Baseball may be America's pastime, but it's a global game. That's evidenced by not only the diversity we see throughout MLB today, but also the level of competition in the World Baseball Classic.
With that being said, Team USA is undeniably loaded. With names up and down the 2023 roster including Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, and quarterfinals hero Trea Turner, there's no denying that in any international baseball competition, the United States has to be talked about as a contender.
Although Team USA hasn't always found the success it's wanted throughout the four previous iterations of the WBC, it's looking for its second straight championship this year. And with pools behind it, there's no denying the talent is there to pull it off.
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Has Team USA won the World Baseball Classic?
Team USA does have a World Baseball Classic gold under its belt, having won the title in 2017 with a championship-game victory over Puerto Rico.
That win was spearheaded by pitcher Marcus Stroman, who actually played for Puerto Rico in the 2023 iteration of the WBC. Ian Kinsler, Christian Yelich, Brandon Crawford, and Giancarlo Stanton were all key pieces of that win, with Kinsler hitting the championship's only home run.
Team USA has never been knocked out in pools. In 2006 it was knocked out in the quarterfinals, in 2009 it came in fourth, and in 2013 it was also a quarterfinal exit. That makes 2017 its only championship appearance.
When is the last time Team USA made the World Baseball Classic final?
It isn't hard to figure the last time the United States made a WBC final appearance: It was the last time the tournament was played, in 2017.
That Classic saw the United States begin in Pool C, where it was with the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Canada. Team USA finished 2-1, with the Dominican Republic winning the group at 3-0.
Placed in Pool F for the second round, the United States found itself alongside the D.R., Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. The most memorable play of that pool was Adam Jones robbing then-Orioles teammate Manny Machado of a home run in the seventh inning that would have brought the Dominican Republic within one.
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The United States needed that win over the Dominican Republic to advance to the championship round in Los Angeles, where it defeated Japan 2-1 to get to the finals against Puerto Rico.
Marcus Stroman established himself as the WBC MVP in that game, not allowing a hit through the first six innings for the United States. Team USA was dominant all the way through the championship, ultimately winning 8-0 behind a complete team effort.
Team USA World Baseball Classic gold medal appearances
Team USA has one WBC gold medal game appearance, and a 1-0 record.
Its only appearance came in 2017, when it won 8-0 over Puerto Rico.
Here's a look at Team USA's WBC finals history.
| Date | Opponent | Result | MVP |
| 2017 | Puerto Rico | USA (8-0) | Marcus Stroman |
