11:08 PM ET MIAMI — Trea Turner didn’t jog his way to first base. He hopped. Pranced. Flexed. Roared. With his team trailing by two in the eighth inning of its World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game against Venezuela, the Philadelphia Phillies‘ shortstop and Team USA catalyst unleashed a prodigious grand slam, providing the two-run lead

8:54 PM ET Associated Press MIAMI — Union head Tony Clark claims Major League Baseball’s rules changes would have gone more smoothly during spring training if player thoughts had been incorporated. Clark added that the changes could have a different effect on the games once the regular season begins and the “lights come on.” MLB

10:31 PM ET MIAMI — They had rallied all the way back, erasing an early four-run deficit, but if Mexico was to advance to its first World Baseball Classic semifinal and eliminate a star-studded Puerto Rico team, another big play needed to be made. Randy Arozarena, of course, delivered it. Clinging to a one-run lead

8:34 PM ET ESPN staff This year’s World Baseball Classic has been a lot of fun, with stars from MLB and beyond strutting their stuff, bat flips in abundance, and a pretty good share of upsets. One thing that has been extremely cool to watch is the passion on display. Teams at the WBC really

8:24 PM ET MIAMI — Mexico’s manager, Benji Gil, said he doesn’t believe his team should be playing until Saturday. Its quarterfinal game against Puerto Rico in this year’s World Baseball Classic is instead taking place on Friday night, which meant a tough turnaround for a team that was navigating the pool-play portion of the

7:00 AM ET The opening round of the 2023 World Baseball Classic had no shortage of surprises and excitement. The Dominican Republic’s dream team is done. A Czech electrician named Ondrej Satoria struck out Shohei Ohtani and later gifted the Japanese superstar a team jersey signed by the entire Czech Republic team. Duque Hebbert, a

1:50 PM ET ESPN News Services New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz has a torn patellar tendon and is expected to miss the entire season after injuring his right knee while celebrating a victory in the World Baseball Classic. The Mets said Thursday night that Diaz underwent surgery earlier in the day and is expected

2:05 PM ET Major League Baseball informed teams and players Thursday afternoon that its efforts to crack down on pitchers’ use of illegal substances will be enhanced in 2023, according to industry sources briefed on the contents of a league memo. The enhanced examinations, approved by the league’s on-field committee, will entail more detailed inspections

10:10 AM ET Associated Press TOKYO — Japan manager Hideki Kuriyama still gets a special tingle watching Shohei Ohtani. It’s been that way since Kuriyama managed the two-way star with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. “When we see Shohei playing, not only the players but also the Japanese baseball fans, all the nation is feeling something

1:25 AM ET PHOENIX — Team USA advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic with a 3-2 win over Colombia on Wednesday, tying Mexico for top honors in Pool C. The United States will play Venezuela in Miami on Saturday after the latter won its bracket with a 4-0 record. Team USA was