The United States will face Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic final on Tuesday, a meeting that carries political overtones following recent tensions between the two countries. In January, Donald Trump ordered a military operation that captured Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, and the US has since launched a war against Iran.
American players have paid tribute to their country’s military throughout the tournament, saluting each other after victories and inviting Robert J O’Neill, a former navy Seal who claims he killed Osama bin Laden, to deliver a locker room speech. The choice of O’Neill has been controversial; he has called men who voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election “my concubines” and has been criticised for discussing secret military operations publicly.
USA manager Mark DeRosa emphasised the importance of honouring the military. “You never want it to get lost why you’re doing this,” he said. “A lot of people – like Paul Skenes said to me when he signed up for this, ‘I want to do this for every serviceman and woman who protects our freedom,’ and that’s why we wear USA across our chest.”
The US approach contrasts with the lighthearted spirit of other teams. Venezuela dance as a team before each game, and manager Omar López said, “That’s us. That’s our country. That’s winter ball. That’s how we enjoy our baseball.” Meanwhile, USA catcher Cal Raleigh refused to fist-bump Mexico’s Randy Arozarena, a teammate in MLB.
US outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong defended his team’s style, saying they have fun in their own way. The US are chasing their second WBC title, while Venezuela hope to win for the first time. The final follows a tense quarter-final meeting in 2023, which the US won 9–7.
