Royals shine on global stage as Garcia leads Venezuela to WBC title over USA
From Garcia’s MVP run to contributions across several different nations, Kansas City leaves its mark on the international stage.
The Kansas City Royals’ fingerprints were all over the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and after the 27th out of the title game, it was one of their own standing at the center of it all.
Venezuela captured its first World Baseball Classic title Tuesday night, defeating Team USA 3-2 in a dramatic championship game, and Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Garcia’s rise from emerging big leaguer to international star became one of the defining storylines of the tournament, but he was far from the only Kansas City presence shaping the outcome. From the championship-winning Venezuelan roster to Team USA’s silver medal finish, and even Italy’s Cinderella run, the Royals were everywhere.
Still, it was Garcia who delivered the loudest statement.
The 2025 All-Star and Gold Glove third baseman slashed .385 with a .970 OPS, driving in seven runs, three extra base hits, and three stolen bases. His consistency anchored Venezuela’s lineup throughout the knockout rounds, as he drove in at least one run in each of the club’s final four games.
His impact was felt early and often, including in the championship game, when he brought home the contest’s first run, knocking in future Hall of Famer, Royals catcher Salvador Perez.
Venezuela would hold a 2-0 edge before Team USA responded in the eighth inning. Royals All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. worked a walk before Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper towered a game-tying home run.
That was only for the game to swing back in the ninth inning on Eugenio Suárez’s go-ahead double to seal the 3-2 victory. Kansas City’s Garcia, Perez, and Luinder Avila all became champions for a proud Venezuelan team.
Garcia’s defining moment came before the final, however.
In the quarterfinals, he drilled a clutch two-run home run to eliminate the defending champion Japan team, a turning point in the tournament. He followed that up with a go-ahead, two-out RBI single in the seventh inning of the semifinal against Italy, lifting Venezuela to a 4-2 win and into the championship game.
That Italy club was another Royals-driven storyline.
First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino and right fielder Jac Caglianone helped power one of the tournament’s breakout teams, guiding Italy to a perfect 5-0 start and wins over both Puerto Rico and the United States.
Pasquantino made history with a three-homer performance against Mexico, while Caglianone posted an impressive 1.071 OPS, cementing Italy as the tournament’s surprise contender before falling to Venezuela in the semifinals.
On the other side of the bracket, the United States leaned heavily on its own Royals star.
Witt Jr. set the tone atop the lineup, reaching base and igniting rallies. Witt finished the tournament hitting .250 with three runs scored and three stolen bases, helping the U.S. secure a second consecutive runner-up finish.
Even in victory, the Royals’ presence loomed large for Venezuela beyond Garcia.
Perez, the captain of both the Royals and Venezuela, added another milestone to his decorated career, becoming both a World Series and World Baseball Classic champion. Meanwhile, Avila quietly contributed with two innings of scoreless work during the tournament.
Across the tournament, Kansas City’s reach extended even further. Pitchers Seth Lugo (Puerto Rico), Michael Wacha (USA), and Carlos Estévez (Dominican Republic) all played roles for their respective countries, further cementing the legacy of the 2026 WBC for Kansas City.
By the tournament’s conclusion, no franchise could match the Royals’ impact, and clearly, the fans saw it that way, too. Kansas City topped the World Baseball Classic viewership ratings throughout, according to Yahoo Sports.
They had stars on the championship roster, leaders on the runner-up, and centerpieces on one of the event’s biggest surprises. They had clutch hits, dominant innings, and defining moments at nearly every stage of the bracket.
And at the center of it all was Garcia. He is no longer just a rising player in Kansas City, but a global name.
As a 24-year-old in his second MLB season, Garcia tallied 1.2 WAR, seven home runs, 58 RBI, with a .231 average and .614 OPS.
In 2025, he burst onto the season with a top-20 WAR of 5.6, 16 home runs, 74 RBI, with a .286 average and a .800 OPS.
If the ever-growing popular World Baseball Classic is any indication, it does not appear the All-Star is slowing down any time soon. I would say Kansas City is pretty well set on the left side of the infield for years to come.