ketel marte delivered a defining swing as World Baseball Classic pool play ended and the knockout bracket locked in, with win-or-go-home games beginning this weekend. As of 12: 12 PM ET on Mar. 13, 2026, the Arizona Diamondbacks have multiple players and prospects still alive in the tournament, while eliminated participants have begun returning to spring training. The immediate focus now turns to Friday’s quarterfinal slate, with the Dominican Republic and Canada both moving into high-pressure matchups.
Knockout stage set as eight teams remain
Pool play wrapped up Wednesday, leaving eight teams standing and pushing the event into its quarterfinal round. Diamondbacks players and prospects who were eliminated have started heading back to spring training, while those still in the tournament will take the field in win-or-go-home games starting this weekend.
Diamondbacks still competing are spread across two national teams: the Dominican Republic (SS Geraldo Perdomo, 2B Ketel Marte, 1B Carlos Santana) and Canada (RHP Michael Soroka, RHP Indigo Diaz). The quarterfinal matchups listed for this round are Dominican Republic vs. Korea on Friday, and Canada vs. the United States on Friday, followed by Puerto Rico vs. Italy on Saturday and Venezuela vs. Japan on Saturday.
Ketel Marte’s bat stands out as D. R. clinches its pool
ketel marte has been described as Arizona’s hitting standout among the remaining group after a big showing against Venezuela on Wednesday. In that 7-5 pool-clinching win for the Dominican Republic, he roped a single and hit a home run off Diamondbacks teammate Eduardo Rodriguez.
Through pool play, Marte is 3-for-12 with six runs, three RBIs, and four walks while batting second in a lineup positioned between Fernando Tatis Jr. and Juan Soto. The performance against Venezuela provided a headline moment for the Diamondbacks’ contingent, coming directly against a teammate on the mound and helping the Dominican Republic secure its spot in the knockout stage.
Elsewhere on the Dominican Republic roster, Perdomo is 1-for-8 and missed a game with an illness, while drawing four walks and scoring four runs. Santana is 1-for-5, coming off the bench for a loaded Dominican Republic roster.
Pitching spotlight: Canada’s Soroka draws Team USA
Canada’s quarterfinal path runs straight into Team USA, with Michael Soroka scheduled to pitch in the Friday matchup. Soroka was solid in his pool play start, working three innings and allowing one earned run against Colombia, but faces what was described as a significantly scarier U. S. lineup led by Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr., and Kyle Schwarber.
“It’ll be a little more of a chess match, ” Soroka told reporters on Thursday. “I’m looking forward to it. I feel really good. ”
Quick context and what’s next
The World Baseball Classic has shifted from pool play into single-elimination games, where each at-bat and each inning can end a team’s run. For the Diamondbacks group still in the field, the transition raises both the intensity and the stakes immediately.
Next up, quarterfinal play begins Friday, with the Dominican Republic and Canada each facing a must-win test to reach the semifinals. If the Dominican Republic advances, ketel marte remains at the center of the story after setting the tone in pool-clinching fashion, while Soroka’s start against Team USA will be a defining checkpoint for Canada’s push deeper into the bracket.
