As international baseball prepares to take center stage once again, FOX Sports is positioning itself for a global spotlight when the World Baseball Classic returns Wednesday, March 4, with a broadcast roster designed to match the magnitude of the event and the star power expected to headline it.
The last tournament delivered one of the sport’s most memorable moments when two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani closed out a dramatic championship for Japan, securing the country’s third title and reinforcing the tournament’s growing stature as a true international showcase. That momentum now carries into 2026, where the event once again promises to blend elite competition with national pride and postseason-level intensity before the Major League Baseball season even begins.
To meet that moment, FOX Sports has assembled a lineup of broadcasters that mirrors the depth of its October baseball coverage, signaling how seriously the company views the tournament within its broader MLB portfolio.
Leading play-by-play duties for Team USA games and the knockout rounds are Joe Davis, Adam Amin and Kevin Kugler, each bringing extensive national experience across multiple sports and high-pressure stages. They will work alongside analysts John Smoltz, A.J. Pierzynski and Adam Wainwright, while veteran reporters Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci add insight from the field and clubhouse.
The network’s top MLB team of Davis, Smoltz and Rosenthal will handle both semifinal matchups and the championship game from loanDepot Park, reinforcing the event’s big-game presentation and providing continuity for viewers accustomed to FOX’s postseason coverage.
Meanwhile, pool play games will feature Major League Baseball announcers stationed internationally, allowing the telecasts to capture the atmosphere and cultural energy unique to each host venue rather than relying solely on a centralized production.
Studio coverage also reflects the event’s stature. FOX Sports will deploy Hall of Famers Derek Jeter and David Ortiz alongside World Series champion Alex Rodriguez and host Kevin Burkhardt on-site in Miami for the semifinals and championship.
Collectively, Jeter, Ortiz and Rodriguez bring five World Baseball Classic appearances representing the United States and the Dominican Republic, experience that offers perspective beyond traditional studio analysis and underscores the tournament’s impact on players who have lived it.
On the Spanish-language side, FOX Deportes will provide exclusive coverage of the 2026 tournament, extending its long-standing position in baseball broadcasting. Analyst Edgar Gonzalez, who represented Mexico in multiple WBC editions and later managed the club, anchors the coverage alongside Adrian Garcia-Marquez, Carlos Alvarez, Rolando Nichols and Jaime Motta.
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