exciting moments of the tournament with his stunning home run steal off Manny Machado, who was his teammate on the Baltimore Orioles at the time. Giancarlo Stanton, Eric Hosmer and Christian Yelich helped provide some of Team USA’s offense. They went 6-2 in the tournament.
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Trea Turner of the United States reacts after hitting a grand slam during a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game against Venezuela at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, March 18, 2023. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
2023 – Lost in Championship
Team USA failed to come back in the ninth inning against Team Japan in the final, losing 3-2 and narrowly missing out on winning their second straight title.
The American team’s roster consisted of several players, led by captain Mike Trout, Mookie Betts and Paul Goldschmidt. However, Trea Turner became the star of the tournament, hitting five home runs in seven games.
Turner’s biggest home run was an electrifying grand slam in the eighth inning to propel Team USA to a 9-7 victory over Venezuela in the quarterfinals. The U.S. offense led the team to a 5-2 record, as it scored more than nine points in three of the first six games.
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