The 2024 WBSC Premier12 presented by RAXUS is nearing its climax as the Super Round ends on Saturday and all four teams still hope to secure a spot in the finals on Sunday. At 12 pm local time on Saturday, Venezuela and the United States will face off at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, and no. 4 of the WBSC/KONAMI Men’s Baseball World Rankings will face no. 5.
Venezuela is 1-1 in the Super Round following a 2-0 win over Chinese Taipei on Thursday and a 6-9 loss to Japan on Friday. Meanwhile, the United States is 0-2 after 1-9 and 2-8 losses to Japan and Chinese Taipei in the first two days of the WBSC Premier12 Super Round. Still, both teams have a chance to advance to the final, although it also depends on the outcome of the clash between Chinese Taipei (1-1) and Japan (2-0) on Saturday night.
Venezuela seemingly had Japan on the verge of its first defeat, when it took a 5-3 lead in their meeting on Friday. But at one point the lead vanished and the defending champion prevailed once again. Venezuela lost 5-2 in the 2024 WBSC Premier12. They are now hitting .299/.352/.516 with 39 runs scored in the event. Their pitchers have a collective ERA of 3.05 through seven games.
Team USA suffered its second loss of the Super Round and now has a 3-4 record in the WBSC Premier12. They still have a chance to reach the final, but first they must beat Venezuela. They kept the deficit with Chinese Taipei to a single run until five runs in the seventh opened the scoring. They are hitting .288/.377/.489 with 39 runs scored. The United States and Venezuela have 11 home runs in the tournament. Team USA’s ERA has increased to 4.19 in the tournament from 2.41 in the first round.
Venezuelan manager Omar López selected 26-year-old right-hander Jesús Vargas as the starting pitcher. The former minor leaguer with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets started the game against Panama in the 2024 WBSC Premier12, allowing two runs on four hits in five innings, while striking out six.
The United States strikes back with a player who pitched in the Major Leagues this year. Right-handed pitcher Touki Toussaint, 28, is a seven-year MLB veteran with a career 5.39 ERA. He also started against Panama, but lasted only two innings, giving up two hits, a run and a walk, while striking out five.
Both teams met in the first round of Group A of the WBSC 2024 Premier12, with Venezuela winning 5-3. The United States tied the game twice in the game, but a three-run deficit in the bottom of the sixth ultimately decided the outcome. It was just Venezuela’s fourth win in head-to-head matches at the international baseball level since 2011. The United States finished second in the 2015 WBSC Premier12 and fourth in 2019. Venezuela was seventh in 2019 and ninth in 2015.
