The calendar for 2026 has finally flipped over to March, which not only means warmer weather heading towards Brooklyn (we hope), but baseball is upon us.

With the regular season set to kick off close to the end of the month, there are many exciting storylines heading into the regular season. What will make 2026 even more special is the event that will take place before the season. That being the World Baseball Classic.

For those who are not familiar with the WBC, it is an international baseball tournament that is organized by World Baseball Classic Inc. (WBCI), which is also a partnership between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA).

This prestigious tournament, takes place every four years similar to the FIFA World Cup in soccer and the Olympics. This tournament not only features Major League Superstars but also some of the best baseball players from all over the world having the opportunity to represent their country.

There are so many good teams and potential matchups that could happen during the two-week event. Team USA will look to avenge their heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Japan in the last WBC final. Japan has won the classic three times since the tournament debuted back in 2006.

The tournament will take place across three different venues in parts of the United States (Miami Florida and Houston, Texas), the Tokyo dome in Japan, and Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Team USA will feature star players like Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr., Cal Raleigh, Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal to name a few.

Team USA not only features the top baseball players playing side by side one another, but also the unique opportunity to see teammates compete against each other as they represent their respective countries. There are so many good teams that will be a part of this tournament. Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are just stacked with Major League talent and could potentially be right there amongst the final four teams when it’s all set and done. This year, there will be 20 countries across four pools competing in this year’s WBC.

For those who loved the Fifa World Cup and the Olympics whether it be the summer or winter version, baseball’s international tournament is a must see. The United States certainly has some of the best players currently playing in the Major Leagues, however, the international teams will very much have their say in that conversation.

Teams like Japan led by Los Angeles Dodgers Superstar Shohei Ohtani and teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Dominican Republic led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Ketel Marte, Manny Machado, Junior Caminero, and many more. As we go to press, the World Baseball Classic kicks off Wednesday night (March 4th) when Chinese Taipei battles Australia at 10pm from the Tokyo dome. Check your local listing for the entire schedule of the classic.

Sports Notes: (World Baseball Classic) Three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge will throw on the red, white, and blue uniform for the first time in his career and he leads the United States to battle Brazil in their first match up of the classic live Friday night in Houston. (Basketball) The New York Knicks begin the first game of their four-game West Coast schedule when they head to Denver to battle Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets tomorrow night.