Two quarterfinal spots, three contenders. Pool B of the World Baseball Classic will go down to the wire with the USA, Mexico and Italy looking to advance to the next round.
The USA beat Mexico, 5-3, in Monday’s game but lost to Italy, 8-6, on Tuesday. Italy and Mexico play each other on Wednesday. The other two teams in the pool (Brazil and Great Britain) are eliminated.
| Team | Record |
| Italy | 3-0 |
| USA | 3-1 |
| Mexico | 2-1 |
| Great Britain | 1-3 |
| Brazil | 0-4 |
How Can Team USA Advance To the Quarterfinals?
So, what’s the simplest path for the USA to advance? Cheer for Italy.
If Italy beats Mexico on Wednesday, that will clinch Pool B for them. The USA will advance as the Pool B runner-up as they have the tiebreaker with Mexico.
If Mexico beats Italy, the Americans will need some help. In the three games between these teams, the two teams that allow the fewest runs-per-out recorded will advance.
The USA allowed 11 runs and recorded 54 outs in its games against Mexico and Italy (0.203 runs allowed per out). Italy allowed six runs against the Americans (0.222 runs allowed per out), while Mexico gave up five runs but only recorded 24 runs in its loss to the USA (0.208 runs allowed per out).
In short, if Mexico scores at least five runs, the U.S. will advance.
It will all get sorted in Wednesday’s game between Italy and Mexico. You’ll know Team USA will be tuning in.
Full World Baseball Classic Tiebreakers
The two teams with the highest such percentages in each pool shall advance to the Quarterfinal Round. If, at the end of pool play in Round One of the Tournament, teams within a pool are tied with an identical winning percentage, the tie shall be broken in the following order of priority:
1) The team that won the games between the teams tied shall be given the higher position. If three or more teams are tied and one of those teams won its games against all other teams it is tied with, then it will be placed in the higher spot. Similarly, if one of those tied teams lost its games against all other teams it is tied with, then it will be placed in the lowest spot.
2) The tied teams shall be ranked in the standings according to the lowest quotient of fewest runs allowed divided by the number of defensive outs recorded in the games in that round between the teams tied.
3) The tied teams shall be ranked in the standings according to the lowest quotient of fewest earned runs allowed divided by the number of defensive outs recorded in the games in that round between the teams tied.
4) The tied teams shall be ranked in the standings according to the highest batting average in games in that round between the teams tied.
5) Standings shall be determined by the drawing of lots, conducted by WBCI.
