Cuba’s WBC & Spring Training: Performance Discrepancies | Baseball News

Cuba’s national baseball team concluded a two-game exhibition series against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, March 3, 2026, as part of its preparation for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. The Royals won the second game 5-2, following a prior exhibition game on March 2nd, according to reports.

The exhibition series, held in the United States during Major League Baseball’s Spring Training, is intended to provide Cuba with competitive experience ahead of the World Baseball Classic. Cuba will face MLB clubs in these games, featuring players on 40-man rosters, according to a post on Pelota Cubana’s X account.

The Cuban roster for the exhibition games included Yoan Moncada, infielder for the Los Angeles Angels, and a number of other players currently under contract with MLB teams, including Andy Pagés (Los Angeles Dodgers), Jan Carlos Hechavarría (Los Angeles Angels), and Victor Labrada (Seattle Mariners).

The exhibition games follow a four-game series played in February against Nicaragua, which Nicaragua’s manager Dusty Baker described as a “condensed spring training” for his team. Baker, a veteran of 26 Major League Baseball seasons as a manager, has been focused on evaluating his players and establishing a stricter team mentality. “I notice that the guys are in a different mentality now because he’s a manager,” said pitcher Erasmo Ramirez, a 14-year MLB veteran who pitched for Nicaragua in the series. “He’s not afraid to tell you in your face, ‘Bro, you’re doing wrong. You’re not gonna play.’”

Nicaragua struggled offensively during the series against Cuba, managing only five runners in scoring position in Sunday’s game and going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position despite recording 10 hits. Nicaragua previously went 0-4 in Pool D at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, being outscored 22-4 and subsequently needing to requalify for the 2026 tournament.

The Cuban team’s preparation also included a series of games against teams in Asia in 2023, including the Chunichi Dragons, SoftBank Hawks, Nippon-Ham Fighters, and Yakult Swallows of Japan’s NPB, as well as the TSG Hawks and Wei-Chuan Dragons of the CPBL.

The Royals did not field their regular starting lineup for the exhibition game, with Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, and Jac Caglianone unavailable due to their participation in the World Baseball Classic with Team USA and Team Italy, respectively.