One of the most compelling matchups of the 2023 World Baseball Classic to date is scheduled for Wednesday. Two WBC powerhouses – Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic – will tackle it with a trip to the quarterfinals hanging in the balance. Venezuela have already advanced from Pool D (informally known as the Pool of Death thanks to the strength of their field) and this game will determine the last team from Pool D to advance. Puerto Rico and the DR both go into this game with a 2-1 mark in pool play.
You can see the full tournament schedule by clicking here. Now let’s move on to how you can watch this epic clash.
Puerto Rico vs. Dominican Republic how to watch
Date: Wednesday March 15 | Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Lending Depot Park (Miami)
TV channel:FS1 | Live broadcast: fuboTV (try for free)
Opportunities: DR -400; PR +300; O/U: 10 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Starting pitchers: RHP Fernando Cruz (Puerto Rico) vs. RHP Johnny Cueto (DR)
to see players
Cueto, 37, gets the Dominican Republic bid in this all-or-nothing affair. Cueto, now with the Marlins, enjoyed a late-career renaissance season for the White Sox last season. Thanks in part to an optimized repertoire featuring fastball, sinker, and slider, Cueto recorded a 118 ERA+, a 3.09 K/BB ratio, and the ability to work deep into games. How Cueto manages Puerto Rico’s lineup in those early frames will be crucial.
On the other hand, Francisco Lindor could be tasked with doing the heavy lifting for the attack on Puerto Rico. DR have a huge advantage up front thanks to their star-studded line-up (even without the injured Vladimir Guerrero Jr.). The Mets’ Lindor has the best chance of mitigating that advantage. He’s an accomplished hitter, of course, especially by the standards of slick-field shortstops, and so far in the 2023 WBC, Lindor has a .455/.538/.636 slash with one home run and just one strikeout. Manager Yadier Molina’s side will need more of him in this game.
forecast
The DR offense comes into this WBC with a .311/.392/.481 slash as a team, and that makes all the difference in these. The Dominican Republic defeats Puerto Rico in a classic clash that will be remembered.
Choose: Dominican Republic 8, Puerto Rico 7