Mexico goes for more in the Classic

The National Teams Commission, made up of the Mexican Baseball League and the Mexican Federation, ratified Rodrigo López and Benjamín Gil as general manager and manager, respectively, of the tricolor team that will play in the next edition of the World Baseball Classic, to be held from March 5 to 17, 2026.

López and Gil appeared before the media at a press conference in Mexico City, along with Horacio de la Vega, president of the National Team Committee, and Enrique Mayorga, president of the Mexican Football Federation.

“I'm very happy to be back with the Mexican national team,” said Rodrigo López, a winner of 81 games in his 11-season Major League career with the Padres, Orioles, Rockies, Phillies, Diamondbacks, and Cubs.

"As an athlete, challenges motivate me. That's what has helped us achieve positive results," the former pitcher emphasized yesterday at the launch of the 2026 project.

“My heart and mind are always with Mexico. Let's bring more satisfaction to all Mexican baseball fans. Randy Arozarona, Luis Urías, and Isaac Paredes have already raised their hands to return to us. Among those who haven't, Andrés Muñoz, Ramón Urías, Manny Rodríguez, and Alejandro Kirk have already expressed interest and will of course be considered.”

Mexico is in Group B of the World Baseball Classic, which will play the group stage in Houston, Texas, from March 6-11, 2026.

“I'm excited about the challenge ahead,” said Benji Gil, who was part of the 2002 World Series champion Angels. “The expectation for the next World Baseball Classic is to go even further. We're going to have a better roster compared to the previous edition. We're going to show the grit that characterizes us as Mexicans. Our goal is to return with a world championship. Once in the tournament, we won't look down on anyone. It would be a mistake not to work like this.”

Group B is made up of Mexico, ranked fourth in the International Federation's world rankings; the United States (fifth), Italy (14th), Great Britain (18th) and Brazil (23rd).

“I'm proud to have this duo working together with the Mexican national team for the World Baseball Classic,” said Horacio de la Vega. “This is a long-term challenge, and I wish them the best of luck.”

Japan has won three of the five editions of the World Baseball Classic (2006, 2009, and 2023), while the other two championships went to the Dominican Republic (2013) and the United States (2017). Mexico's best performance came in 2023, when the tricolors finished in third place.

“We will continue what we achieved at the 2023 World Classic,” said Enrique Mayorga, head of the Femebe. “The goal is to improve on the result from the previous edition, where we reached the semifinals. And it is possible to achieve that.”