Baseball season is in full swing. As Major League Baseball wraps up Spring Training with the regular season looming, the World Baseball Classic is also on deck. The last WBC in 2023 featured Team USA and Japan in the final,

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 11: The video board displays the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system during a challenge by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning of the MLB game against the Cleveland Guardians at Camelback Ranch on March 11, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

World Baseball Classic games can end early in 2026. Here's what you need to know about the tournament's mercy rule.

As the 2026 World Baseball Classic kicks off, the tournament continues to prove that national representation is about more than just a birthplace on a map. While fans are used to seeing players suit up for their home countries,

The WBC opens Wednesday night