Team USA routs Brazil in sloppy World Baseball Classic opener

Aaron Judge and Logan Webb led Team USA to a 15-5 victory over Brazil in its 2026 World Baseball Classic opener, a strong start for the Americans’ campaign to win the tournament for the second time.

Brazil’s pitchers issued 17 walks in the game, a feat that had only occurred 14 times in MLB history.

‘Captain America’ Judge got the party started in Houston with a two-run homer in the first inning off Brazil starter Bo Takahasi, in what looked to be the earliest stages of a potential blowout. But the underdogs came right back when leadoff man Lucas Ramirez – son of 12-time All-Star Manny Ramirez – hit a solo home run off Logan Webb.

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Team USA added a run in the third inning against 17-year-old Brazilian pitcher Joseph Contreras, a high school senior and son of World Series champion Jose Contreras, who had induced a bases-loaded double play from the three-time MVP Judge an inning earlier.

Ramirez’s leadoff home run was the only hit Webb would surrender, tossing 52 pitches in four innings of work.

The Americans scored four in the fifth to make it 7-1 and just when it seemed like the USA was cruising, Brazil struck back with three runs against Michael Wacha in the bottom of the seventh. But heading into the ninth with an 8-5 lead, Team USA plated seven runs to turn the final result into a laugher.

The Americans are back in action on Saturday against Great Britain, with back-to-back AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal set to take the mound.

Here’s how Friday’s game unfolded:

How to watch USA vs Brazil in World Baseball Classic

• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• TV channel: Fox
• Stream: FoxSports.com and Fubo

Watch World Baseball Classic on Fubo

USA scores seven in the ninth

Team USA took a three-run lead into the top of the ninth and ended up scoring seven in the inning to take a 10-run advantage with the help of Brazil’s pitching shakiness. The Brazilians issued five walks in the ninth and will finish the game with 17, just two shy of MLB’s record.

Lucas Ramirez hits his second home run

Manny Ramirez’s 20-year-old son clobbered his second home run of the game in the eighth inning off USA reliever Gabe Speier, taking a moment to admire his handywork. The solo shot cut the Brazilians’ deficit to 8-5 heading into the ninth.

Brazil makes it a ballgame

Coming out for a second inning of work in relief, Michael Wacha caved in the bottom of the seventh, giving up four hits including Victor Mascai’s two-run homer that cut Team USA’s advantage to 7-4.

Michael Wacha replaces Logan Webb

Right-hander Michael Wacha came on to pitch the fifth for Team USA, relieving starter Logan Webb, who gave up one run – a leadoff homer – in four innings of work. Wacha struck out the side in the bottom of the fifth and the game heads to the sixth with Team USA leading 7-1

USA blows it open in the fifth

Entering the top of the fifth leading 3-1, the Americans scored four runs to perhaps put the game out of reach against Brazil. Team USA loaded the bases with three walks and then Byron Buxton was hit by a pitch to plate the fourth run. Brice Turang followed with a bases-clearing double – his second two-bagger of the night – to make it 7-1.

Logan Webb through four for Team USA

Logan Webb gave up a home run to the first batter he faced but didn’t surrender a hit after that, completing four innings on 52 pitches with Team USA holding a 3-1 lead over Brazil.

USA extends lead on wild pitch

Joseph Contreras’ second wild pitch in the top of the third scored Kyle Schwarber, extending Team USA’s lead to 3-1.

Meanwhile, American starter Logan Webb hasn’t given up a hit since Lucas Ramirez’s leadoff home run.

Joseph Contreras: High school pitcher gets Aaron Judge out

Brazil’s 17-year-old Joseph Contreras got three-time MVP Aaron Judge to ground into a double play with the bases loaded in the second inning of Friday’s World Baseball Classic opener, one of the more unlikely moments you’ll ever see on a diamond.

Contreras, a high school senior ranked by MLB.com as the No. 47 draft prospect this year, is the son of pitcher Jose Contreras, who played 11 Major League Baseball seasons.

Lucas Ramirez home run pulls one back for Brazil

Lucas Ramirez, son of MLB legend Manny Ramirez, stunned the crowd in Houston with a leadoff home run against Team USA starter Logan Webb, cutting Brazil’s deficit in half.

A 17th-round pick in 2024 for the Angels, Ramirez had a .772 OPS with three home runs in 192 at-bats in Rookie League and Single-A.

Aaron Judge home run puts Team USA up

Team USA captain Aaron Judge wasted no time in his World Baseball Classic debut, jumping on a 3-0 offering from Brazil starter Bo Takahashi and crushing it over the wall in left-center, staking the Americans to a 2-0 lead.

Bobby Witt Jr. led off the game with an infield single and then stole second on Bryce Harper’s strikeout to get in scoring position for Judge.

Takahashi worked himself into further trouble, giving up a single to Kyle Schwarber before walking Alex Bregman with one out. But the right-hander got Cal Raleigh and Roman Anthony to ground out and escape further damage.

USA lineup tonight vs Brazil

Starter: RHP Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants

1. Bobby Witt Jr., SS — Royals
2. Bryce Harper, 1B — Phillies
3. Aaron Judge, RF — Yankees
4. Kyle Schwarber, DH — Phillies
5. Alex Bregman, 3B — Cubs
6. Cal Raleigh, C — Mariners
7. Roman Anthony, LF — Red Sox
8. Byron Buxton, CF — Twins
9. Brice Turang, 2B — Brewers

Dante Bichette Jr.’s hair shines for Brazil

HOUSTON — If it wasn’t already clear from Dante Bichette Jr.’s jersey which contingent he was a part of at the World Baseball Classic, his head offered a less-than-subtle clue.

Two weeks ago, Bichette Jr. enlisted the help of a hairstylist friend in Los Angeles to dye his shoulder-length hair bright green, matching one of the main colors in the Brazilian flag.

During Team Brazil’s pre-WBC workout Thursday at Daikin Park, Bichette Jr. added a bandana of the Brazilian flag on top of his colorful mane prior to donning a blue-and-yellow cap.

“Last year I had green that turned into yellow, this year I put dark green so it would stay a little bit,” Bichette Jr. explained.

– Danielle Lerner

Bo Takahashi explains Brazil baseball

‘Brazil baseball, it is its own style of baseball because you have Japanese baseball, a little bit Latin as well, a little bit Cuban. Pretty much it is a mix of everything – American baseball also,’ Bo Takahashi told reporters before starting Brazil’s opener against Team USA.

‘It’s own style, it is something else for sure.’

Brazil starting lineup

Team USA WBC roster 2026

Catchers

• Cal Raleigh (Mariners)
• Will Smith (Dodgers)

Infielders

• Bryce Harper (1B, Phillies)
• Paul Goldschmidt (1B, Yankees)
• Brice Turang (2B, Brewers)
• Alex Bregman (3B, Cubs)
• Bobby Witt Jr. (SS, Royals)
• Gunnar Henderson (SS, Orioles)
• Ernie Clement (UTIL, Blue Jays)

Outfielders

• Aaron Judge (Captain, Yankees)
• Corbin Carroll (Diamondbacks)
• Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs)
• Byron Buxton (Twins)
• Roman Anthony (Red Sox)
• Kyle Schwarber (Phillies)

Pitchers

• Logan Webb (Giants)
• Tarik Skubal (Tigers)
• Paul Skenes (Pirates)
• Nolan McLean (Mets)
• Clay Holmes (Mets)
• Michael Wacha (Royals)
• Matthew Boyd (Cubs)
• Mason Miller (Padres)
• David Bednar (Yankees)
• Clayton Kershaw (Retired)
• Griffin Jax (Rays)
• Garrett Whitlock (Red Sox)
• Ryan Yarbrough (Yankees)
• Gabe Speier (Mariners)
• Garrett Cleavinger (Rays)
• Brad Keller (Phillies)

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Brazil embraces WBC underdog role

HOUSTON — After going 3-1 in last year’s qualifiers, Team Brazil is back in the World Baseball Classic for the second time ever and first time since 2013. Brazil opens the tournament with a game against Team USA on Friday night in Houston.

“Any good movie I’ve ever seen starts with an underdog story, you know?” Brazil’s Dante Bichette Jr. said. “Now, this is a challenge, for sure. But nine innings and it’s a baseball game, and a lot of the time this type of games comes down to heart. When it comes to heart, we can hang.”

— Danielle Lerner

Logan Webb stats

• 2025: 15-11 record, 3.22 ERA, 207.0 IP, 224 SO, 1.24 WHIP
• 2024: 13-10 record, 3.47 ERA, 204.2 IP, 172 SO, 1.23 WHIP
• 2023: 11-13 record, 3.25 ERA, 216.0 IP, 194 SO, 1.07 WHIP
• 2022: 15-9 record, 2.90 ERA, 192.1 IP, 163 SO, 1.16 WHIP
• 2021: 11-3 record, 3.03 ERA, 148.1 IP, 158 SO, 1.11 WHIP
• 2020: 3-4 record, 5.47 ERA, 54.1 IP, 46 SO, 1.56 WHIP
• 2019: 2-3 record, 5.22 ERA, 39.2 IP, 37 SO, 1.46 WHIP

World Baseball Classic predictions

Pick for championship game and tournament MVP

• Bob Nightengale: USA over Japan / Aaron Judge MVP
• Gabe Lacques: Japan over USA / Shohei Ohtani
• Jesse Yomtov: Japan over USA / Yoshinobu Yamamoto
• Steve Gardner: USA over Dominican Republic / Bobby Witt Jr.

World Baseball Classic Pool B in Houston

• United States
• Mexico
• Italy
• Great Britain
• Brazil

WBC Pool B schedule

• March 6: Mexico vs. Great Britain
• March 6: United States vs. Brazil
• March 7: Brazil vs. Italy
• March 7: Great Britain vs. United States
• March 8: Great Britain vs. Italy
• March 8: Brazil vs. Mexico
• March 9: Brazil vs. Great Britain
• March 9: Mexico vs. United States
• March 10: Italy vs. United States
• March 11: Italy vs. Mexico