On Tuesday, Team USA and Venezuela will match up in the final round of the World Baseball Classic. Team USA is looking to win its second title and redeem themselves after losing to Japan in 2023, while Venezuela is looking to win its first championship after eliminating Italy on Monday.
The Americans knocked off the Dominican Republic on Sunday to reach the championship game. Mason Miller struck out Geraldo Perdomo to end the game, but he had been used four times in the tournament’s first six games, so his status for the championship game was unclear.
However, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported on Miller’s status, which will excite Team USA fans.
“San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller is indeed available tonight for the championship game against Venezuela,” Nightengale posted on X.
Having Miller available for Tuesday’s game is certainly a plus for Team USA. It’s all hands on deck at this point, and manager Mark DeRosa clearly wants to pull out all the stops in order for the Americans to walk away with a WBC title.
Miller has not allowed an earned run since the tournament began and has recorded saves in each of Team USA’s wins. Against a powerful Venezuela lineup that features Ronald Acuna Jr., Maikel Garcia, Eugenio Suárez, and Jackson Chourio, the Americans will need all the help they can get to try and secure the title.
This could give Team USA an advantage over Venezuela. It will be interesting to see how the championship game plays out and who will ultimately emerge victorious.