How many times has the USA played in the World Baseball Classic?
The United States participated in the World Baseball Classic when it was first held in 2006, and the country has fielded a team in each edition since.
Major League Baseball, along with other professional baseball leagues from around the world, proposed the formation of the World Baseball Classic, and it became the only senior international baseball tournament where the winners were declared world champions.
With such involvement by MLB, it followed that the United States would actively participate in the tournament, and send a competitive team whenever it would take place.
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The World Baseball Classic is born
This has been the case since the inaugural competition in 2006, when Team USA for the first time featured some of the biggest names in the major leagues. Sixteen teams took part in the first Classic, and Japan took home the trophy. The U.S. reached the quarterfinals, eventually landing in eighth place.
The American team performed better three years later, when the WBC next held the contest among the same 16 teams. The U.S. finished fourth as bronze medalists Venezuela outranked them, while Japan once again took home the gold. Following the 2009 tournament, the organizers decided that future competitions would take place every four years.
Another quarterfinal finish
In 2013, Team USA slipped two spots from its previous fourth place finish, wrapping up its quarterfinal campaign ranked sixth in the field of 16. That year, the Dominican Republic clinched the championship after handily beating Puerto Rico 3-0 at AT&T Park in San Francisco.
Finally world champions
It was in the fourth World Baseball Classic in 2017 that the United States finally flexed its big league muscle, when they were declared world champions after an 8-0 rout of Puerto Rico at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
World Baseball Classic fifth edition
After being postponed due to the covid-19 pandemic, the fifth Classic will finally take place beginning March 8. Team USA hopes to achieve a repeat of its 2017 success with captain Mike Trout and a squad replete with MLB stars. However, they will be up against a bigger field of 20 teams, as well as some tough opponents including the Dominican Republic- the team considered pre-tournament betting favorites- and two-time champion Japan, which will be led by Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani.