It's a win-or-go-home moment for Canada during March 11th's matchup against Cuba. If they win, they take first place in Pool A. But should they lose, they're officially eliminated from the 2026 WBC.
As for Puerto Rico, they had already punched their ticket to the next round. Now, they just wait on seeding to see if Canada will join them in the next round or Cuba.
Recap and highlights
In a game that only saw five hits from both teams, there weren't many highlights to begin with. But when they came, they mattered the most.
The game didn't take long to see its first score after Puerto Rico's Nolan Arenado singled home a run to make 1-0.
But after a scoreless second from both teams, Canada finally got on the board in the third with a pair of runs to take the lead.
After loading the bases, Tyler O'Neill walked home to score the first run before Tyler Black did the same to go up 2-1.
Puerto Rico would go 1-2-3 in the bottom of the third that left Canada to tally on their final run of the game - and that was all they needed.
Then, in the top of the fourth, following an Owen Cassie double, Abraham Toro would be the one to bring him in with an RBI single to make 3-1.
In the bottom half of the inning, Puerto Rico would respond almost immediately. Arenado and Eddie Rosario would hit a pair of singles with no outs, followed by a sac-bunt from Christian Vázquez that would advance them to second and third.
Martin Maldonado would bring home Arenado on a groundout to make it 3-2, but that would be all she wrote for Puerto Rico the rest of the way as they finished the Pool stage with a 3-1 record.
He finished the Pool stage leading Puerto Rico with five RBI - no other player had more than two.
It's now or never for Canada.