Team USA (3-1) did enough to finish second in Pool C, and their reward is a date with the Pool D winner, Venezuela (4-0).
The process was as pretty for the Americans as many envisioned, but either way, they managed to advance to the quarterfinals. Their lone loss of the WBC came to Mexico, who won Pool C. Behind a superstar lineup, America has visions of winning it all for the second straight Classic.
Venezuela tore through Pool D, winning all four games even with tough opponents like Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in their way. They also have a star-studded lineup, but their pitching staff carried them this far. Venezuela has allowed the fewest runs in the WBC so far and has the second-lowest team ERA.
USA vs. Venezuela has the potential to be one of the most exciting matchups in the WBC. Here’s how these two countries stack up.
USA vs. Venezuela Odds
| Team | Run Line | Total | Money Line |
| USA | -1.5 (+130) | Over 9.0 (-115) | -125 |
| Venezuela | +1.5 (-150) | Under 9.0 (-105) | +105 |
USA vs. Venezuela Match Details
Fixture: USA vs. Venezuela
Date and Time: Saturday, March 18 2023, 7:00 p.m. EST
Venue: loanDepot Park
USA vs. Venezuela Starting Pitchers
Team USA will be trotting out Lance Lynn for the second time in the WBC. He faced Canada on Monday and threw 5.0 innings, allowing only two hits and one run. He pitched for the White Sox in 2022, battling injuries, and finished with a 1.13 WHIP and 3.99 ERA. He has a bit of a nemesis on Venezuela in Luis Arraez, who was 5-9 against Lynn last season with a home run.
Martin Perez will be his dance partner, and he tossed 3.1 innings of one-run ball against the vaunted Dominican Republic lineup last Saturday. His 2022 season with the Texas Rangers was the finest of his career, setting new single-season bests in most statistics. He may need to watch out for America’s Kyle Tucker, who picked up five hits against Perez last season in 12 at-bats.
USA vs. Venezuela Prediction
Both pitchers in this game are great, and former MLB All-Stars, but look at these lineups and what they’ve done in this classic. USA is averaging 6.5 runs per game, and Venezuela is putting up 5.75. Both teams have a collective OPS over .840 too. Venezuela’s pitching staff may not have allowed many runs yet, but it seems like they’re due to. Their BAA in the WBC is .241, and their WHIP is 1.25. By comparison, USA’s BAA is .258, and their WHIP is 1.24, and America’s pitching has been scrutinized for all of March. Expect a lot of runs tonight and take the over.
