WBC 2026: Venezuela's Bullpen Shuts Down Italy 4-2; First-Ever Final Berth

Venezuela beat Italy 4-2 on Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. First WBC final ever for Venezuela. Crowd: 35,382, loud for Venezuela. Starter Keider Montero lasted four outs; Omar López pulled him after back-to-back walks in the second—he called it a “red flag.” Italy’s runs were all on Montero. Six relievers—Sánchez, Avila, Zerpa, Bazardo, Machado, Palencia—held Italy scoreless the rest of the way. Eugenio Suárez homered in the fourth; three runs in the seventh put Venezuela ahead 4-2. Tuesday 8 p.m. ET (FOX): Venezuela vs. USA for the title.

López managed with Tuesday’s final in mind. Even though his team was trailing early and Ricardo Sánchez was dealing (1 2/3 scoreless innings, one walk, no hits), he pulled Sánchez after six batters. The reason: WBC rules prevent a reliever from pitching on zero days' rest if he throws at least 30 pitches in an outing. Sánchez had 23; one more batter could have pushed him over and made him unavailable for Tuesday. López told pitching coach Johan Santana he wanted Sánchez available for the final. Of all the relievers used Monday, only Avila reached the 30-pitch threshold that rules him out for Tuesday. Relievers who did not pitch at all—Jhonathan Díaz, Anthony Molina, Emmanuel De Jesus, José Alvarez, José Buttó, and Antonio Senzatela—give López options in the final, though Eduardo Rodríguez will get the start against the Americans. López said quality relief has been a hallmark of Venezuela's deepest WBC run ever: "We count on these players." He will count on them again Tuesday; a vintage start from E-Rod would be welcome after the bullpen-heavy semifinal.

How the game unfolded

Italy took a 2-0 lead in the second inning against Montero before López went to the pen. Venezuela got one back in the fourth on Eugenio Suárez's solo home run. The game turned in the seventh: Venezuela pushed across three runs to take a 4-2 lead. The bullpen did the rest. Angel Zerpa earned the win; Daniel Palencia recorded the save. Venezuela outhit Italy 8-5; the formula—short start, long relief—was exhausting but effective. López acknowledged that Venezuela enters the final in a "sub-optimal" setup compared to Team USA, which had an off day and a rested bullpen after beating the Dominican Republic 2-1 on Sunday. Venezuela is seeking its first WBC title and a measure of redemption after losing to the USA in the quarterfinals in 2023.

Names to watch for AthX

Venezuela: Ronald Acuña Jr. (Braves), Luis Arraez (Giants), Salvador Pérez (Royals), Eugenio Suárez (Reds), Jackson Chourio (Brewers), Maikel Garcia (Royals), Gleyber Torres (Tigers), Eduardo Rodríguez (D-backs), Daniel Palencia. Italy: Vinnie Pasquantino (Royals), Aaron Nola (Phillies), Sam Aldegheri, Kyle Teel (Red Sox). WBC stats do not move dynamic pricing—MLB games do—but the run keeps these names hot.

What It Means for AthX

Pricing follows MLB, not the Classic. Check the marketplace for live values before Opening Day.

*Sources: MLB.com – Venezuela finds right pitching formula in semis, but final test looms large; ESPN – Venezuela 4-2 Italy box score and takeaways; CBS Sports – Venezuela storms back vs. Italy, sets up finale vs. Team USA. Fact-checked March 16, 2026.*