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Here is the full schedule & standings for the 2026 World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic has entered the knockout stage, and there’s a highly anticipated quarterfinal matchup taking place on Saturday, March 14, between Venezuela and Japan. The United States and the Dominican Republic have both punched their tickets to the semifinals, and the cast of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Seiya Suzuki, Munetaka Murakami, and more will square off against Ronald Acuña Jr., Maikel Garcia, Ranger Suarez, and the Contreras brothers on Saturday night. Both teams have other MLB players on their roster, but that’s just a few of the headline names.
Venezuela lost its last contest against the Dominican Republic, and Team Japan rolled through its pool with a perfect 4-0 record. The probable starting pitchers in Venezuela vs. Japan’s quarterfinal matchup are Ranger Suarez and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Let’s get into some key details of this game, the betting markets, and most importantly, a prediction.
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How to Watch Venezuela vs. Japan
The 2026 World Baseball Classic quarterfinal matchup between Japan and Venezuela takes place at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida. The game is scheduled for Saturday, March 14 at 9:00 p.m.
This is a knockout round game in the tournament, which means the losing team will be eliminated.
Broadcast details: Venezuela vs. Japan will be broadcast on FOX and all of FOX’s streaming services.
Venezuela vs. Japan Odds
GettyHere is the full schedule & standings for the 2026 World Baseball Classic
Japan comes in as a slight favorite in this matchup, which feels accurate. They are the reigning World Baseball Classic champions, and perhaps have the world’s best ‘big game’ pitcher right now in Yoshinobu Yamamoto, getting the start.
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook, and are subject to change:
Moneyline: Japan (-188, $188 bet to win $100) Venezuela (+155, $100 bet to win $155)
Spread: Japan -1.5 (+102), Venezuela +1.5 (-128)
Over/Under: 7.5 total runs, O 7.5 (-110) U 7.5 (-110)
All things considered, this is a very close betting line, which means this game should live up to the billing.
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Venezuela vs. Japan Prediction
Prediction: Japan wins, and covers
As strong as Ranger Suarez has also been in big games throughout his career, Shohei Ohtani and Yamamoto’s dynamic chemistry will be too much for the Venezuelans to handle on Saturday night.
Japan will hit a couple of big homers in the game (Ohtani is a good bet to hit one if you want a side prop bet), and end up winning by at least two runs.
This, along with the Dominican Republic and USA’s semifinal match, will be one of the better games to watch during this World Baseball Classic if you want to witness baseball’s biggest stars on a global stage.
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