Canada Defeats Cuba 7-2, Complicating Cuba's Path in WBC Pool A

Cuba's historic run of never being eliminated in the first round of the World Baseball Classic is over. Canada delivered the blow, beating Cuba 7-2 at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan on Wednesday to finish Pool A at 3-1 and reach the WBC quarterfinals for the first time in six tournament appearances.

The trouble started before Canada even scored. Cuba ace Liván Moinelo, who posted a 1.46 ERA across 167 innings in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball in 2025, couldn't find his footing against the WBC's pitch clock in the first inning. Multiple violations disrupted his rhythm and helped Canada load the bases, setting the tone for a game that would never feel comfortable for the Cuban side.

Canada broke through in the third. Tyler O'Neill and Abraham Toro hit back-to-back singles, then advanced to second and third on a passed ball by Cuban catcher Andrys Perez. Owen Caissie drove in O'Neill with a sacrifice fly to right field. Two innings later, Toro connected off Yariel Rodríguez on a two-out solo shot that traveled 420 feet and cleared the stadium entirely, the longest home run hit at Bithorn all week.

Cuba cut the deficit to 2-1 in the fifth when Yoel Yanqui walked, advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw by starter Cal Quantrill, and scored on a grounder by Yoelkis Guibert. But the run was unearned, and Quantrill finished five innings with that lone blemish on his line.

The sixth inning broke the game open for Canada and broke Cuba's spirit. Cuban second baseman Yiddi Cappe dropped a routine fly ball to let Matt Davidson reach first. Davidson advanced two bases on a wild pitch, then scored on a Bo Naylor double to right. Denzel Clarke reached on catcher's interference, stole second, and scored on an Otto López single through the left side that also plated Naylor. Three runs, four batters, and a 5-1 lead. Cuba loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning, but Adam Macko struck out Cappe to end the threat.

James Paxton then took over and removed any remaining suspense. The left-hander struck out six batters across 2 2/3 scoreless innings, his fastball touching 97 mph. López scored again in the eighth when Josh Naylor's flare to left popped out of a sliding Ariel Martinez's glove. Caissie added one more in the ninth on a base hit. Cerantola worked alongside Paxton to close out a 7-2 final.

"We're not here for a participation ribbon," said Quantrill afterward. "We're here to compete and play ball and win against the best countries in the world. We were professional the whole time. We knew it wasn't going to be easy and we showed up to play these last two days. Just really, really proud of the guys. Such a cool moment for Canada baseball, for a lot of guys that have been here for a long time."

Toro finished with three hits and six extra-base hits in this WBC, five of them coming in the final week of pool play. Only Justin Morneau has more extra-base hits in WBC play among Canadian players historically. "Canada is definitely a country that is slept on," Toro said. "I just think that Canadian baseball is going to continue to grow, and hopefully we can be an inspiration for a younger generation."

Cuba finished 2-2, third in Pool A. Canada claimed the group's top seed over Puerto Rico, which also went 3-1, on the strength of Tuesday's 3-2 head-to-head victory. Canada now faces the United States, Pool B's runner-up, at Daikin Park in Houston on Friday at 8 p.m. ET on FOX and Sportsnet. Michael Soroka is expected to start.