Who will Team USA play next in the WBC?

Team USA now faces the Dominican Republic in the semifinals

Team USA beat Canada 5-3 to advance to the World Baseball Classic semifinals, setting up a marquee showdown with the Dominican Republic. The win was driven by early offense — including a key double by Aaron Judge — and timely relief that closed out a tense, single-elimination quarterfinal. The Americans’ victory ends a run of uncertainty after a shocking loss earlier in the tournament and restores momentum heading into the penultimate round.

The Dominican Republic reached the semifinals in dominant fashion. They ended their quarterfinal against South Korea under the tournament’s mercy rule, 10-0, a result that underlined how explosive and deep their lineup has been throughout the event. That offense has been the team’s defining characteristic: frequent extra-base hits, high run totals and an ability to change the game in a single inning.

Key things to watch in the matchup:

• Power vs. power: the Dominican lineup’s extra-base ability against Team USA’s pitching mix.
• Starting pitcher management: how Paul Skenes or other rotation pieces are deployed and how long starters are allowed to work in the tournament’s shorter recovery windows.
• Bullpen depth: both teams’ ability to bridge crucial middle innings and protect small leads.
• Momentum and matchup specifics: how individual matchups (left-right splits, size of the strike zone, bullpen handings) shape late-game decisions.

This semifinal is high-stakes: the winner advances to the WBC final and will likely face a similarly powerful opponent. For the United States, the game is a test of whether the roster’s balance — a mix of star sluggers and top-tier pitching prospects — can outduel one of the tournament’s most relentless offenses. For fans, it offers one of the purest international baseball narratives: two national powerhouses colliding with a World Baseball Classic championship berth on the line.