'Great To Avenge It:' Canada Eyes WBC Upset Over USA After Olympic Hockey Defeats
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DAIKIN PARK (Houston) – Team USA has kept its hopes of avenging that loss to Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic Championship Game. It has work to do to get back to that point, though, starting against a Canada team that has a different defeat to avenge. Tonight’s WBC quarterfinals bout at the home of the Houston Astros will be the latest round of the countries' sports rivalry that saw the USA beat Canada in both the Olympic gold-medal men’s and women’s hockey games last month. "I think it would be great to avenge it," said Team Canada baseball manager Ernie Whitt. "Obviously, we’re all aware of it," added Team Canada starting pitcher Michael Soroka. "We all took a lot (of flak) in the clubhouses during that game, the day after especially, and it would be nice. But, again, we’re not chasing results. We’re not chasing a story. We’re just going to go out there and play our brand of baseball and let everything fall as they may." Canada will be heading into Friday's game after advancing into the WBC quarterfinals for the first time in the country’s history. The U.S. meanwhile, will be trying to demonstrate that its last game was just a blip. Team USA’s loaded roster nearly didn’t make it out of pool play after losing to Team Italy, but that same Italian club also pushed the U.S. through to the next round by taking care of Mexico in its final game of Pool B. "Hats off to them," said USA manager Mark DeRosa about Italy. "They bailed us out." Team USA’s coaching staff watched that Italy-Mexico game from pitching coach Andy Pettitte’s house in Houston, while many of the players gathered in a conference room in the hotel. An early onslaught by Italy led to high-fives and fist-bumps, giving the U.S. "a new lease on life," as DeRosa described it. If that’s not motivation enough, Team USA also received a message from Team USA hockey hero Jack Hughes, who tried to fire the group up. Now, the U.S. has to take advantage. "Not the situation we wanted to be in," said Team USA p
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- No Data Available - BROWSE BY SPORTS & TEAMS PLAYERS SHOWS PERSONALITIES TOPICS Built on World Baseball Classic World Baseball Classic 'Great To Avenge It:' Canada Eyes WBC Upset Over USA After Olympic Hockey Defeats Updated Mar. 13, 2026 3:24 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link Rowan Kavner MLB Writer DAIKIN PARK – Team USA has kept its hopes of avenging that loss to Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic Championship Game. It has work to do to get back to that point, though, starting against a Canada team that has a different defeat to avenge. Tonight’s WBC quarterfinals bout at the home of the Houston Astros will be the latest round of the countries' sports rivalry that saw the USA beat Canada in both the Olympic gold-medal men’s and women’s hockey games last month. "I think it would be great to avenge it," said Team Canada baseball manager Ernie Whitt. "Obviously, we’re all aware of it," added Team Canada starting pitcher Michael Soroka. "We all took a lot (of flak) in the clubhouses during that game, the day after especially, and it would be nice. But, again, we’re not chasing results. We’re not chasing a story. We’re just going to go out there and play our brand of baseball and let everything fall as they may." Canada will be heading into Friday's game after advancing into the WBC quarterfinals for the first time in the country’s history. The U.S. meanwhile, will be trying to demonstrate that its last game was just a blip. Team USA’s loaded roster nearly didn’t make it out of pool play after losing to Team Italy, but that same Italian club also pushed the U.S. through to the next round by taking care of Mexico in its final game of Pool B. "Hats off to them," said USA manager Mark DeRosa about Italy. "They bailed us out." Team USA’s coaching staff watched that Italy-Mexico game from pitching coach Andy Pettitte’s house in Houston, while many of the players gathered in a conference room in the hotel. An early onslaught by Italy led to high-fives and fist-bu...
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