Ezequiel Tovar led a successful Rockies delegation in the World Baseball Classic

MIAMI, FL - MARCH 17: Ezequiel Tovar #14 of Team Venezuela celebrates after the 2026 World Baseball Classic Championship game presented by Capital One between Team Venezuela and Team USA at loanDepot Park on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images After several weeks of intense and exciting international competition, the 2026 World Baseball Classic has sadly drawn to a close. The sadness stems from the fact that the next tournament will not come until either 2029 or 2030—and may come with changes to the scheduling and format.

However, for victorious Venezuela there is no sadness to be had. The Venezuelans openly wept tears of exuberant joy on the field following their upset win over the United States. At the beginning of the tournament, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the finals would be a rematch of USA and Japan—the two finalists from the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Instead, the 2026 Classic held multiple surprises and upsets with an environment some said was better than the World Series. The Colorado Rockies had their own part to play in this year’s World Baseball Classic. Not only did Venezuela have multiple Rockies on their championship roster, but the Rockies were well represented throughout the entire tournament.

Their 12 players (and one coach) were one of the largest delegations of any Major League team. Each participating Rockie would have their role to play while wearing their nation emblazoned on their chest. Team Israel (2-2, eliminated in group stage) In all honesty, Team Israel didn’t stand much of a chance in a Pool D that also included semifinalist Dominican Republic and eventual champion Venezuela.