Cuba v USA: World Baseball Classic 2023 semi-final – live

Hey congrats to Fox Sports 1 for having a decent lead-in programming for an international baseball competition: an interview special with Shohei Ohtani. Much more fitting than the race car special that was on before Friday’s game.

Predictions

Okay, yesterday I guessed that the USA would manage a quasi-upset win over Venezuela and, while it was a bit touch-and-go for a spell, it ended up playing out. I think I’ll let it ride and guess that they’ll manage to win again despite having to play back-to-back games.

I’m a little less sure, simply because it’s a bit trickier for them to prepare for a team with so many lesser-known quantities on it, even if communication has opened up between the two countries since the last time the WBC was played.

I don’t expect an offensive explosion like yesterday’s 9-7 back-and-forth affair. Maybe it will be something like a 4-3 US victory?

Have a different opinion? Or, better yet, want to agree with me and tell me what a wise soothsayer I am? Either way, you can send your predictions our way either via email (to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com) or via Twitter (to @HunterFelt) and we’ll post them here throughout the live blog’s early stages.

Hey, some potentially significant news if Cuba needs a pinch-hitter in a key opportunity during today’s game. Céspedes has been out of the majors for a few years, but the 37-year-old has veteran experience against MLB-caliber pitching and probably some pop still left in his bat.

Cuba starting lineup

1. Roel Santos, LF

2. Yoán Moncada, 3B

3. Luis Robert, CF

4. Alfredo Despaigne, DH

5. Erisbel Arruebarruena, SS

6. Andy Ibañez, 2B

7. Ariel Martínez, C

8. Yadir Drake, 1B

9. Yoelkis Guibert, RF

Starting pitcher: Roenis Elías

USA starting lineup

1. Mookie Betts, RF

2. Mike Trout, CF

3. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B

4. Nolan Areando, 3B

5. Kyle Schwarber, LF

6. Will Smith, C

7. Pete Alonso, DH

8. Tim Anderson, 2B

9. Trea Turner, SS

Starting pitcher: Adam Wainwright

Preamble

I won’t lie, it didn’t look like the US would it make it this far. It appeared that Venezuela was well on its way to making it to the semi-finals matchup against Cuba after USA pitcher Daniel Bard’s troubling control problems caused them to blow a 5-2 lead midway through the game. However, a Trea Turner grand slam in the 8th inning ensured that Bard (or manager Mark DeRosa, who left his reliever in too long) would not be the goat yesterday.

So now they are facing the Cuba team, which for the first time in WBC history now contains current and former MLB players such as Luis Robert and Yoán Moncada from the Chicago White Sox, it’s an intriguing mix of both known and unknown entities, something that could give this USA team trouble. The two teams have never met before in the World Baseball Classic and in fact this might be a downright historical sports occasion.

On the mound, the US will have Adam Wainwright starting for them, while Cuba will be starting lefty Roenis Elías. The winner of today’s semi-final will go on to the championship game to face the winner of tomorrow’s game between Japan and Mexico.

Per usual, we would love to hear from you during this game, you can send your thoughts and comments and we’ll use them throughout this liveblog. You can send them to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com or tweet them to @HunterFelt.

It’s Cuba vs USA in the first of two WBC semi-finals at Miami’s LoanDepot Park. The game broadcast begins on Fox Sports 1 at 7:00 pm EST, but we’ll be back before then with starting lineups, predictions and other such things leading up to start time.

Hunter will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s how Saturday’s quarter-final unfolded:

Trea Turner hit a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning that lifted the United States over Venezuela 9-7 Saturday night and into the World Baseball Classic semi-finals.

Trailing 7-5, the United States loaded the bases in the eighth on a walk, single and hit by pitch against losing pitcher Jose Quijada. Silvino Bracho relieved and then Turner, the ninth batter in the US lineup, sent his 0-2 changeup 407 feet to deep left field for the third grand slam in Team USA history.

David Bednar, the fifth US pitcher, got the win. Ryan Pressly got three outs for the save.

Luis Arraez, playing the ballpark that he’ll soon call home with the Miami Marlins, hit two home runs for Venezuela.

The US team boasts a roster of big names that many picked to repeat as WBC champions.

All nine batters in Team USA’s lineup are all-stars, including Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout, St Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado.